By Marcus Reeves, Lifestyle Writer · Published February 2025 · Last updated February 2026
Which Dubai beach club is right for your day? Detailed scoring, pricing, and editor's verdict.
Gigi Rigolatto and La Mer Beach sit on the same Jumeirah-1 coastline — Gigi at the new J1 Beach development at La Mer South, La Mer Beach at the original Meraas-developed lifestyle complex 500 metres north. The two share the same coastal setting but solve fundamentally different problems: Gigi is a luxury Italian beach club with a private pool and kids' Gigi Circus; La Mer Beach is a public lifestyle destination with free beach access plus paid sunbed-and-restaurant venues across the development.
Both are family-friendly but the experience is opposite ends of the spectrum. The decision is luxury-vs-public, dedicated-experience-vs-multi-venue-complex, and Italian-coded vs lifestyle-mixed.
| Category | Gigi Rigolatto | La Mer Beach | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Score | 8.7 / 10 | 8.1 / 10 | Gigi Rigolatto |
| Atmosphere & Vibe | 8.5 | 7.8 | Gigi Rigolatto |
| Food Quality | 9.0 | 7.6 | Gigi Rigolatto |
| Service | 8.8 | 7.5 | Gigi Rigolatto |
| Beach Quality | 8.5 | 8.0 | Gigi Rigolatto |
| Pool / Water Features | 9.0 | 7.2 | Gigi Rigolatto |
| Value for Money | 7.5 | 9.0 | La Mer Beach |
| Family-Friendly | 9.5 | 8.5 | Gigi Rigolatto |
| Couples / Romance | 8.8 | 7.5 | Gigi Rigolatto |
| Free / Public Access | 0 | 9.5 | La Mer Beach |
| Kids' Programming | 9.5 | 7.0 | Gigi Rigolatto |
| Variety / Multi-Venue | 7.0 | 9.5 | La Mer Beach |
Gigi Rigolatto's Gigi Circus is a supervised kids' club at AED 250 per child — properly run, dedicated facility, allows parents to book daybeds without juggling childcare. La Mer Beach has the free public beach and family-friendly atmosphere but no dedicated kids' programming. For parents wanting structured childcare, Gigi is the only option.
La Mer Beach is genuinely free for the public beach, with paid venues from AED 100 (Bla Bla) and AED 80 sunbeds available. A family of 4 can spend a full La Mer day for AED 200–400. Gigi Rigolatto's daybeds start at AED 300 weekday — a different price tier. For value-tier family days, La Mer wins decisively.
Gigi's kitchen is destination-restaurant standard Italian — hand-rolled pasta, wood-fired pizza, proper antipasti. La Mer has 150+ F&B outlets but they're more casual eatery-level. For food-focused visits, Gigi is the clear winner. For variety and kid-friendly options, La Mer's range wins.
La Mer is an entire lifestyle destination — free beach, retail, ROXY Cinemas, Laguna Waterpark, surf school, plus paid beach clubs (Bla Bla, Twiggy, Scape). A single La Mer day can mix beach, shopping, dining, and entertainment. Gigi is one curated venue. For multi-activity family days, La Mer wins.
Sit 500 metres apart — easy hop. Free morning at La Mer's public beach (children swim, parents lounge), then 12:00 walk south to Gigi Rigolatto for Italian lunch. Kids in Gigi Circus from 13:00, parents in front-row daybed. Total cost for family of 4: AED 500–800 entry + AED 600–1,200 food = AED 1,100–2,000 all-in. Hits both ends of the Jumeirah-1 spectrum in one day.
Gigi Rigolatto edges La Mer Beach 8.7 to 8.1 overall — the dedicated Italian kitchen, the kids' circus programming, the private pool, and the curated luxury experience give it the higher overall score. La Mer wins decisively on value, public-beach access, and multi-venue variety. For luxury family days with serious food, Gigi. For value-tier multi-activity family days, La Mer. The combo (visit both) is the strongest play.
