A Relaxing Pool and Beach Day @ Arabian Court, One and Only Royal Mirage

Off we went mid-week, a 5 minutes drive to one of the more exclusive resorts in our neighbourhood and the UAE – the One and Only Royal Mirage. It has always been known by most as a place to go for a special occasion – anniversaries, proposals, birthday getaways, and typically where you want to escape the little ones. I was sitting on the fence this time – should I bring them, or should I not? I’m really sorry guys – I did. It was meant to be a review of a day out with the family so ‘the family’ was coming along too 😉 And guess what – thankfully we weren’t the only ones with kids by the pool and at lunch either. Who ever said One and Only is not family-friendly?

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Is the Arabian Courts family-friendly?

I can see your face going – nooooooo! Hold your horses, don’t hate me just yet. I know it’s not typically targeted at this demographic. Just read on. After an entire afternoon spent by the pool, lunch at Eauzone and more fun at the beach – what I felt was – this is where you’ll choose for a staycation or day pass if you want something a bit more exclusive, quiet, special. Yes, there were toddlers but generally 2 and under. There was no screaming and shouting by the pool. Most were couples – reading a book, playing with their phones, having a tan. And there were probably 4 or 5 families with young children. Even so, it was so peaceful, and so beautiful there.

Arabian Courts, One and Only Royal Mirage Dubai

Much to my surprise – there was a slide as well which my kids loved. Part of the pool is shallow and perfect for the little ones, and the other part closer to Eauzone was deeper for those who like to swim. I assume this is their family-friendly pool?

How was the service at One&Only Royal Mirage?

On service – the staff were exceptionally well-spoken and attentive but not intrusive. One chap stood out – Charuka from Sri Lanka – he was quite chatty with my 2-year old. Bonus points for that. I’ve spent most of the last few months in resorts all over Dubai and I can say confidently that you do feel quite special when you’re at the One & Only – their service does stand out. And look, if you really wanted to hide away from kids, there is an ‘adults-only’ lawn area with private cabanas where you could disappear to. Alternatively, wait till their adults-only pool is open, or pop over to Drift Beach next door – you won’t find any little people there.

What about the beach in One&Only Royal Mirage?

Take a peek at Googlemaps – it shares the same shoreline as the Mina Seyahi resorts. That’s Barasti, Le Meridien and Westin. The difference is they’ve kept a larger beachfront instead of developing it into pools and restaurants – which means more fluffy sand for you. Would be nice if the newly built Dubai Harbour wasn’t there…. but yeah, construction never stops in Dubai, does it.

We hung out after lunch at the end of the beach which borders Drift Beach. Sun beds were spaced far apart, making it secluded and nice. The girls were just running around and playing with sand – happy days 😉

How much is a pool and beach day in One&Only Royal Mirage?

One & Only never really do deals. You’ll never see them in Entertainer, One-day deal websites or even the membership I’m currently addicted to – Privilee. Whilst I would be very happy if they got onto Privilee, I’m glad they are not. Keep it exclusive. How much would it be?*

Sunday to Thursday (week days)
- AED 250 per adult with an AED 100 credit towards Food & Beverage
- Two children up to 15 years per family receive complimentary entry.
Friday to Saturdays (weekends)
- AED 250 per adult with an AED 100 credit towards Food & Beverage
- AED 150 per child with an AED 50 credit towards Food & Beverage

I have all the prices of day passes in my head or well – because I did a listing of it few months back here. The prices you see for One & Only – that’s as good as it gets. So if you are happy to splurge a little more for an exclusive pool and beach day but don’t want to stay the night, try it out. I would say it’s suitable for families with young toddlers, but maybe not so much for the older ones unless they are extremely well-behaved, ha ha. After a swim, pop over to Eauzone for lunch. Click here for my review on that.