The short version: Stay, if you know why you’re coming. FIVE Palm Jumeirah is a beachfront luxury party resort on the Palm Jumeirah that is built, top to bottom, for adults who want to have a good time. The pool is a party pool, the beach club thumps, the rooftop runs late, and the whole place has the feel of a music video by the afternoon. The design is gorgeous (gold accents everywhere, beautifully maintained), the spa is a genuinely calm escape from the noise, and the food and service at The Penthouse were a highlight. The honest caveats: check-in was slow and muddled, some rooftop tables carry a minimum spend, and this is emphatically not a family resort despite having a kids pool and kids club. Come with your partner, your friends, or an adult group and it delivers exactly what it promises. Visited 1 May 2026 as a one-night stay.
Quick facts
| Location | Palm Jumeirah, Dubai, United Arab Emirates |
| Star rating | 5 |
| All-inclusive? | No (room only or with breakfast; food, drink, and minibar are pay-as-you-go, with minimum spends on some Penthouse tables) |
| Best for | Couples, friends, adult groups, party guests, spa lovers |
| Pools | Long main party pool with in-pool seating and bars on either side, a separate kids pool with water movement (no slides), and a hydrotherapy pool in the spa |
| Kids’ club | Kids club on site by the family pool, but the property is adult-focused and not recommended for children |
| Beach distance | On-site private beach, exclusive to guests, with the Beach by FIVE bar and Bohemia beach club |
| Visit date | 1 May 2026 (one-night stay) |
Watch the full review
First impressions and arrival
You enter FIVE Palm Jumeirah through a striking glass atrium that has the feel of a cathedral, with the main pool stretching out in front of you towards the beach. The valets are the standout at arrival. There’s a constant stream of cars and they keep it all moving smoothly and quickly, doing a genuinely good job. The gold design elements that run through the whole property start right here in the lobby.
Check-in itself was less impressive. It was busy, it took a long time, and there was confusion over whether we had or had not paid. I won’t hold it against the property too hard (busy check-ins happen, and the welcome was otherwise warm) but if you’re arriving at a peak time, set your expectations for a wait. I filmed in early May, a slightly quieter time given the regional situation at the time, though you wouldn’t have known it here. The resort was busy and the atmosphere was up.
The party pool and the beach
The main pool is billed as a party pool and it earns the name. It’s a long pool with in-pool seating, tables around the edge, and bars on either side. By late morning the music is already loud and there’s a real party atmosphere building, the kind that ramps up through the day into something closer to a music video by the afternoon and evening. One genuine benefit of a party property: at nearly eleven in the morning, plenty of the beds were still free, in sun and in shade. You don’t get that at many Dubai resorts.
The beach is private and exclusive to guests, with a long stretch of beds and a full-service bar called Beach by FIVE serving food and drink, plus a food truck that I assume runs later in the day. At the far end is Bohemia, the beachfront bar and beach club, which already had the vibes going at the time of day I passed through. Pool with lights, bars all around (three or four of them), and that beach right there. At night it’s clearly the place to be.
The kids pool and why I’d leave the children at home
There is a dedicated kids pool here, with some gentle water movement (no slides) and cabanas alongside so you can sit and watch the children, plus lifeguard support. There’s a kids club just inside too. So on paper, the family facilities exist.
I’m going to be plain about it though: I wouldn’t bring children here. This property is very much focused on adults. The whole centre of gravity, from the party pool to the late-night rooftop to the beach club, is built around an adult crowd having a big night out. The family facilities are nice enough, and they do a good job of looking after the families who do come, but this is not a resort designed around children. Come here with your partner, your friends, or an adult group, not your kids.
ReFIVE Spa and the hydrotherapy pool
If you need to recover from all the partying, the ReFIVE Spa is a real highlight and a welcome counterpoint to the noise. There’s a gents salon and a retail area at the entrance, and the team kindly gave me a tour as they do with every guest. The standout is upstairs: a hydrotherapy pool with beds set into the water, which feels like a secret pocket of serenity in a resort that is otherwise party central. There are two steam rooms up there, a male and a female one, and the whole space is much quieter than the rest of the property.
Best of all, the hydrotherapy pool is complimentary for guests during your stay. So many hotel spas are just treatment rooms. Having a proper relaxation space like this, free to use, in a resort this loud, is genuinely valuable. If you want to chill out for an hour between pool sessions, this is where to do it.
