FISH AT THE FAIRMONT PALM JUMEIRAH

One of the best fish and chip lunches I ate recently was at the Sea Grill on the ground level of the recently opened Fairmont Palm Jumeirah. Perfectly fried fish, fat, home cut chips and some lightly minted mushy peas beautifully presented in a calm, cool restaurant overlooking the water. Sitting somewhere as elegant as this in our thinly disguised beach attire (we’d been swimming all morning) made it even better, a casual, luxury lunch if you get my drift? At Dhs 110, I thought it was good value too. But as we were visiting relatives staying at the hotel, we opted for a day pass that entitled us to the facilities of the beach and pools and gave us a Dhs 100 credit towards food. At Dhs 265, it was a day well spent.

I loved the fact that there was no thumpingly loud music playing in the background and that you could select either to be in a family area with younger children or a quieter space that didn’t feel “rarefied”.  The kids will love the all you can eat ice cream deal for Dhs 19.00.  Cold drinking water is complimentary and brought to you in a sensible insulated cool bag. A big tick on the sustainability front to the Fairmont for that, well done for not wasting water on making ice for keeping the bottles cool.

Christmas Eve 2012 saw the opening of the Fairmont on the Palm Jumeirah, and a few months on the hotel is well established. Our day pass entitled us access to 4 of it’s cool pools, beachfront and gym facilities. It feels very much like a city hotel by the water – you have a clear view of Dubai Marina but unlike the Marina Walk hotels, the Fairmont has an air of unstuffy tranquility and calm and you don’t feel hemmed in by a back drop of high rise buildings.

They are just putting the finishing touches to their Oriental Restaurant Ba and we’ll report back from there in a later post. The day pass at the Fairmont is an easy quick fix for residents who need to feel they’ve been on a mini holiday before the real thing later in the summer, go now before it’s too hot. Know of a better beach and lunch deal? Leave me a comment and let me know. And do share this good idea however you feel works best for you…Thanks Monica

Oh and if you prefer your fish on the fiery side, there’s still time to enter our Great Goan Giveaway

 Thanks to all of you who’ve entered the competition already, winner to be announced on the 16th  of June.

COMPETITION ENTRIES NOW CLOSED.