So, you’re looking to take the family out of Europe this year? Visiting Dubai with children may seem like an unusual choice at first with its reputation of being an exotic millionaires’ playground, but in fact it has more than enough attractions and facilities to keep families happy on their trip – a fact that is making it become more and more popular as a child-friendly holiday destination.

The first thing you should consider before jetting your family off on the holiday of a lifetime is the time of year you pick. Sure, summer sounds like the ideal time to head out to the sun, but Dubai’s heat is unlike anything you’re likely to have encountered before, and daily temperatures are well above 40 degrees. You may be fine with this, but children – especially young ones – may wilt in the heat, so you might want to pick one of the winter months. Luxury holidays to Dubai in September may sound less glamorous, but it will be significantly cheaper, while still allowing you and your family to enjoy some fabulous weather and escape the cold of Britain’s January climate.

If you have the budget for some of Dubai’s luxury hotels, there are some great family friendly options available. My personal picks from Dubai’s family hotels would be the Al Qasr, the Dar Al Masyaf and the Jumeirah beach hotel. For families in Dubai, the Al Qasr and Dar Al Masyaf offer numerous dedicated facilities for children, as well as being local to “Sinbad’s Kids Club” with its own supervised activities so come highly recommended. But for maximum respect from your children, guests at the Jumeirah beach hotel are granted unlimited access to the Wild Wadi Water Park, making it hands down the best hotel for families in Dubai.

Guests of any of Dubai’s family hotels will find the park a must. The park itself is a must for families, whether or not you’re a guest of the Jumeirah beach hotel. Pumping a massive two million gallons of water up 23 water slides and rides, the park has rides for all – just beware that not all are suitable for all ages, and that infants will need monitoring to make sure they don’t head down the faster slides – which go up to 80 kilometres per hour. Fortunately, with 90 lifeguards on duty, you can be reasonably sure that your family is in safe hands, giving you time and space to relax when visiting Dubai with children.

And luxury holidays in Dubai should be all about relaxation! The area has several fantastic beaches with soft white sands and shallow turquoise waters, meaning the children can stay safe while you work on your tan. For the more active (or with children nagging to do something), Dubai has many family friendly attractions including public playgrounds and picnic memories – all splendid areas to create some cherished family memories.

Of course the beauty of Dubai as a family holiday destination is that unlike the resorts for famous for being designed for children, Dubai has huge amounts of activities to keep adults happy. The souks are legendary, as are the various shopping centres – and most of them have nurseries and play areas for youngsters, giving you more time to concentrate on getting that bargain. Other activities you may consider, depending on the interests of your family are 4x4 tours of the desert and camel racing!

A big concern when looking for a holiday area that’s suitable for all the family is the food. If you have a child who will only eat what they’re used to, then it’s not unreasonable to rule out several dozen because your children will refuse to use the local cuisine. Fortunately, visitors in Dubai with children will not find this to be an issue! While it’s not renowned for its food, Dubai does an excellent job of providing global cuisine alongside a traditional Middle Eastern fare throughout the country, meaning that both you and your children are sure to find something to cure your hunger – even if it’s some British grub or a well known international fast food chain!

The downside of a luxury holiday to Dubai is of course the cost involved, but the cost of living while out there is reasonable, the off-season is cheaper and if you’re a shopoholic you can get some real bargains out there to make it worthwhile. If you’re looking for a family holiday outside of Europe, you could do worse than considering a luxury hotel in Dubai with your children.