The 24-hour gym
It turns out party animals need a gym too. The gym here is open 24 hours, so you can work out at any time of day or night. Gyms aren’t really my thing, but it was good to see a decent amount of free weights alongside the cardio and resistance machines. The whole site, the gym included, is incredibly well looked after.
The rooms
I stayed in a Superior Room, which I believe is the standard room here. It’s a beautiful room. The gold accents run throughout, there’s textured wall art with lighting rising from above, and nice bedside lamps. The bed is a decent size with crisp linen. There’s a balcony with a bed and two chairs (and an ashtray), which in my case overlooked the kids pool rather than the main party pool, which suited me fine since it meant a better chance of actual sleep away from the music.
Practical details: plug sockets on both sides of the bed, USB chargers, and lots of bottled water. There’s a minibar with a fridge where almost everything is paid for, the tea and coffee (including a Nespresso machine) being the exception. The minibar also carries a few items you wouldn’t normally find next to the crisps, which tells you something about what this hotel is focused on. The TV is big, there are two nice mirrors, and a good desk and chair. The cupboards have loads of well-designed storage and an in-room safe. One quirk: a single fluffy robe and no slippers, which was fine as it was just me.
The bathroom is lovely, with a beautiful tiled bath (there’s even a mirror above the bath), a single-sink vanity with the usual vanity kit, shower cap and dental care, a separate shower with both a rainfall head and a handheld unit on the gold theme, and a toilet with a bidet and a handheld attachment. I loved the design aesthetic of the whole room. It’s one of my favourite things about the property.
Breakfast at NUMÂ
Breakfast is served at NUMÂ, the poolside all-day dining restaurant (not Maiden Shanghai, which is the Chinese restaurant upstairs). It’s a strong spread. There’s a hot section with chicken, hash browns, and sausages (both chicken and beef), an egg and shakshuka station, baked beans, black pepper beef, veg fried rice, and refried beans, alongside a good cereal selection, fresh fruit, yoghurts, a range of honeys, and a bread and pastry table with croissants, banana bread, and focaccia. Coffee is self-serve from machines, and there’s a meat and cheese section too. You can sit inside or outside, with the inside being an inside-outside setup that runs a touch warm.
One thing worth knowing: there’s no pork anywhere at FIVE Palm, as at any FIVE property. The “bacon” at breakfast is not pork, and the sausages are chicken and beef. There’s also black pepper beef and other dishes catering to a wide range of guests. If pork is important to your breakfast, this isn’t the resort for it. As a nice touch for the party crowd, breakfast runs a little later than most resorts, to cater for guests who were out enjoying themselves the night before.
The restaurants and The Penthouse
The main sit-down restaurants are a Chinese (Maiden Shanghai), a Portuguese, and an Italian called Cinque, which I noticed is in the Michelin Guide. The standout for me was The Penthouse on the top floor: a restaurant, bar, and nightclub rolled into one, with fantastic views, even better food, and serious vibes, including dancing entertainment through the night. The menu has an Asian fusion style and the food was excellent. You can eat there late, with food served until two or three in the morning, which is fairly wild in itself.
The service at The Penthouse was a real highlight. I had dinner there with my friend, and we were served by a gentleman called John who did a brilliant job. I’m a vegetarian and particular about my food, and John negotiated with the chefs to secure me some modified dishes that genuinely hit the spot. I really appreciated it. There’s also a nightclub, Bling, up at this level for when dinner turns into a night out.
One honest note on cost. Some Penthouse tables carry a minimum spend (around 1,000 dirhams for a table, roughly £200, with some loungers higher at around 2,500). It’s the right call from a hotelier’s point of view and I’d do the same in their shoes, but it’s worth knowing before you sit down. For the level of service, the food, and the drinks, it was worth it for us.
What I liked and what I didn’t
What I liked. The design aesthetic of the room and the gold theme running through the whole property. The genuinely excellent upkeep (the place is beautifully maintained). The ReFIVE Spa and its complimentary hydrotherapy pool as a calm escape from the party. The food and the service at The Penthouse, especially John sorting out my vegetarian dishes. The party pool and beach club atmosphere, which is exactly what the property promises. The valets at arrival.
What I didn’t like. The slow, muddled check-in with confusion over payment. The minimum spend on some Penthouse tables (fair, but worth knowing). And the simple fact that this is a party place first, which is a positive or a negative entirely depending on what you came for. If you came to party, it’s all upside. If you didn’t, you’re in the wrong resort.
Who is this resort for?
