Thai group Centara Hotels & Resorts opened its first outpost in the United Arab Emirates in October, with Centara Mirage Beach Resort Dubai taking pride of place along Nakheel’s proposed Deira Islands waterfront city.

As the third Centara Mirage property (a brand known for its ultra-family offerings) globally, it follows the group’s Lost World-themed resort in Pattaya and Explorer’s Playground-themed property In Vietnam.

With that in mind and a toddler in tow, we set out to find out what kid-friendly stays are like at the resort.

Home

Despite the sweltering summer weekend we are visiting, the lobby is packed. And that’s saying something, as the space is easily one of the largest hotel reception areas I’ve seen, with dozens of plush sofas, a lobby bar, and a wide passageway leading to the gift shop, elevators and spa.

Indeed, there are several check-in counters throughout the hallway, which are busy when things get busy. Not so convenient, after queuing for 15 minutes we are informed that it is for large groups only.

When our round of check-in finally arrives, the receptionist has us on our way in less than five minutes, armed with a manual strewn with QR codes to facilitate spa and restaurant reservations.

The neighborhood

Centara sits on the new development of Deira Islands, a waterfront town off Dubai. If you feel the urge to venture out, Souk Al Marfa and the Waterfront Market are just a stone’s throw away.

Security measures

Globally, the resort has implemented Centara Complete Care, a program developed in conjunction with Ecolab and Swiss certification company SGS. A team of hygiene and quality managers oversee the 12-pronged action plan, which follows guidelines set by WHO, the World Travel and Tourism Council and local health authorities in the six countries where the Centara brand is present.

Bedroom

We stay in the Mirage junior suite, a spacious room with a long balcony, a double bed and a bunk bed. The other bedrooms are equipped with a double bed, two double beds with or without bunk beds and a two-bedroom suite with three double beds. The resort is quite large, with 607 rooms and suites in total.

The Junior Suite has a well-appointed layout with plenty of open space for the kids to bounce around in, with a sofa, luggage rack and closet discreetly tucked away in their own corners.

The double bed is lush without being fluffy and large enough to fit three people, lest the little one decide that tonight is the night she “absolutely needs to sleep between mommy and daddy.”

The bathroom is not massive, but separates the toilet from the bathroom with a frosted glass door. It is stocked with Purple Lotus products, while some other room categories offer herbal essences.

The balcony is a real highlight and offers views of the beach, myriad pools, waterslides, and the lazy river that meanders around the property. It’s a happy sight.

The scene

There’s a lot to unpack here, but the highlight of this property is its bathing options. A lagoon-shaped family pool is open to all while the heated spa pool is reserved for ages 16 and up. A third pool on the beach has a long line of inflatables for those who fancy a workout in the water, and then there’s the ocean, of course.

Three waterslides, each more than fun, sit above their own plunge pool, while little ones can have fun in a shaded paddling pool with a mini slide, fountain spouts, a misty tunnel, water guns and many other water park features in just inches of water. A lazy river winds around it all, with single and double floats, and several fun “waterfalls” along the circuit.

While the pool arena faces west, if it’s still too hot in the afternoon, send the kids to the soft play area or arcade-style playroom, while you head to Spa Cenvaree.

That said, there’s plenty to do for the adults in the arcade (I remain the undisputed air hockey champion in the family) and for the kids in their dedicated candy-themed spa.

The adult spa focuses on traditional Thai healing and offers treatments such as Tok Sen (which involves the masseuse tock-tock on your body with a wooden hammer); Signature Salt Pot Muscle Melter Massage (which involves gently rolling steamed clay pots filled with coarse salt and medicinal herbs over the body); and Thai Warrior (which is part massage, part deep stretching, part total release). All this costs 680 Dh for two hours.

The kids’ spa offers treatments like Rapunzel hair braiding, makeup, and nail art (250 Dh for 90 minutes); Strawberry Shortcake Body Massage (Dh150 for 45 minutes); and mini-massage of the Superstar face, hands and feet (250 Dh for 90 minutes).

The resort also organizes daily activities for the little ones, including a beach disco, movie night and fireworks.

Whichever way you choose to combine your activities, one thing is almost certain: your children will sleep soundly through the night.

The food

There are no less than six restaurants in Centara, most of which operate on a buffet system: Suan Bua and Mirage Family Lounge primarily serve Thai dishes and are open for breakfast, lunch and dinner for those who benefit from the all-inclusive package; Sheesh makes Lebanese dishes; Uno Mas is a European restaurant; and the poolside Sands and Waves serves snacks and barbecue.

Of the various dishes we sampled during our two-night stay, here are a few highlights: The red and yellow curries and basil noodles at Suan Bua’s lunch buffet are masterful, as is the fish tagine at the buffet. of Sheesh’s Lebanese dinner. Sands offers medium Hawaiian pizza and Caesar salad on its a la carte menu, and a creamy pasta alfredo (popular with little ones) on its evening buffet. The creme brulee at Uno Mas is more refined, but the set menu as a whole is nothing out of the ordinary (more on that below).

Highs and lows

The countless pools are the USP of this resort.

While anyone can enter the main ‘family pool’, it never feels too crowded as some toddlers spend the day in the shaded water park, while older children enjoy burning off their energy on the water slides , while others stroll through the lazy river .

There are plenty of restaurants to satiate your taste buds after a full day of water fun, but the set menu at Uno Mas (the only option if you go all-inclusive) leaves a lot to be desired. It’s devoid of options compared to the swanky restaurant’s a la carte menu, and those on offer (including shellfish soup, steak, and chocolate pastry) are average at best.

Insider Tip

Avoid the couple’s therapy room in the spa if even one of you is getting the Tok Sen massage, which to the other sounds like non-stop construction work – not quite ideal for relaxing. It’s definitely a place for families with kids, unless you don’t mind being surrounded by chlorine-inflated toddlers.

The verdict

Have a child, will come back – come fog or sun.

The bottom line

Rooms at the Centara Mirage Beach Resort Dubai start at Dh499 including breakfast for two adults, but excluding taxes. Up to two children can stay and dine for free. Mirage Junior Suite rates reviewed here start from Dh1,144, per night including tax. Check-in is from 3:00 p.m. and check-out is at 12:00 p.m., but the resort tries to be flexible where possible. www.centarahotelsresorts.com

This review was conducted at the invitation of the hotel during the global coronavirus pandemic. It reflects hotel standards during this period, services may change in the future.

Updated: July 24, 2022, 04:25