Here's what it's like inside the new and improved JA The Resort
Three hotels, 6 pools, over 20 restaurants and 40+ activities, and all-inclusive staycations start from Dhs895…
Fun fact: The first Jebel Ali hotel opened its doors in April 1981, when the Dubai Skyline and variety of hotels available was considerably smaller than it is now. Fast forward almost 40 years, and as the city has grown, the hotel has developed into a full scale, experience packed resort, sprawling over 1 million square metres.
Now called JA The Resort, it’s split between three hotels; JA Beach Hotel, JA Palm Tree Court and JA Lake View Hotel and boasts a choice of 25 restaurants, 6 swimming pools and more than 40 leisure activities to keep guests busy.
With all-inclusive staycations starting from Dhs895, it’s a top wallet-friendly, fun-filled staycation option. Here’s what you can expect at the super sized JA The Resort.
Hotels
JA Beach
J A Beach Hotel is arguably the best of the three hotels for families. The rooms have easy access to all the resort facilities, and have all been recently refurbished to give them a more modern touch. Each comes with its own balcony too, so you can enjoy the great outdoors from the comfort of your room. A large swimming pool serves as the central area for families to gather and enjoy their vacation.
JA Palm Tree Court
Offering 208 spacious rooms just steps away from the beach, JA Palm Tree Court is a great option for those looking for peaceful privacy. The rooms are spacious, although the dark wood furnishings are a little dated, but feature all the amenities you’ll need for a comfortable stay. Book a sea view room and enjoy almost direct access to the beach.
JA Lake View
Described as a ‘design driven property dedicated to sustainability, JA Lake View added an additional 348 rooms and suites to JA The Resort when it opened in September 2019. Parts of the hotel are solar-powered, and you won’t find a plastic bottle or straw in sight across the hotel. The hotel is light and airy, with a beautiful atrium in the centre that all the rooms surround. Speaking of rooms, they’re spacious, all boast balconies and even come with voice-activated assistant Alexa, who provides instant virtual assistance to guests in their rooms. Forgot your toothbrush? No worries, just ask Alexa for a dental kit. For a premium, book a golf course view and enjoy the spectacular sunsets over the course. JA Lake View has a split-level infinity pool that overlooks the golf course complete with swim up bar, as well as a smaller adults-only pool for a more secluded dip. 81 restaurant serves as the all-day dining restaurant for breakfast and dinner, while elsewhere you’ll find contemporary Indian restaurant, Kinara, a collaboration with chef Vikas Khanna, sports bar Republik and chic rooftop bar, Bibe.
Restaurants
Between the three hotels, guests have no less than 25 restaurants to choose from, and with an all-inclusive booking, you’ll have access to eat and drink at all of them, regardless of which hotel you’re staying in.
All-inclusive or not, you’ll be able to enjoy a lavish buffet breakfast spread so long as you’re booked on a bed and breakfast rate or above, where you’ll be able to feast on eggs to order, fresh fruit, pastries and continental classics as well as hot dishes that include traditional English breakfast options alongside Indian, Asian and Arabic offerings.
The resort has also recently introduced three new concepts. Here’s what they’re like…
Phoenicia
A newly opened offering in JA Beach Hotel, Phoenicia is described as a’contemporary twist on the Middle Eastern classics’. It sticks to the familiar territory of what we’ve come to expect from Middle Eastern dishes, with some European influences undoubtedly thrown in to appeal to a mass market. The restaurant interiors don’t particularly indicate to a Middle Eastern influence, outside of a handful of traditional Middle Eastern artefacts, although there’s a nice outdoor terrace for those wishing to dine alfresco.
Kinara by Vikas Khanna
Kinara is a fantastic new addition to JA The Resort’s dining portfolio. The first Dubai outpost by chef and filmmaker Vikas Khanna, it’s an 180-seater restaurant that’s described as a ‘vibrant, modern exploration of traditional Indian cuisine’. There’s a big focus of smoky flavours from the Tandoori oven, although the menu also moves away into a more modern palette, with a sesame crusted scallop dish serving as a real highlight. Dishes are served sharing style and if you pick a seat indoors, you’ll be able to watch the chefs preparing each dish through the huge glass-walled open kitchen. Though, it’s a hard decision between this view, and that of the beautiful terrace, which gazes out over the lush golf course.
Bibe
The jewel atop the crown of JA Lake View is Bibe, a sleek and modern rooftop bar that snakes its way around the majority of the hotel’s roof. There’s split level seating options, whether you want to cosy into one of the low level booths or perch up at the bar and make your way through their impressive range of cocktails. Staff are friendly, music gets that just-right balance between loud enough to create ambience but not too overpowering that you can’t hear what your group are saying, and the sunset views are truly spectacular.
Activities
The prime location of JA The Resort on an 800 metre stretch of private beach and adjacent to a nine hole, par 35 championship golf course as well as a 104 berth marina, means there’s an abundance of activities waiting to be explored.
With over 40 activities to choose from, the relaxed traveller can wile away the day in one of six swimming pools or enjoy a relaxing treatment at the Calm Spa. Those looking for a little more action-adventure can Putt their skills to the test on the golf course, hose-around at the riding stables, or take to the water with water-skiing, windsurfing, banana-boats, catamarans, laser sailboats, fishing trips and even seaplane flights available to guests at a surcharge.
A rather unique highlight is a trip to the JA Shooting Club, a five minute drive away from the resort. Boasting six shooting ranges, whether you’re a keen shot or total beginner, you can try your hand at shooting a variety of different weapons from pistols to machine guns. Each round includes 25 shots, with two rounds included as standard. Prices dependent on the type of gun you select.
All-inclusive option
JA The Resort has introduced its ultra all-inclusive option, perfect for a weekend away without worrying about your bill. It includes all food and drink for breakfast, lunch and dinner and snacks across all 25 restaurants, from buffet spreads to a three-course meal at some of their signature restaurants. A selection of house beverages is also unlimited from 11am to 11pm – and even the in-room mini bar is included. To avail the ultra all-inclusive option, you’ll need to stay a minimum of two nights. Rates start from Dhs895 per room per night, staying at JA Beach Hotel.
JA The Resort, Jebel Ali, Dubai, rates from Dhs468 per night, all-inclusive from Dhs895 per room per night. Tel: (04) 814 5555. jaresortshotels.com