Couples, friends, and adult groups. The best fit by a distance. The party pool, the beach club, the late-night rooftop, the bar scene, and the room quality are all built for adults who want a good time. Come here with your partner, with the boys, with the girls, with a group of friends, and you’ll have a brilliant stay.
Spa lovers. A strong secondary fit. The ReFIVE Spa with its complimentary hydrotherapy pool is a real asset, and the contrast between the party energy outside and the serenity upstairs is part of the appeal. If you like the idea of partying hard and then recovering properly, this works well.
Families. Possible, but not the point. There’s a kids pool and a kids club, and the property looks after the families who do come. But the centre of gravity here is firmly adult, from the party pool to the beach club to the rooftop. If you want a Dubai resort built around children, look at the more family-focused properties first. For a beachfront FIVE stay this is the adult one. For something with more family balance, the sister property FIVE Jumeirah Village in JVC is also adult-focused but inland and city-based.
FAQ
The verdict: Stay or Stay Away?
Stay, if you know why you’re coming. FIVE Palm Jumeirah is exactly what it sets out to be: a beautiful, beautifully maintained, beachfront party resort built for adults. It looks good, it feels good, and it delivers the party it promises, with the bonus of a genuinely calming spa to recover in.
Stay if you’re a couple, a group of friends, or an adult traveller who wants a Dubai resort with a party pool, a thumping beach club, a late-night rooftop, and a private beach, and you want a spa to recover in the next morning.
Stay away if you want a quiet, restful stay, or if you’re travelling with children and want a resort built around families. The kids facilities exist, but this is an adult property at its core, and you’d be happier elsewhere.
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Full video transcript
Click to expand the full video transcript
So, welcome to the FIVE Palm Jumeirah here in Dubai. We’re going to find out whether this is the best party resort in the whole of the United Arab Emirates. I’m going to show you the pools, the bars, the restaurants, the food, the bedrooms, and so much more. But while we’re here, let me show you this beach, which is exclusively for guests and people making use of the resort.
There’s lots and lots of beds here. You can see we’re about 11 in the morning, and there’s lots of availability. It’s nice and warm out. There’s a wonderful full-service bar just up here called Beach by FIVE, and they serve food and drink. Now, I haven’t seen this food truck operate, but I assume it does later in the day or when things are a little busy.
This Resort Report is filmed on, I think it’s the 1st of May today, so early May, when things are still slightly quiet because of the news and what’s going on in the region. But you wouldn’t know that particularly at this resort, because things are vibing. Talk about vibes. Let’s go straight to the pool now.
One of the benefits of this being a party property is not all of the beds have been taken, and it is nearly 11 in the morning. You don’t get that in many resorts. But here you have this long pool behind me. There’s some kids in it right now. Later on, there’s quite the party atmosphere. It is basically a hip-hop, a rap video, you know, with the boys vibing and all that jazz. But yeah, really cool long pool and they do bill it as a party pool. And there are bars off on either side.
Right now, you can see people just having their breakfast on those tables there. This to the left is one of the main food outlets. Forgive me for not having covered as many of the restaurants in detail as I would like. But beds available right now, some in the sunshine, some in the shade. You can hear the music now. Last night, I’m going to put in some of that footage in a moment, really loud. But it’s exactly what people want when they come here.
We’ve got the in-pool seating there in the background. You’ve got some tables here. It is set up for partying, for enjoying yourself. That’s what they built here. Now let me cut to that footage from last night right now.
Now, there is a specific kids pool here. And I can see a kids club just inside there. The kids pool does have some water movement. No slides, though. But there are cabanas for you to sit and watch your kids if you’re here with your children. There is lifeguard support. I’m going to come out and say it: don’t bring your children here to this resort, despite there being a family pool and a kids club. This is a nice kids pool, but this property is very much focused on adults. I’ll tell you a bit more about that later on.
So when you first come into the FIVE Palm Jumeirah, you’re going to enter this amazing glass atrium just behind me. It’s a really, really cool building. You can see the valets hard at work here. They do a great job of getting everyone through and there are a lot of cars to get through. A lot indeed. But check out this atrium. It’s really, really cool. Almost like a cathedral. Just in front of us there we can see that pool stretching out down towards the beach.
Check-in is over here and I’ve got to say check-in was not easy or good. I know, but hey, it can get that way sometimes at some properties. It was a busy check-in, but it took a long time. There was confusion over whether we had or had not paid. But look at those gold elements. You’re going to see that throughout the property. So, decent welcome. As I say, the valets do a great job. Check-in was not easy, but I’m not going to hold it against them. For what it is, a very cool resort here on Palm Jumeirah.
