First look: Emirates Palace Abu Dhabi's new five-star replica is just for children

Children in the UAE have a whole new way to enjoy the summer thanks to the launch of Kids Palace at Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental, Abu Dhabi.

The five-star resort in the UAE capital has opened a three-storey mini replica of the hotel nestled between the busy children’s pool with its slides and lazy rivers, and the hotel's private beach with its array of water sports.

The National’s Gemma White took her three children, Indiana, 11, Fox, nine and Caspian, five, to test it out.

Activities for children from 10 months to 12 years

As any parent staying in the UAE through July and August knows, summer activities are vital for the sake of the entire family.

Having spent every summer except one in the Emirates since my eldest child was born, I’ve become something of a summer camp connoisseur. I've sent my children to several, from ones that focus on football and swimming, to science and technology camps and arts and crafts centres. One of the main issues I find when selecting a summer camp is finding somewhere that can accommodate different age groups in one place.

It’s all very well signing up children for different camps and activities, but several morning drops-offs and afternoon pick-ups can soon take their toll, meaning work or errands have to be squeezed into a rather small time frame. It's here that Kids Palace comes in to its own.

Open daily from 8am to 6pm, timings are ideal for working parents who don’t have to worry about fitting in drop-off and pick-up times around office hours. The space also has one of the widest age ranges for children, accepting everyone from babies to tweens.

The Fatima & Friends area is for tots up to three years old (who need to be accompanied by a parent or carer), Falcon Adventures is for children aged four to 12 and the Family Nest is for everyone, providing a relaxed environment to take some time out. Parents are welcome in both the Family Nest and Fatima & Friends areas, but not in Falcon Adventures, which is purposefully parent-free to allow children their independence, with exceptions for children of determination.

Child-sized accessibility and supervised entertainment

In the bright, airy entrance, my children and I were greeted by the entertainment options of either hopping on a virtual reality ride or tackling a giant silver slide that curves down from the first floor. Proof that the classic playground staple never goes out of style, the slide wins out and my children rushed up the stairs to whoosh down one by one. Then it was back up the stairs to slide down again. And again, and again, and again, until I was afraid we were not going to make it past the lobby.

My eldest then moved on to Birdly VR, the full-body simulator offering a flying-like experience via a head-mounted VR display and outstretched arms and hands. Meanwhile, the two younger ones headed into Fatima and Friends to play in the purpose-built toy kitchen with its ovens, washing machine, coffee maker, blender, toy food and more.

The Fatima and Friends area also features a nap room where tuckered out little ones can rest, a baby changing room, as well as quiet reading nooks and small child-sized tables.

Each room in Kids Palace has its own bathrooms, purposefully designed for with low toilets and washbasins, allowing for further autonomy for little guests.

Slide aside, we spent most of our visit in the Falcon Adventures area, which has an array of arts, crafts and games on offer.

Easels are set up for painting, a vast paper template is spread out for children to colour in with pencils, and there’s plenty of messy clay-making guided by engaged staff who don’t mind getting as messy as the children. My three crafted a pizza, a bowl of spaghetti and meatballs and a hot dog, which should tell you a little about their perpetual mindset.

Falcon Adventures is also home to a music room featuring a synthesiser, mini guitars and tambourines for musical creativity. Staff say a drum kit is on its way, which is sure to prove popular.

The dressing-up section was another hit, and my youngest enjoyed switching between being a firefighter, a police officer and a scarecrow.

Dress-up, clay-making, football, lunch and more

Every room in the centre has plenty of books, sensory games and things to discover and do. There are hideout areas throughout Kids Palace, which younger children will love, as well as cosy bean bags to sink into.

In the morning, Emirates Palace's beach, swimming pools and expansive manicured gardens and courtyards are used for swimming, games, tricycle rides, teepeee visits and nature-based activities. As the weather cools down, these spaces will be open for longer and there will be more outdoor sports and games. On Fridays, Manchester City football club hosts skill sessions for children here.

“We have brought in all the five elements that are pillars of Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental – sustainability, art, culinary, nature and exploration,” says Marta Marusic, head of the resort's Kids Palace.

“During the summer, before noon, the children go to the pool and the beach for swimming and activities while it’s cooler, and after that we go inside.”

The second floor of Kids Palace features rooms set up to host birthday parties, and that can adapted for activities for older children such as screening sports matches and hosting PlayStation tournaments. Later this year, the team will also host sleepovers. Two slots in the roof await the arrival of telescopes, where children will be able to stargaze and moon-sight.

Lunch is included in a day pass to Kids Palace and is served in the Flutter Bites cafe, which features child-sized tables and chairs, as well as comfy booth seating. There are buffet and a la carte options all catered towards little ones – mine enjoyed mini burgers, chicken tenders and fish sticks followed by ice cream.

“From October, we’ll be holding cooking classes,” says Marusic. “Our chefs from the hotel restaurants will visit Kids Palace and run classes for groups of up to eight children.”

From a parent’s perspective, Kids Palace is everything you could want for, both as a summer camp and beyond. It's a safe vibrant space offering an array of daily activities where children are kept busy and stimulated in child-friendly surroundings. But don’t take my word for it, listen to what the experts say.

“When you enter there’s a really good slide, but warning, it does go very fast,” says my oldest, Indiana. “Then they have lots of rooms for lots of choice, all age-appropriate things and loads of art to do. It’s a great place for kids.”

Fox adds: “I liked doing the clay and I liked being a butterfly in the Birdly RV, even though I crashed.”

And finally, says little Caspian: “I liked doing the dress-up and making things with clay. I made a teapot, a snowman and a pizza.”

Kids Palace day passes cost Dh720, inclusive of lunch; while hourly passes cost Dh90 for visitors and Dh40 for guests staying at Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental.

For more information, visit www.mandarinoriental.com

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