The Sybaritic Single found himself in Dubai over the weekend and decided to enjoy two blissful days by a pool. Unfortunately, the past decade saw the glittering emirate transforming from the Monaco to the Benidorm of the Middle East, with many luxury hotel beach clubs turning into unsightly, overindulgent hen parties every Friday and Saturday.It took the Sybaritic Single a while to study each luxury resort, from Madinat Jumeirah to One&Only Royal Mirage to Four Seasons Jumeira to find a perfect spot under the sun – The Bvlgari Resort’s Yacht Club. Well-hidden on a man-made island carved into the shape of a seahorse, the cabanas-only seaside pool was the place to spend a couple of days away. The service was flawless and the amenities thoughtful – from full-size Evian face sprays and a selection of mineral waters in ice buckets to heavy art albums and a properly curated list of Champagnes, which are now also reasonably priced (as opposed to the absurd $70 for a flûte of non-vintage, entry-level label a few months ago – the Sybaritic Single complained and ensured he got heard). The pool attendants quickly remembered the Sybaritic Single’s taste to mix bubbles with fresh raspberries and were a touch of a button away.
The only concern was the music: though not too loud, it was the very same soundtrack that the Sybaritic Single kept hearing at Rodina Grand Hotel & Spa in Sochi, Russia, since at least 2008. In his view, detail-oriented luxury hotels should invest into bespoke soundtracks – or just allow guests to enjoy the unadulterated sound of the rolling sea waves.