So if you need some relaxation from all your partying, we do have the ReFIVE Spa and beauty and wellness. There’s a little gents salon here, but then you come into this beautiful room here. And you can see a small retail area here. You’re going to be welcomed by the wonderful ladies here. They’re so kind to give me a tour as they do with every guest. They have a wonderful spa facility open to residents. Let me take you upstairs to the hydrotherapy pool.
So, what feels like a secret piece of serenity here at the FIVE Palm Jumeirah is this hydrotherapy pool in the spa area. Check out those beds in the water. There’s two steam rooms there, a female and a male one. And much, much quieter up in this pool. And it is complimentary for guests during your stay as well. So I’d recommend checking it out if you do want to chill out. You can see some boxing training going down there just above the gym right now. But yeah, the spa at FIVE Palm Jumeirah is not just treatments. Those treatments happen in some treatment rooms just here. It’s so much more with this lovely hydrotherapy pool and those steam rooms.
So, it turns out that party animals need a gym. The gym here is open 24 hours. So, you can come literally any time of the day and work out. As you know, gyms are not for me, but great to see a decent amount of free weights as well as cardio and resistance machines. Got some milkshakes. Milkshakes are bringing all the boys to the gym, as you might say. Just as we exit here, you can see this man doing some vital maintenance. The whole site incredibly well looked after.
Welcome then to a superior room here at the FIVE Palm Jumeirah. As you come in, you pass the bathroom, and I’m going to take you there in a second, but I want to show you this bedroom first. Really beautiful room. I love the gold accents throughout. That textured wall art there with the lighting rising from above is wonderful, as are these bedside lamps. The bed is a decent size, and you can hear how crisp that is. We’ve got a balcony here, which for me is overlooking the kids pool, which is fine with me, because actually you might be able to hear the main pool where the party is going, and I’d quite like to have some sleep. We’ve got a bed out here and two chairs, an ashtray there.
So, back into the room. Just want to point out there are plugs on either side of the bed, as well as USB chargers and lots of water available. We do have this kind of mini bar set up with a fridge. Almost everything here is paid for. Just the tea and coffee, including this Nespresso machine, is included. Some interesting things here. We’ve got some beach body oil. We have some adult equipment, some sunscreen, some face mask, and some crisps there as well. The TV is big. Love the mirrors. Two of them there. Really nice. Desk space nice, along with this chair just here.
So, in these cupboards, we’ve got lots and lots of storage available. Loads of storage, and again, beautifully designed. It looks aesthetically fantastic. We’ve got the safe just in here, and then one and only one, bizarrely, fluffy robe. No slippers, though. I don’t know why there’s only one robe, but that’s okay. It is only me. They didn’t know it was only me, but there we go. We’ve got this wonderful bath here. It looks beautiful. Love the tiling. We’ve got this wonderful vanity unit with one sink. Some little goodies there, vanity kits, shower cap, and dental care, some toiletries just there, shaver ports. Into the shower, then, we have more toiletries. Again, going with the gold theme, we’ve got that rainfall element as well as that handheld. Coming out again to the toilet, we’ve got a toilet and a bidet and a handheld attachment in there too. So, that is a superior room, which I think is the standard room here at the FIVE Palm Jumeirah.
So, most people when they have breakfast here at FIVE Palm Jumeirah, they’re going to have it here at NUMÂ. You’ll be welcomed by this handsome man here. And then, we’re going to head on in. Wonderful selection here. That bacon is going to delight many, although noting, of course, that it is not pork. There is no pork at any FIVE property. Some chicken there. Your hash browns. We’re going to head round to the cereals now. Great selection. Fresh honey there. Selection of different honeys. Nice.
So, here we have what looks like dragon fruit, grapefruit, yogurts. Fruit salads, some melons. The chefs working away just there. Got some sausage. Both chicken and beef sausage. You’ve got black pepper beef there. Veg fried rice. If it’s as good as the veg fried rice in Penthouse, you’ll be very, very happy. I had that last night. More dishes here. Looks like some kind of refried beans there. Some shakshuka egg and some baked beans. I’m a big fan of baked beans. And then here at breakfast time. Some breads just here including croissants. Some pastries. Check it out. Delicious. Big fan of banana bread as are lots of other guests because there’s only one piece left. Focaccia bread, so hard to get right. The oil content key to a good focaccia.
