Elite Traveler Summer 2024

ATLANTIS THE ROYAL, DUBAI Dubai’s architectural ambition and audacity are expressed in full, fantastical force at the soaring Atlantis the Royal. Resembling an elongated stack of Jenga blocks and placed towards the apex of the pancake- fl at Palm Islands, the 43-story resort debuted last year with a showstopping performance from Beyoncé — it was the singer’s fi rst headline set in fi ve years. Her appearance secured global attention for the property, but perhaps it also distracted from another reality. With 17 restaurants and bars on-site, including one of the world’s largest collection of celebrity chef-branded restaurants, the Royal is a bona fi de dining destination that has contributed to Dubai’s growing recognition as a fully fl edged epicurean epicenter. Among those venues, Heston Blumenthal’s Dinner revives curious British dishes that were commonly eaten in centuries past. Returning, in a culinary sense, to Tudor times seems incongruous in such a future-minded city, but it makes for an unexpected and fascinating evening. At sociable Jaleo, Spanish chef José Andrés celebrates the simple, satisfying fl avors of his childhood with a comforting menu of tapas and paellas. Other venues are unapologetically vibrant and lively — this is a celebratory property where travelers expect to have a good time. At Ling Ling Dubai, Asian specialties running from fl u ff y barbecued duck bao to sea bass satay are served to a pulsating electronic soundtrack; dinner often ends with dancing. At the elevated open-air Cloud 22, Mediterranean dishes and cocktails areo ff ered as guests lounge in submerged daybeds that a ff ord views beyond the sky-high in fi nity pool and onwards to the swooping fronds of the Palm and the city’s ever-evolving skyline. The panorama is surreal and completely spectacular. But whatever indulgences take place the night before, it’s always worth waking up in time for breakfast at Gastronomy. It hosts one of the world’s most extravagant and abundant bu ff ets, featuring everything from dim sum to dessert counters. At the on-site co ff ee roastery — a fi rst among Dubai’s many high-end hotels — bean sommeliers can blend bespoke brews for every guest. Cups tend to go well with a croi ffl e, the bakery’s signature pastry that gently crisps buttery croissant dough in a wa ffl e maker. Fancy something a touch more healthy? With its own vast pool and situated seconds from the sea, Nobu by the Beach serves the chef’s signature feather-light sashimi. The Royal Mansion from $100,000 a night. Contact theroyal.reservations@atlantisdubai.com, +971 442 630 00, atlantis.com

Le Cinq has three Michelin stars

FOUR SEASONS GEORGE V, PARIS

A magnet for Michelin devotees, this record-breaking Paris palace has more star-spangled restaurants than any other hotel in Europe. Alongside its fl agship Le Cinq’s three stars, Le George has one and L’Orangerie has two. As you’d expect, it’s Le Cinq that’s the fanciest — the elaborate and extravagant dining experience is the antithesis of on-the-go casual dining. Beautifully attired and invariably celebrating a very special occasion, diners sink into gold-plated Louis XIV medallion chairs before submitting to impeccable multi-course menus that might feature spaghetti gratin with tru ffl e, ham and artichokes, or sea bass with caviar and buttermilk — an ode from Brittany-born chef Christian Le Squer to the coastal fl avors of his childhood. Oenophiles who show a particular appreciation for the encyclopedia-sized wine list might secure a surprise invitation to a disused quarry. Some 46-ft below the property, this distinct setting once provided stone for the nearby Arc de Triomphe but now houses the hotel’s 50,000 bottles of exceptional wines, with a €60,000 (approx. $65,600) 1959 Pétrus Magnum the priciest among them. Back at ground level, Le George serves made-for-sharing Mediterranean cuisine in an airy, elegant setting decorated with prize pieces by French brands such as Baccarat and Lalique. Dishes like pumpkin soup with ricotta, mushrooms and chestnuts are unfussy and nourishing. On the other side of George V’s marble courtyard at L’Orangerie, plant- and fi sh-based dishes like coconut carpaccio with spicy herb tartar and goji berries are not only intensely fl avorful but refreshingly light and healthy. Royal Suite from €27,000 (approx. $28,000) per night. Contact Nada Rachidi, reservations manager, reservations.paris@fourseasons.com, +33 149 527 100, fourseasons.com

Four Seasons GeorgeV