InterContinental Ras Al Khaimah Mina Al Arab Resort & Spa

Dear Intercontinental Hotel Team. Thank you very much for the great time at your hotel. The staff was really nice and helpful. They also treated the children very well. Thank you very much to Su Sandi and Syam. The hotel was very clean everywhere. As for the hotel restaurant, everything was delicious and everyone would definitely choose. There was an Italian bite, some dishes for children, seafood, Indian, meat in different ways and I was most impressed by the local cuisine and the superfood corner. The beach is staffed, there has never been a problem with sun loungers, swimming is pleasant for children and adults. The hotel is beautifully designed and we really relaxed here. Read less

We recently stayed at the resort and there were some highlights. Our room was spacious, clean, and comfortable. Any issues were fixed quickly, and throughout the stay the staff were consistently helpful and pleasant. Club Lounge: Breakfast, afternoon tea and the evening canapés were all very good. The lounge did become noticeably busier later in the week, and a few occasions with crying children affected the otherwise relaxed atmosphere. Restaurants: The buffet was fine, though often busy with families. Nohu offered good food in a calmer setting. Levant was the one real disappointment with slow service, no follow up drinks or dessert, and small children running around. Bars & Pools: Almarar bar was lovely when quiet, though smokers on a couple of evenings meant we had to sit in the lobby instead. Overall, there were many positive elements, but the resort felt much noisier and less relaxing than we expected. It’s clearly a family focused property, and while that will suit many guests, it wasn’t the best match for us. Read less

We booked this package through Thomas Cook and travelled as a large family group. My partner and I stayed for 7 nights with our 12-week-old baby. My parents stayed for 10 nights, as did my brother, sister-in-law and their daughter. Transfers & Arrival The transfer from Dubai Airport took approximately 1 hour 10 minutes in light traffic, but this can be significantly longer during busy periods. On arrival we were welcomed with a refreshing juice and our luggage was taken to our room. We arrived around midday and our room was ready early; my parents’ room wasn’t available until around 2–3pm, so we used our room in the meantime. Rooms & Facilities The hotel itself is very attractive — everything is new, clean and spacious. Our room was excellent, with a large bathroom, powerful hot shower and a bathtub, which was ideal for bathing our baby. A cot was requested and provided without issue. The beds were very large and extremely comfortable. Staff & Service Reception staff were very helpful, particularly Huy, who looked after us throughout our stay. Staff in general were friendly, spoke good English, and came from all over the world. However, service could be slow at times — for example, ordering tea or coffee at breakfast often took 15–20 minutes. There was no complimentary drinks service around the pool or beach unless you paid extra, and we noticed some staff frequently on their phones. We also had a couple of safety concerns: one evening we were nearly hit by a staff member driving a buggy while using his phone on a poorly lit walkway. The following day we saw another staff member driving two young children on the back of a buggy while texting. This seemed to be a recurring issue. All-Inclusive Package Confusion We booked all-inclusive through Thomas Cook, but on arrival were initially given the all-day dining package. After querying this with Huy and showing our booking confirmation, he confirmed that we were in fact all-inclusive. There are two all-inclusive options: Standard All-Inclusive Includes dinner in all restaurants, including the Lebanese restaurant and the American-style restaurant, Noho. However, menus in the à la carte restaurants were very limited and we didn’t enjoy the food — it was generally bland and quite fatty. The buffet, on the other hand, was very good, with different themes each night and a good balance of choice without being overwhelming. Breakfast was excellent, offering a wide range of options including a kids’ corner, eggs cooked to order, curries, pastries, fruit, salads and cooked breakfast items. Drinks included basic canned beers (Budweiser and Becks), wines, spirits and cocktails. The beach bar served drinks until sunset; after sunset, drinks were chargeable. Even on nights when there was a DJ, most people left once drinks were no longer included — which felt like a missed opportunity to create a better evening atmosphere. Premium All-Inclusive Allows lunch and dinner in all restaurants, including the beach bar, with a wider food selection, beer on tap and premium spirits. Weather & Pools During our stay, temperatures ranged between 20–23°C, with a few cloudy and windy days. When the sun wasn’t out, a jacket was needed. Evening temperatures dropped to around 15°C, so trousers and a jacket were essential at night. The pool was said to be heated to around 22°C, but felt closer to 28°C, which was perfect — even our 12-week-old baby enjoyed a couple of swims when the sun was out. The sea was very rough, so not suitable for swimming. The main pool is large enough to swim lengths, there’s a fully shaded kids’ pool, and another pool and restaurant exclusive to members. Location & Distance from Dubai The hotel is quite far from Dubai city. On one day we hired a private driver (around £150 for up to six people) who took us to Miracle Garden, Palm View, Dubai Mall, Burj Khalifa and the Aquarium. Traffic was very heavy and the journey took around two hours each way. The motorways are extremely busy — we saw one accident on the way there and another on the way back involving multiple lorries. The driver booked all tickets for us, and the day out for three people cost around £500. Entertainment & Extras There is a kids’ club, which my niece absolutely loved. However, there was very little evening entertainment, which was disappointing — most nights we simply went to bed after dinner. Overall Overall, the hotel is beautiful and set in a nice location. There is a lot of building work in the surrounding area, but it didn’t affect our stay. We walked to a local shop (around 20 minutes) and the marina. The area is clearly still under development, but in a few years it should be a quiet, well-connected location. Its a great place to stay if you want a quiet break and some sunshine! Read less