A guide to Dubai's best beach clubs 2019
From chic and elite to cool and casual, Dubai has a beach club to suit every taste and budget. Here are the city’s best beach clubs…
Whether you’ve got friends in town, looking to top up your tan at the weekend or enjoy a lazy day by the beach, there are some top beach clubs in Dubai. Some come with a side of live performances, others offer some top drinks deals.
Here’s our guide to Dubai’s best beach clubs.
Andreea’s
When you’re looking for a little Friday afternoon pick-me up pool brunch – without the hardcore partying of somewhere like Zero Gravity – Andreea’s at the Habtoor Grand provides. It recently had a refurb and the pool, now three times its original size is, is back looking better than ever. Spend your day at the swim-up pool bar or settle into one of the in-pool loungers to catch some rays. The music is loud and upbeat, however people tend to just chill in their groups in the pool, which has some great levels to it for sitting and basking in the shallow water as you catch up. They do a ladies’ day on a Thursday and Saturday from noon to 6pm with free-flowing frose and a mixed food platter for a purse-friendly Dhs125. Head down on a Saturday and expect a livelier vibe, with an after party that goes on until late
Price: Dhs250 minimum spend; Ladies Day Thurs and Sat, Dhs125
Andreea’s, Habtoor Grand, Dubai Marina, daily 9am until late. Tel: (04) 4084400. andreeas.ae
Azure
Looking for a lazy, relaxing day by the pool? Azure Beach wins for oh-so-comfortable double sun beds alone. The poolside dishes are delicious, offering up light bites such as prawn tacos and sushi. If you’re feeling more peckish, a must-try is the Bresaola pizza with sliced Bresaola beef, pearl tomato and shaved parmesan, it’s a little more sophisticated than your average poolside pizza. The pool itself is super-chilled and family-friendly. Azure offers up some awesome ladies’ day deals on Mondays and Tuesdays, with free pool access for the first 100 ladies to arrive, along with the option to buy a voucher for five drinks for Dhs100.
Price: Sun to Thur Dhs300 with Dhs100 to redeem on food and drink; Fri and Sat Dhs400 with Dhs200 to redeem on food and drink.
Azure Beach, Rixos Premium Dubai, JBR, Dubai, daily 10am to 11pm. Tel: (052) 7779472. azure-beach.com
Blue Marin Ibiza UAE
Open on Fridays and Saturdays, Blue Marlin is a stalwart among the UAE’s party hard beachclubs. Entry is free if you’re either dining, or on guestlist for their Friday day-to-night party, which regularly flies in international acts to headline. On Saturdays, Blue Marlin hosts a brunch which is much more laid back, with options to enjoy brunch on your bed by the beach or in the Balearic-inspired restaurant. Go on Friday if you want to party hard, or head down on Saturday if it’s a relaxing daycation with top tunes you’re after.
Price: Free entry on Friday, brunch prices on Saturday from Dhs350
Blue Marlin Ibiza UAE, Al Jazira Hotels and Resort, Ghantoot, Abu Dhabi, 1pm to 11pm, Friday and Saturday. Tel: (056) 113 3400. bluemarlinibiza-uae.com
Cove Beach
Even before the move to luxe hotel Caesars Palace Bluewaters Island, Cove Beach was a firm part of Dubai’s daytime party scene. Since relocating to Bluewaters in late 2018, the beach club has continued to grow in popularity. With a sold-out ladies’ day nearly every Wednesday and a guaranteed lively vibe each weekend, Cove is the ideal medium between relaxing and partying under the sun. When night falls, the energy increases, with regular resident DJ sets dropping R&B and hip-hop classics until 3am every Thursday and Friday. If you’re looking for a more chilled evening, there’s also acoustic nights, Havana nights and even retro games nights to enjoy. The venue is split into pool, lounge and restaurant areas, where you’ll find a varied selection of international bites including everything from sushi to pizza. Take your pick between one of the three pools on offer or there’s a private beach where you can relax and watch the sunset.
Cove Beach Dubai, Caesars Palace Bluewaters Island, Sun to Wed 10am to 1am, Thur to Sat 10am to 3am. Tel: (050) 454 6920. covebeach.com
Drift Beach Dubai
A tip for those visiting Drift, the adult-only beach club located on the pristine shores next to One&Only Royal Mirage: get there early and grab yourself a daybed by the gorgeous swimming pool; these prime lounging spots are in demand. If you would rather spend some quiet time with your friends or significant other, opt for one of the more private (and more expensive) VIP double cabanas perched in tiers above the pool, or on the perfectly manicured lawn down by the beach. When you’ve had your fill of relaxing and posing for pics on the enormous swinging daybed, head to the restaurant for an extraordinary lunch, which ranges from gourmet salmon poke bowls to classic chicken shawarmas. Oh, and don’t forget to order their French fries, which are, in our opinion, some of the best in Dubai. On Monday and Tuesday, it’s ladies’ day where girls can enjoy a cocktail and a daybed for Dhs100.
Price: Dhs200 (single bed, weekdays). Dhs250 (single bed, weekends); Ladies Day Mon and Tue Dhs100.
One&Only Royal Mirage, Duabi, daily 10.30am to 8pm (pool and beach), 12.30pm to 5.30pm (restaurant). Tel: (04) 3152200. driftbeachdubai.com
Nikki Beach
Firmly cemented on the international map as one of the world’s best beach club brands, Nikki Beach Dubai is perched on the edge of Pearl Jumeira, and designed to wow. The central oval pool is separated by a walkway, which doubles up as a catwalk, while day beds line the water’s edge. As well as three rows of cabanas poolside, there are also beds on the beach, ideal for those that want to be a little further from the action. There’s even a swim-up bar for those that don’t want to leave the pool. Speaking of bars, you’ll find the main bar at the end of the catwalk. Right in the middle is the elevated DJ booth that, by sunset, typically has a lively crowd surrounding it dancing to vocal house hits. If you’re looking for a more relaxed vibe go mid-week, or opt for their Rose Saturdays brunch, or for the biggest party in town, head down on Tuesday for ladies’ day. While Nikki Beach runs several weekly events, keep an eye on their website and social media channels for announcements of its biggest parties – such as the annual White Party and their birthday bash.
