The Good: (This is Going to Be Short)
It has probably the best aquarium I have seen yet, with a very interesting combination of fishes. The main attraction of this hotel is its aquarium, every person should see if they get the chance. Aquaventure is very entertaining water park, you get a few major slides, the rapids around the whole of aquaventure which you can continually float in with doughnuts.

The Bad:
I think one quote sums up the whole experience. “Its a Las Vegas Hotel without the Las Vegas Service” The hotel really feels like its unfinished, the quality is lacking, and the service is chaotic. You can hear through the walls easily, and it is the same in the shower. The room furniture feels mediocre in comparison to the price you are paying for the room. This is considered the soft opening of the hotel and they were understaffed and opened too much too fast, the official opening is Dec 2008.

And The Ugly:
They weren’t ready for this huge amount of people, in one night 400 people checking in, 800 checking out. Soft opening does not mean 1500 rooms are occupied, only 30% to 50% of the hotel should be in use. There is no familiarity with the staff, they really don’t know you because it is really huge. It is chaotic and they are very disorganized, they are trying to pass this hotel as a luxury hotel but the quality of the rooms feels like it was patched together, some of them have some very nice views but still it isn’t worth the high cost they are charging. I would rather stay at any of the hotels in Jumeirah then stay for a long period at Atlantis.

Hotel services is nothing short of non-existent during that period. Room services would take a minimum of 1.5 hours up to 6 hours, and these are events that took place with us and other people. They are charging HUGE amounts for room service such as 70 KD for some cookies, (melted) ice cream, fruits, and orange juice which was just insane. Internet charges are astronomical and the its wireless, but the wireless signal is very weak. They charge 3.6 KD for 1 hour of use, and 75 KD for 1 week of usage. They are trying to charge the hotel guest everything possible which is insane. You can get the top BMW/Mercedes from any hotel in Jumeriah for 200 AED an hour, but from Atlantis with a driver who isn’t familiar with Dubai you have to pay 375 AED an hour.

This hotel is catering to the masses and not to the individual. It is worth to visit it for a day or two max, not more or you will loose your voice from shouting so much as I did. Even the bellman would take 1 to 2 hours to get to your room. I don’t blame the staff themselves, and I feel sorry for them but every one was extremely frustrated and they weren’t ready for all the hotel guests and opening the hotel to the public.

Then there is the roads on the Palms which lead to Atlantis, there is a security detail closer to the main underwater entrance. Instead being a 10-15 min trip, it is a 45 min to 1 hour and 20 minute trip due to the idiocy of Atlantis and Nakheel security. It was driving me nuts, made it a horrible time to leave or enter the hotel, there is always that delay.

We did enjoy ourselves but it was because of the company and not the hotel. We were extremely flustered from them, and we get into huge arguments with the staff throughout the day and the lack of service was just appalling.