In terms of where you’re going to be dining, you can sit outside or inside. It’s a little bit warm in here, but that’s because it is inside-outside dining. We’re just missing one little area that I want to show you now, which is the coffee, which is self-serve here with these machines. And then some further meat and cheeses just here. So, you can see a lot of people enjoying their breakfast here. It’s later in the day, like way later. I think it’s like 11 right now. And most resorts would have stopped breakfast, but with this being such a great party place, breakfast is on a little bit later to cater for those who are out enjoying themselves a little bit later. So, that is breakfast here at the FIVE Palm Jumeirah.
The maitre d’ kindly corrected me there. That restaurant is called NUMÂ, where you’re going to be having breakfast by the pool. The Chinese is upstairs. Let me tell you a bit more about some of the other food options here. The main sit-down restaurants, you have a Chinese, you have a Portuguese, you have an Italian. I noticed that it’s in the Michelin Guide. And then, you have the Penthouse. Now, the Penthouse has a kind of Asian infusion style menu. And really, really enjoyable food. Had dinner there last night. Late at night, you can get food there till 2 or 3 in the morning, which is pretty crazy all in itself. But really cool up there in the Penthouse. In fact, why don’t I take you up there now and show you the Penthouse?
On the top floor of FIVE Palm Jumeirah, we have Penthouse, which was a restaurant come bar with fantastic views, even better food, quite the vibes. There was even dancing entertainment throughout the night, and then a nightclub up here, too.
Just like so much of the rest of the resort, the vibes are off the chain even at this time of day at Bohemia, this beachfront bar. Just look at it. Unbelievable. You’ve got this pool with lights. I’m sure at nighttime that’s popping. You’ve got bars all around. Literally, like three bars, four bars. It keeps going. And yeah, that beach there. Just imagine yourselves here, vibing with your friends, with your partner. Absolutely beautiful.
There was some retail here at the resort, too, with some seriously cool pieces of fashion, and the merchandise was incredibly good quality, too. Very impressive.
So, is FIVE Palm Jumeirah the best party resort in the whole of the United Arab Emirates? Well, I’m going to let you know in a few moments whether this is a stay or a stay away. But before we get there, I want to tell you some things that I really liked and some things that were not quite cool while staying here at the FIVE Palm Jumeirah. So, firstly, some things that I really did like. The room, I loved the design aesthetic of the room, the way they did the cupboards, the storage, the bathroom. Something I missed in my tour is there’s a mirror above the bath. If you want that, that is pretty cool. And I love that gold design aesthetic that’s gone throughout the property as well. Really good and really well-maintained property.
It is a party place for sure. This is not somewhere to bring your kids. I know I’ve got the kids pool in the background there, but yeah, I wouldn’t recommend this for families. Come here with your friends, with your partner, with the boys, with the girls, and have a great time. But I wouldn’t necessarily recommend coming here with kids. Although they do a good job of looking after families that do come. And an example of that in the bedroom, in the mini bar, there are some items you wouldn’t expect. That gives you a kind of sense of what this hotel is focusing on and looking for.
Really liked the spa. So many hotels have spas that are just treatment rooms basically, but they have a hydrotherapy pool. There’s really nice space up there, serene, relaxed. And when so much of the resort is party central, to have space where you can chill out and relax is really cool. The vibes in the penthouse last night when we were having dinner were just so good. I really enjoyed my time there sitting there with my friend. I was having my Pepsi Max. He was having his cocktails and his beer. We had some really good food and we were served by a gentleman called John. And John did such a good job. I’m particular with my taste, with my eating habits. Being a vegetarian, he was able to negotiate with the chefs and secure me some modified dishes that really hit the spot, incredibly tasty. I really appreciated what he did for me.
Now, just a small negative if I can, with the Penthouse, and it’s the right approach. If I was the hotelier here, I’d do the same. There is a minimum charge for some of the tables, so we needed to spend 1,000 dirhams for our table and there were some loungers for like 2,500. In pounds we had to spend on the table 200 pounds or so to keep the table. So, not cheap. But for that level of service, the food, the drink that we had, it was perfect.
This whole place is like a hip-hop video. I am not cool enough to be here. It is very much the Ed Sheeran beautiful people video with me here. But it is a party place. Advertised is the Naughty Noodles Brunch with like burlesque dancers. So, ladies and gentlemen, is it a stay or stay away here at the FIVE Palm Jumeirah? It’s definitely a stay. I really like this place. It looks good, it feels good, but know why you’re coming. If you want to party, come here. If you do not want to party, stay somewhere else. Thank you very much for watching. Let me know your thoughts down in the comments below and I’ll see you next time on The Resort Report.