A RESORT IN MIDDLE OF THE DESERT

The taxi driver who leads us from Atlantis The Palm Jumeirah to our new destination does not really know where Lapita Hotel is. I give him the confirmation from the hotel, show him the address and still does not seem to know. Only when I mention Dubai Parks & Resorts seems to sound something familiar.

15-25-35 minutes pass and we are moving further away from the city, the dunes and the vague views take place in the landscape on the window. We do not see anything in sight that will make us understand that man knows where to take us. We start to worry, although we know that the area is on the way to Abu Dhabi, about midway.

Finally, we see something like a coster roller, colored turrets, a crowd of buildings in the distance. There must be it!

The indicators ease our worries. We are on the right track. Now we just have to hit the right exit towards our booked hotel.

Dubai Parks & Resorts area is relatively new, so there are not many options available. Basically, at this moment, if you want to go to Legoland Dubai and Motiongate Dubai amusement parks, maybe even Bollywood (if you long for the Indian atmosphere), the only decent and closest accommodation option is Hotel Lapita, an Autograph Collection hotels which belongs to Marriott international chain.

LAPITA HOTEL, a Polynesian hotel 

Compared to Atlantis the Palm Jumeirah, where we spent the first 4 nights of this family travel, Lapita is at a whole different price level, perhaps because it is far from any attraction and tourist point, apart from Dubai Parks. The services are about the same, and the atmosphere is one of relaxation and holiday in a Polynesian resort.

For this is the theme that the hotel has chosen to repeat in architecture, landscaping, decorations, even in the colourful flowered shirts of employees.

We enter the alley leading to the hotel’s main building, where the reception, the main restaurant and many other services are hosted, the taxi leaves us in front, we pay and go inside.

CHECK IN PROCEDURES 

A nice bell boy meets us with “Aloha!” (I think the Dubai authorities and business owners have made an infusion of labor from the African countries, not once in our previous visits we have seen so many black workers; congratulations for that, these people are friendly, respectful, helpful, much more than migrants from Pakistan, India, countries under Russian influence).

Ronnie unloads our luggage from taxi and place it into a buggy (a car that walks through the resort), then takes us inside, at the reception. He asks us where we are from, we tell him we are Romanians and tells us that his manager is from Romania. Really? Get him so we can meet.

He goes to the back and comes with a nice chattery red-headed lady, Mrs. Gabriela Horincar, Guest Services Manager, who accompanies us to the reception and stays with us until we clear the procedures. We talk about stuff, we learn that she has been for 17 years in Dubai, and moved to Lapita in January 2017, by the opening of the hotel, after being manager in Ritz Carlton Dubai.

The receptionist, Rick, is moving fast, making check-in formalities and upgrading us from the deluxe room overlooking the resort to a similar room pool view. Rick suggests also that our boys, who were already drawing at a table specially set up in a corner of the lobby, could attend the children’s club of the hotel until we unpack.

What a great idea! The boys immediately accepted, we went to sign them up at Luna & Nova Kids and Teens Club, which was a level below the reception, very spacious, bright and equipped with everything including Play Station. Seeing they have Play Station it was enough. They did not even say goodbye to us.

We change phone numbers with Gabriela and we leave with Ronnie and the buggy. He takes us in a short tour, telling us that the Lapita resort consists of 9 buildings (the main building being the largest, all bearing floral names in Hawaian) and 5 restaurants (Hikina, Palama, Lani, Ari and Kalea).

In the middle of the desert they built a tropical, polynesian resort with its associated vegetation, two swimming pools, a spa building and a fully equipped fitness room.

From our room to Riverland promenade (from where we get into the 3 parks), it was a 10 minutes walk.

DELUXE TWIN ROOM POOL VIEW

Our room, 8108, was located in the vicinity of the main building, in Kalea building no 8. Ronnie takes us to the 1st floor to our Deluxe Twin Room Pool View.

 

Room amenities:

37 sqm, 2 double beds, air conditioning, large terrace with two chairs and one table, safe, hairdryer, work table, iron and ironing board, kettle for tea / coffee facilities, bottled water daily (complimentary), mini fridge, LCD 81 cm and international channels, telephones(2), high speed internet.

Bathroom is fully marble, very spacious, with a huge bathtub and toilet bowl separated from the sink area. It features bathrobes, slippers, impeccable white towels, hygiene products.

 

DINING

Breakfast was not included in our room rate, we only had accommodation and full access to all 4 parks. Therefore we pay daily the buffet breakfast 110 AED/adult and 55 AED/child.

As we usually eat the other meals within the parks, we only tried for one lunch Ari Pool Restaurant & Bar, I ordered “chicken shawarma” and Florin lasagna, grilled chicken breast for the children. The food was good, but everything is expensive (the bill for this meal for example was about 100 euros and we only drank water or non-alcoholic cocktails).

They have a bar – Lani Rooftop Lounge – but because of their religious celebration, Ramadan, it was closed, it only opened when we were not there, in the hotel.

LUNA & NOVA KIDS AND TEENS CLUB

Congratulations to Luna & Nova Kids and Teens Club team, the club looks extraordinary, the kids stayed here daily during the heat wave (amusement parks, apart from the water park, are open according to summer program between 4 pm – 12 am). Three hours in the club are free for children guests, extra time is 50 AED / child / hour.

Thank you, Yallin of Cuba, for your friendship and kindness.

We tried to coordinate the children’s schedule with her shift, for she was great with kids. “Your boys are good, good kids!” she kept telling us every time we pick them up from the club.

If you wish, you can also read about our adventures at the three parks visited, Legoland Dubai, Legoland Waterpark and Motiongate Dubai. We are not fans of Indian culture, there were too many of them visiting Bollywood, so we preferred not to enter this park.

I am attaching a gallery of pictures from which I hope you realize that this resort is great, I truly recommend it.