Penthouse Party

A reimagined hotel suite takes day-clubbing to the skies on Dubai’s Palm Jumeirah

Rising up to the 16th floor of FIVE Palm Jumeirah, you’ll enter the rarified air of penthouse-dwellers. Originally designed for regal stays, the new year has opened up this sprawling top-floor suite to a more diverse – yet still discerning – clientele. Welcome to an adults-only day club in the sky: The Penthouse Dubai (00971-4-455 9999, fivehotelsandresorts.com).

There may be no beach but you don’t miss it, with bars, a DJ booth, two lengthy aquarium-style pools and views for days, stretching from the in-progress Ain Dubai observation wheel to the Burj Khalifa, to take you into the evening. The minimal, clean white décor incorporates Asian touches, and the vast terraces – Marina View Bar Terrace and City View Lounge Terrace – proffer plush loungers and sofas from which hotel guests (and visitors happy to pay a day-use fee) can sunbathe, enjoy shisha and dine on Japanese-inspired bites. Tuna pizza with truffle cream cheese is as decadent as it sounds, and the tuna sashimi tacos come with an impressive kick of spice, with just the right crispy taco-fresh fish ratio. Rich braised short ribs fall apart at the touch of a fork and the grilled pineapple with yuzu ice cream is just light and refreshing enough to make ordering dessert a (relatively) guilt-free affair.

Leaving the hotel’s other pool and beach areas open to children, the grown-up Penthouse achieves a sophisticated atmosphere that neatly balances relaxing and buzzy; the upbeat music during the day is never too energetic, never too ambient. Evenings bring an added dose of energy, drawing guests for sundowners and playful weekly events such as ladies’ night and an upcoming offering from UK-based party-purveyor Candypants. It’s a stylish take on the penthouse lifestyle.