This beach club is a bit different, it takes its name from a movie, 1951’s “The African Queen” and it’s a place that seems to draw in some of Dubai’s fanciest and most upmarket clientele.
It combines Mediterranean cuisine with African elegance in design, and there’s no doubt that this beach club is looking to make an impression in a market that is crowded with excellent beach clubs.
When our review team heard about African Queen Dubai, they couldn’t wait to pull out their generous expense accounts and go and spend a hard day on the daybeds, filling out our review forms. Well, somebody’s got to do it, right? And this is what they learned while they were there.
Introduction – Getting To African Queen Dubai
Getting to Dubai is a relatively trivial task in today’s ultra-connected world. The emirate used its oil windfall well and invested heavily in an airport, first turning it into a global hub between Europe, Asia, Africa, America and Australia, and then, as the city of Dubai became a destination in its own right, it upped its game to make Dubai airport one of the best airports on Earth.
You should be able to get a direct flight or a simple connecting flight to Dubai from almost anywhere on the planet.
Once you arrive in Dubai, Jumeirah is the main tourist district in the emirate, and it’s very likely that your hotel will be in the area or very close by.
And that means for most visitors, African Queen is a short drive away from their resort; however, if you are coming from further away, it’s important to note that the traffic in the emirate can be hardcore around rush hour. Leave plenty of time for your journey if your reservations are near these times.
When you arrive at African Queen, a taxi can drop you off at the door, or you can hand the keys to their valet service, who will park for you and ensure you don’t have to walk anywhere in the boiling heat.
Where Is African Queen Dubai? J1 Beach – Jumeirah – Jumeirah 1 – Dubai – United Arab Emirates
Online: African Queen
Opening Hours: 9 a.m. – 12 a.m. except Friday and Saturday, which are 9 a.m. – 1 a.m.
What’s Available At African Queen Dubai?
African Queen is a beach club in three parts. There’s a restaurant that is considered a fine dining experience. A pool club area with daybeds, and bar, and restaurant service. And a beach area with dining and drinks, too.
We must stress, however, that these are three separate areas, and if you want to experience them all, you will need three different reservations. You will also need to pay for a seat in each area, as this beach club charges for seating rather than including the reservation fee in a minimum spend credit.
Our Detailed Review Of African Queen Dubai
We follow the same rigorous procedure for every beach club to guarantee impartiality toward owners, management, and staff, and to keep all published reviews directly comparable in both style and scoring.
Here is how it works:
- A review team is formed for the venue.
- Every member is obliged to visit the beach club in person, but they may go alone and on whichever day suits them best.
- While there, each reviewer independently fills out a detailed scorecard, giving marks from 1 (poor) to 5 (excellent) in every set category and adding their own notes on the visit.
- When all members have been to the venue and turned in their individual scorecards, the full team holds a meeting to compare experiences and reach a consensus score for each category.
- One member is then chosen to write the final review, weaving together the group discussion and inserting the agreed-upon scores, and the finished piece is posted on our website.
Reservation and Booking Process
African Queen scores the distinction of being, perhaps, the only beach club in Dubai not to rely on SevenRooms for booking. That means it’s not restricted to what is essentially a restaurant booking service, and you can get more functionality out of their booking process.
It’s not perfect, but the tablz app that they’re using does, at least, let you see the exact kind of seating that you’re booking, and it explains well and in detail what you’re paying for, what the conditions are, etc.
We’d still like to be able to choose our exact seat (as you can with FINNS Beach Club, the world’s best beach club, based in Bali), which you can’t here.
Overall, though this is the only decent booking process that we’ve found so far in Dubai, and African Queen should be congratulated for actually trying to deliver a good booking experience for its customers.
Ambience and Atmosphere
One of the downsides of segmenting this beach club into three sections is that there’s no consistent atmosphere, everything ebbs and flows, and while some people might appreciate that, we find that it’s not the most convivial way to do things.
We’d like to see a bit more effort put into allowing people to move between areas seamlessly and to sit where they want after paying a reservation fee and making a booking. If there’s space, it ought to be easy enough to accommodate this.
That’s not to say there’s anything unpleasant about the ambience here; there isn’t, as with all beach clubs in Dubai, it’s welcoming enough, and there’s a gentle buzz of activity, but it could be better.
Location And Accessibility
Dubai itself is one of the world’s most accessible places, and there’s no doubt that Jumeriah is a very accessible part of Dubai.
This beach club is relatively easy to get to from most hotels in the emirate, and as with all beach clubs here, valet parking means no hassle when it comes to getting to your daybed without too much walking in the heat.
