Private Beach

A private beach in Dubai almost always means Palm Jumeirah or Bluewaters Island: nine of the eighteen hotels on this page that claim a private beach stand on the Palm, and Banyan Tree Dubai at Bluewaters adds an island address facing JBR. I would start any search there, then read the small print, because the word covers very different things. On the Palm, NH Collection, voco and Mileo sit beside Palm West Beach, a free public promenade and beach of about 1.6 km, while Andaz, Adagio Premium and Cheval Maison have their own stretch of sand. The St. Regis Dubai, The Palm sends guests by shuttle to Kyma Beach, a club that admits over-21s only, which rules it out for a beach holiday with young children. Further inland, the promise often turns into a car ride: FIVE Jumeirah Village, in Jumeirah Village Circle, offers a shuttle to the private beach of its sister hotel FIVE Palm Jumeirah, booked with the concierge about four hours ahead, and Grand Millennium Dubai, in Barsha Heights off Sheikh Zayed Road, has no sand of its own at all. If you only want to swim, JBR, Kite Beach and La Mer are free public beaches, so a private beach matters mainly for calm, loungers and service. From June to September, I would plan the sand for the hour after sunrise and the evening, and keep the middle of the day for the pool.