Palace Downtown is Ideally located well, Downtown and home to some of the city’s most important landmarks including Burj Khalifa, The Dubai Mall and the impressive Dubai Fountain. The Palace Downtown Dubai is luxury redefined, it combines old world Arabian charm with modern sophistication. Built on the edge of Burj Khalifa Lake, the property sits directly in Burj Khalifa’s shadow, giving you front-row seats to the famous light and fountain shows. Next door to the hotel is Souk Al Bahar, with its numerous restaurants and bars, and The Dubai Mall is a stone’s throw away.
As I enter through the beautiful Palace Downtown lobby, the modern Arabic interior design showcases a rich combination of the Islamic, Moroccan and transitional style of Modernism, reinforcing a comfortable ambiance of peace. Common Islamic features like the use of specific ornamental forms with elaborate geometric patterns including floral arabesque motifs and delicate calligraphic inscriptions are thorough out the premise. I make my way out along the lush, tree-lined pathway towards the pool area, I am instantly reminded of how stunning the Palace Downtown and its grounds truly are.
The hotel’s pool mirrors the grandeur of the fountain at the entrance of the hotel. The invitingly, chilled pool lays before the Burj Lake, Burj Khalifa and the mesmerising Burj Fountains. Surrounded by palm trees flanked on either side and secluded covered cabanas with ceiling fans to caressingly cool to the state of utter peace, wonderfully offering shade and privacy at the same time.
Buhayra Lounge is situated near to the expansive pool area on the ground floor – just a short walk from the hotel’s main entrance and has an overwater deck for dining. The ideal place to impress visitors, a weekly jaunt for their happy hour, dinners or just unwind with a shisha and be entertained by the Burj Fountains all whilst enjoying your friends or family’s company.
The impressive menu at Buhayra Lounge also includes a Vegan’s list of mouth watering selections that can easily tempt. Starting my evening right and seeing the sunset, I wanted to enjoy their Happy Hour, that can be availed from 4pm to 7pm with selected beverages for a fraction of the normal hour price and their flavoured hubbly bubbly shishas is also included.
To quench my thirst, I had the Old Cuban, combined with Prosecco, dark rum, vanilla, a splash of lemon, crushed sugar and sprigs of mint. The seductive, ice cool droplets on the glass was an enticingly chilled concoction so refreshing that warranted more…wow that hit the spot! But alas, I must pace myself! I felt like having only light bites, so I ordered the Singaporean Seafood Spring Roll accompanied with Hot Chilly Garlic Sauce. Delicately deep fried yet not greasy at all and was delicious and the grilled Halloumi itself was fantastic and tasty.
My next drink of choice was the Passion Fruit Mojito that blends white rum with fresh passion fruit, splashes of lemon juice muddle with lime wedges and brown sugar. This was a good contender to the Old Cuban, I must say. Very enjoyable to say the least. I was still a little peckish, and ordered the fresh Prawn Ceviche that had gorgeous poached prawns on top of a avocado salsa and medley of spring leaves.
All in all, the sunset happy hour experience is lovely, and no matter how many years you have been here or if you have just arrived, the view is to die for and when cooler climes are just around the corner, it is a definite must try from recommendation from this Insider.