They also have a fully wheelchair accessible club, though the beach will still require sand tyres; there’s not much anyone can do about that.
Aesthetic And Design
There’s no doubt that the design of this beach club is very eye-catching. The use of African designs and motifs helps to really set this beach club apart from the others in Dubai.
However, as you’d expect in this emirate, there is still a touch of the corporate about the place; it’s a natural consequence of money and high standards, but we’d prefer a bit more of a plucky upstart feel to our beach clubs where possible.
But you’re certainly going to get some fabulous Instagram shots here, and African Queen should be congratulated for daring to be, at least a little, different from the other clubs here.
Staff Friendliness and Professionalism (Service Standard)
In general, the staff in Dubai are always excellent and at the top of their game. Because there aren’t enough Emiratis to go around for the jobs in the UAE, the country has very relaxed immigration rules and can import the finest talent from all over the world.
And it certainly shows at African Queen, where the staff are super friendly and the last word in professionalism.
We found our observations on this were backed up by online reviews, where nearly every review mentions specific staff members by name, something that is very rare in the UAE, and is a great signal of true excellence.
Service Speed and Efficiency
We think that the three areas concept comes together when it comes to service speed and efficiency. There’s no doubt that with smaller, defined areas to cover, staff can be incredibly effective.
Food Quality and Variety
We thought the food was a major highlight of our trip to African Queen. It may come at a price premium (this is Dubai, after all), but there’s no doubt that this is one of the very few beach clubs in the world to rival a fine dining experience.
The menu is packed with interesting dishes to choose from, and you’re not going to get bored or disappointed on a visit here with the options.
And the dishes are bursting with flavour, fresh ingredients and clearly prepared with both love and incredible amounts of skill. If only we could eat here every day.
Beverage Selection and Creativity
The drinks list at African Queen seems to be about perfectly curated, not too long, not too short and catering to all tastes.
Every cocktail looks Instagram-worthy, and all other drinks are served exactly as they should be. Sure, it’s not cheap, but again, this is Dubai.
Cleanliness and Hygiene
This beach club is spotless, and everything from the pool water to the toilets is kept incredibly clean throughout the course of the day. We expect nothing less in this corner of the world, to be honest.
Comfort of Seating and Lounging Areas
The seating, while not the very best we’ve ever encountered at a beach club, is very good. and we’d be happy to spend a day lounging on the daybeds here.
Music and Entertainment
They don’t go all out on entertainment at this beach club, but they do have occasional performances, such as a violinist on Sunday nights, and when it happens, it’s very good and also something a bit different from the usual DJs.
Otherwise, you can enjoy pleasantly curated background music during your time at African Queen.
Seasonality
This is Dubai, and there’s no real seasonality. It’s hot and sunny all day, pretty much every day. Rain is vanishingly rare in the emirate, and thus, beach clubs are open all year round with very few restrictions.
However, you should be careful in the Dubai heat, it’s very strong and dehydration and sunburn can be severe. Stay in the shade and use suncream liberally and regularly.
Pricing and Value for Money
For Dubai, African Queen is good value for money; it offers an exceptional experience compared to many other beach clubs in the emirate.
However, in a more global context, you can’t pretend it’s not expensive compared to places like Bali and Phuket.
Beach Access and Quality
The beach is attractive and well kept, though in keeping with most beaches in Dubai, it is on reclaimed land.
Be warned that walking on sand in Dubai in bare feet is super dangerous; the sun in the emirate is no joke, and you risk severe burns to your soles if you do this. Make sure to wear flip-flops or sandals at a bare minimum at all times.
The water is OK, but most people don’t swim in the ocean here; it’s a bit cloudy, and there is a risk of riptides dragging people out to sea. And with a pool as nice as the one at African Queen, why risk it?
Sustainability Practices
African Queen has made a big deal out of the fact that the design and sourcing for this beach club are sustainable. They used reclaimed materials, energy-efficient lighting, engaged with sustainable artisans and connected the design concept to the natural world.
However, that’s about it as far as we can tell regarding this beach club and sustainability. It’s a nice start, but there’s an awful lot more to do.
We’d encourage African Queen to adopt sustainability goals and to report on these regularly through independent auditing.
Exclusive Perks for Guests
They offer a towel, locker and changing facilities to guests who reserve a daybed at this beach club, and that’s pretty standard for this market.
There is no VIP package, though, of additional inclusions for an additional fee, which feels like a missed opportunity for us to treat ourselves and for the beach club to make a little extra margin.
