As the weather heats up in Dubai and my summer in the UK is looming, I’m trying to experience the best bits of Dubai before I head off. I’ll then be back in September just in time for the city to become alive again (and let’s be honest – the perfect temperature for beach-side evening cocktails).

I can’t say the whole humid & sweaty poolside sunbathing appeals to me much, so when J and I decided to spend the day at The Palace Downtown hotel, we took to the spa and restaurants instead. The Palace itself is an iconic hotel in Dubai; built for prime view of the Burj Khalifa and situated on the cusp of the azure blue waters; home to the downtown fountains. It really is a pretty picture. Interiors are certainly inspired by local culture in a tasteful but luxurious Arabic tone and it’s a popular spot for both business meetings and social affairs.

The Spa

Separated by a men’s and women’s floor, respectful to local culture, the spa is a little haven of peace and relaxation. Fully equipped with ice fountains, steam rooms, jacuzzis and relaxation lounges – it’s precisely where you’d want to spend a quiet afternoon. We opted for the purifying defence facial and deep tissue massage.

The facial uses the gorgeous Natura Bisse products which are a personal favourite. I have their Vitamin C moisturizing cream at home and not only does it smell like a bucket of fresh oranges in the Sicilian sunshine, but really enriches the skin without being heavy. A perfect day cream. The facial is an anti-oxidant, pro-youth facial that eliminates toxins, re-balances and tightens the skin. It left my skin beautifully cleansed and uplifted!

An hour of enjoying the jacuzzi and steam after treatments, and J and I headed outside to the part of the day I’d been most excited about – the acclaimed Thai restaurant at The Palace Downtown – Thiptara.

Dining at Thiptara

Thai for “magic at the water”, Thiptara is a stunning restaurant with some of the very best views of Dubai’s Downtown Fountains. An outdoor terrace wraps around the restaurant offering a prime spot for an evening under the mesmerising Burj Khalifa. In fact, for the many who have asked me to give them recommendations this end of town, look no further!

Putting it’s impressive location and authentic Thai interiors to one side though, let’s talk food! Honestly, it tends to take quite a bit to impress me on the culinary side of things given the vast amount of choice and quality of restaurants in Dubai nowadays – it’s no easy feat for any restaurant! Thiptara however, won’t be having problems any time soon…

Jack and I have recently returned from a weeks trip in Thailand and so our knowledge of what excellent Thai cuisine should taste like has received a thorough brush up let’s just say! I wasn’t expecting the food here to pack even half of the flavour punch as it did in its home country, but boy were we wrong! The refined Thai food served in Thiptara is nothing short of exemplary. The female head chef (I state female as that in itself is quite rare in Dubai), is so incredibly passionate about the food she is cooking and has ensured the menu is full of all the much-loved classics like papaya salad, pad thai noodles and beef panang as well as some more unique twists on the cuisine.

The Pad Thai noodles were undoubtedly better than any noodle dish I tried in Thailand and my absolute favourite from the evening – the prawn, eggplant & sweet basil leaves green curry – has been number 1 on my list to try and recreate ever since. It was outstanding, you absolutely must try it!

We had such a wonderful day at this beautiful and iconic hotel in Dubai. To my readers, you really must go and check out Thiptara for an evening dining experience and for my pampering lovers – their spa will make you feel totally rejuvenated and relaxed!

You can find out more about the hotel here, along with having a look at their other restaurants. Asado is certainly worth a visit for my steak lovers! And when the weather cools down, the pool is the perfect place to spend and a sunny afternoon.

If you have any questions about the hotel or comments on this blog, please leave them below and I’ll get back to you!

LLG x