Price: Weekdays, Dhs150 per person (with a Dhs100 food voucher), Weekends, Dhs300 per person (with a Dhs250 food voucher).
Nikki Beach Dubai, Pearl Jumeirah, daily 11am to 9pm. Tel: (04) 376 6162. nikkibeach.com
RIVA Beach Dubai
Probably the most family friendly of the lot, RIVA has a large pool, shaded by palm trees and a pristine private beachfront which offers a range of water sports such as stand-up paddle boarding. There’s an outdoor tiki-style pool bar, which serves refreshing juices, cocktails and frozen drinks. There’s also a large restaurant open for breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as a weekly Friday brunch for Dhs299. Residents of Palm Jumeirah can make use of generous discounts too, including 50 per cent off food on selected days. Good news for the girls, RIVA offers two ladies’ days every Wednesday and Thursday. For Dhs55 ladies can get pool and beach access plus three selected drinks.
Price: Dhs80 or Dhs100 per couple
RIVA Beach Dubai, The Shoreline, Palm Jumeirah, daily 7am to midnight. Tel: (04) 430 9466. riva-beach.com
Train Beach Club
Train is the beach club for fitness buffs. It has a pool and an outdoor gym. You can also relax with shisha or enjoy a healthy lunch. The reasonably-priced menu offers up a range of dishes for breakfast, lunch and dinner, including a selection of protein-heavy meals. Enjoy a fresh juice from the comfort of your swing bed cabana, while looking over La Mer beach. The gym is equipped with state-of-the-art machines, and there are even boxing classes taking place throughout the day. If you can’t be away from your laptop for too long, the co-working space is the perfect area to feel inspired and get your work done.
Price: Dhs165 day pass
Train Beach Club, La Mer North. @trainbeachclub
Wet Deck
Split between Wet Deck, the lively lounger-lined pool with swim-up bar, Wet, the archipelago of swimming pools surrounded by perfectly manicured grass and the beach area, there’s an expansive offering at W Dubai – The Palm’s beach club. Go in the week and enjoy background music while you bury yourself in a book, or head down on the weekend for Palm Sugar brunch on Friday or ladies’ day on Sunday if you’re looking for party vibes. Resident DJs spin the decks, guests sip out of purple-hued disco balls, and circus acts, aerial artists and sax players all walk the pool edge performing to guests.
Price: Dhs200 weekdays, Dhs300 weekends (minimum spend), Brunch Fri Dhs445, ladies’ day Sun Dhs150 ladies Dhs250 gents
W Dubai – The Palm, Palm Jumeirah, daily 7am to 7pm. Tel: (04) 245 5800. wetdeckdubai.com
Zero Gravity
You’ll struggle to find a Dubai resident who hasn’t been to, or at least heard of, mega beach club Zero Gravity. The huge venue is home to a supersize swimming pool, lengthy stretch of private beach, indoor bar and terrace and an extra-large outdoor area fully-prepped to host some of the biggest events of the year. Despite the large number of sun loungers available, it’s always best to arrive early as the popular beach club gets very busy on weekends and ladies’ days. Speaking of which, girls get free entry every Tuesday, and the event normally has exciting entertainment and freebies for ladies. On the menu, you’ll find an extensive range of international bites, easy to enjoy without leaving the comfort of your sun lounger. There’s brunches every Friday and Saturday, complete with lots of live cooking stations, cocktail stands and roaming entertainment.
Price: Sun to Weds Dhs160, Thurs Dhs150 girls & Dhs250 guys, Fri Dhs295 girls & Dhs345 guys, Sat Dhs249 girls & Dhs299 guys
Zero Gravity, Skydive Dropzone, Dubai Marina, Sun, Mon and Wed 10am to 9pm, Tue 10am to midnight, Thurs & Fri 10am to 3am, Sat 10am to 1am. Tel: (04) 3990009. 0-gravity.ae
Coming soon…
FIVE Beach
FIVE Beach at FIVE Palm Jumeirah is described as a ‘boho luxe beach experience’ and opens its doors in October. Home to 350 luxury loungers, a glass-lined outdoor swimming pool and an oh-so-Dubai designer chandelier, guests will be able to enjoy Mediterranean tapas and cooling drinks served up to tunes from a live DJ as the sun sets across the Marina skyline.
WHITE Beach
Two of the city’s biggest hospitality powerhouses, Atlantis, The Palm and Addmind, the hospitality company behind the likes of White and Drai’s, will come together to launch a new beach club this November. WHITE Beach at Atlantis The Palm promises multiple areas including a live event space, restaurant with open-air terrace and a shoreside infinity pool perfect for getting those wow-worthy Instagram shots. As well as poolside lounging by day, WHITE Beach will open for an exciting programme of sunset sessions, as well as local and international artist performances.
Nammos
A slice of Mykonos will land in Dubai later this year as famed beach club Nammos opens its doors in November. Taking up residence at the Four Seasons Resort Dubai, Jumeirah Beach, the new venue is split between a Mediterranean restaurant, a beach bar, the Nammos Beachfront and a one-of-a-kind bubbly room. In Mykonos, it’s famed for its day to night parties, top Mediterranean dishes and A-list guests. We hope it brings it all to the shores of the Four Seasons when it opens.
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