Safety and Security
This is Dubai, an emirate with one of the world’s leading reputations for the safety and security of guests, and we’re positive that African Queen takes pride in playing its part in that.
There are random checks on vehicles and individuals entering the premises, and enough security staff on hand to ensure that any minor issues don’t get too out of hand and impact the enjoyment of other guests.
Event Hosting Capabilities
As with almost all beach clubs in Dubai, there’s a dedicated events team available to handle private events for almost any occasion at African Queen.
While we’re not sure that the three spaces concept will lend itself well to the very largest events, we do feel that they’d do an excellent job of handling most events.
Consistency of Experience
Our review team felt that this place was very consistent in providing an excellent experience, and this was backed up by talking to other guests as well as from reading online reviews.
The only reason for a lost point is that, in common with other beach clubs in Dubai, there’s not much in the way of continuous reinvention to try and improve on things. It’s OK to rest on your laurels for now, mind you, it’s just that in the long run, it leaves space for others to overtake you.
Additional Amenities and Facilities
African Queen also has the basic amenities that you could expect from a beach club in this part of Dubai, and it’s unlikely that you’ll want for much during a day here.
However, if you do want anything they can’t provide, it will surely be found within a short drive of this beach club. This is Dubai, and as long as it’s legal, you can easily find anything here for a price.
Summary
African Queen’s restaurant is awesome, and we really enjoyed eating there. However, we find the whole three venues in one venue approach a bit constraining, and we’d prefer more flexibility with seating and the ability to flow between areas of this beach club.
That’s not to take away from what is a very good upscale beach club with a genuinely unique take that sets it apart from a very crowded Dubai beach club scene.
We’d be happy to revisit African Queen if we were in the area, and we’d encourage you to visit on a similar basis. It’s not the cheapest day out in Dubai, for sure, but it’s a very good day out, and we think that’s worth paying for.
FAQs
Can You Go Swimming At African Queen Dubai?
Yes, there’s a lovely swimming pool available to guests at African Queen, though you will need to reserve a sunbed to enjoy this facility.
It’s a reasonable-sized pool, so you can swim for the early part of the day without worrying about banging into other people.
However, as with most beach clubs in Dubai, the pool is a place for socialising, drinking and getting out of the heat of the day, so expect to find it getting busier as the day draws on, and at peak periods, it may not be very easy or even possible to swim lengths or laps.
What Is There To Do At African Queen Dubai?
African Queen has a large restaurant celebrating the food from the Mediterranean and the culture of the French Riviera. There is also a pool area with daybeds and comfortable seating where you may enjoy food and drinks. The beach area also offers comfy seating, and bar and restaurant services.
You should know that each area of this beach club requires a separate reservation, and there is both a minimum spend and a cost for the daybed that you use, known as a “section fee”.
Is African Queen Dubai A Child-Friendly Venue?
Yes, African Queen Dubai is generally family-friendly, though it’s worth noting that it’s not particularly set up for children, and you are expected to ensure that your children are safe and behaving well at all times.
Children under the age of 12 are asked to leave the club by 9 p.m. sharp, after which they are no longer allowed inside African Queen. Children under the age of 16 are not permitted in the pool, though, so if you want a proper family day out, you might want to choose a different beach club.
We would also note that anyone who wishes to consume alcohol in Dubai is likely to be asked to produce ID if there is any doubt regarding their age, and unless they can prove that they are over the age of 21, they will not be served.
It is also important to note that African Queen has a strict dress code within the restaurant facility, and you must wear “casual chic” with an explicit ban on “overly casual clothing” and swimwear.
Who Is The Owner Of African Queen Dubai?
African Queen in Dubai is part of the BIK Hospitality Group, and it is an entirely separate entity from the Giroud Group, which founded the African Queen in Morocco. The exact ownership of BIK Hospitality is not in the public domain, but businessmen Milos Simonovic and Alexander Oganezov are believed to have senior roles in the partnership.
Final Thoughts On The Review Of African Queen Dubai
African Queen is a solid beach club if you’re looking for a space between all-out party and total relaxation, somewhere that families can go but where kids can’t monopolise the pool and impinge on the serious business of cocktails and cooldowns.
The food is very good, indeed, and might well be some of the best in any beach club in the world, but the three-section approach to seating is a bit tedious; there ought to be more effort made to allow guests to move as they need to between these areas, as long as there is space without extra bookings and fees.
Overall, though, we’d be happy to recommend African Queen to people passing through this corner of Dubai; we think it’s a cut above many of the other beach clubs in the emirate.
