When discussing the best Dubai has to offer, it would be unusual for the world-famous Palm Jumeirah not to crop up in conversation. With its luxury resorts, beautiful beaches and idyllic sea views both onto the Palm and out to the great beyond, the area boasts some of the best hotels the city has to offer.

Connecting the dots between the Sofitel Group’s French roots and the Palm property’s French-Polynesian essence, everything ties together beautifully to create a blend of quintessential continental luxury with a tropical island-inspired easygoing ambience.

Here, as the rich culture of the South Pacific meets the beautiful waters of the Arabian Gulf, an idyllic hideaway beckons where sweeping, picturesque views stretch towards the shoreline – a beautiful juxtaposition of proximity and privacy.

On arrival, I’m whisked straight to the private lounge where an expedited check-in is welcomed, allowing me to head virtually from car to suite. Entering the 125-sqm Opera Suite, through a set of heavy double doors, a spacious living room awaits, complete with grand dining table, flowing into an open-plan seating area with a luxurious three-seater sofa in prime position for the sweeping sea views opposite. Also furnished with a large desk for those bringing a briefcase, there are certainly less picturesque places to be doing business.

The walls are adorned with pictures of tropical flowers, while the sheer purple curtains and plush carpet bring the interiors back to the French-Polynesian theme. The Suite is stylish and whilst quite classic in design, the décor lends well to creating a cosy and comfortable ambience: more homely than show-home. With bedrooms on either side of the living space, each with separate ensuite, it almost feels as if the suite is divided into ‘wings’ – the perfect suite for families, I envisage ‘kids on one side, adults on the other’. 
The balcony runs the length of the living room and both bedrooms, affording an almost 360-degree vantage point, which is a pretty spectacular offering, and I already imagine how good my morning coffee will taste from this al fresco setting.

The bedrooms themselves are complete with divinely comfortable King-size beds, constructed out of the same dark wood detailing that features throughout the suite.

As we all know, technology is tantamount to experiential stays these days, and I like the fact that the Bose Wave audio system speakers from both the TV and iPod dock can be linked to the bathroom, allowing you to create your own version of surround sound throughout the suite.

My ensuite bathroom is decorated with Crema Valencia-style marble used for the surfaces, and stylish stone walls that give the bathroom an exposed ‘spa’ feel. Here you’ll find a rain shower, two see-through glass bowl sinks, and a deep, free-standing oval bath that beckons seductively, because nowhere does a bath feel better than when luxuriating in a five-star ensuite.

An unusual touch that I like is the accessibility of the walk-in wardrobe from the bathroom only. Nestled away from the rest of the room, it allows for a more organised, structured and uncluttered flow of the suite, and 
I prefer the ease of access from shower-to-closet when getting ready.

When you leave the confines of the suite, the bucolic setting paves the way for an island-paradise where relaxation and culinary pursuits take centre stage. A walk through the grounds under a starlit Arabian sky is the perfect way to unwind, while I end my evening at Porterhouse, dining on sublime steak that really was second-to-none.

From the verdant backdrop, to the exceptional level of hospitality and privacy, and, of course the elegance of the Opera Suite, a stay at Sofitel the Palm really is pretty magnifique.