Last visited: October 2024
My overall score
8.8/10
My personal assessment
- Setting & views
- 10/10
- Style & design
- 9/10
- Dining
- 9/10
- Atmosphere
- 8.5/10
- Facilities
- 8.5/10
- Value
- 8/10
Cloud 22 was part of my stay at Atlantis The Royal, and the lunch I enjoyed here deserved a review of its own. The combination of refreshing food, the pool setting and those extraordinary views gave it a very distinct place in my Dubai experience.
A different perspective on Dubai
For me, the view is the first reason to choose Cloud 22. Looking out across Palm Jumeirah and the sea changes the scale of everything. I am always drawn to a strong visual setting, and here the architecture, water and horizon provide one without needing much explanation.
I think of it as a sky pool club rather than a conventional beach club. That distinction helps set the right expectation: the pleasure is being elevated above the surroundings, with the pool and the view forming the centre of the experience. I would come for that perspective, not for a walk from a sunbed straight into the sea.
Style & character
What appeals to me is the contrast between the scale of Atlantis The Royal and the simple pleasure of spending time beside water. The setting is unmistakably glamorous, but the reason to enjoy it can be quite uncomplicated: a beautiful outlook, something refreshing to eat and time that does not need to be hurried.
As an artist, I like places where a few strong elements create the mood. Here, the blue of the water and the sweep of the Palm do much of that work. My highest score goes to the setting itself. It is the element that makes this address feel different from another well-designed pool.
Lunch above the Palm
I described my lunch here in my Atlantis The Royal review as refreshing and well matched to the relaxed yet upscale atmosphere. That remains the right way to frame it. I enjoyed the relationship between the food and the setting: this was a lunch that belonged beside a pool, with the view very much part of the occasion.
For me, poolside dining works best when it adds to the day without making everything feel too formal. I want freshness, flavour and a reason to linger. My experience here fitted that mood, which is why I would give the dining a strong 9/10 rather than treating the venue as somewhere to visit only for a photograph.
The atmosphere
I would choose Cloud 22 for a sociable, dressed-up pool occasion. My idea of enjoying a place like this is to give it a proper place in the itinerary, rather than squeeze it into an already crowded afternoon.
The appeal is different from the privacy of a small island resort or the informality of a quiet beach. Neither needs to be better in every way. I like to choose the setting that matches my mood, and here the attraction is the feeling of a special Dubai occasion. That is also why I keep the atmosphere score separate from the spectacular view.
Facilities & planning
The venue offers different ways to spend time here, from loungers and daybeds to cabanas. I would decide first whether I wanted a lunch, pool time or a longer occasion, and then check the relevant booking option. The seat or space you choose is part of the experience, not an incidental detail.
I would also confirm the current access arrangements, inclusions and minimum spend directly before booking. For me, value at this level depends on using the experience I have actually chosen. I would rather plan a visit properly than pay for something that does not fit the day.
My verdict
Cloud 22 earns 8.8/10 from me overall, with a full 10 for its setting and views. I enjoyed the lunch and the distinctive atmosphere, while taking a more measured view of value. My strongest reason to go is the combination: the food, the pool and that unmistakable Palm Jumeirah outlook. Together, they make this a very memorable part of Atlantis The Royal.