When I was first asked to go on an educational to Dubai – my first thought was to offer it to another person that may have always wanted to visit one of the United Arab Emirates.
I could safely say that Dubai was one of the last destinations on my list of places I wanted to visit. I couldn’t really pinpoint why – possibly because it’s a destination in the making – very hot summers, plenty of construction and buildings after buildings. This is exactly what Dubai is however there is more…Dubai is an excellent stopover on your way to Europe. It would be fair to say that there is bound to be something for everyone in this bizarre yet appealing city.
Emirates flew us in economy class via Singapore to Dubai. Not only is this service usually a bit cheaper via Singapore than the direct flight but also I found the one hour transit was welcomed for it broke up the 14 hour journey. However, on our flight home we were lucky enough to be upgraded to Business class on the direct service. I must say that the 14 hour direct service on the Emirates new 777 300-EUR really did make this trip feel like more like an 8 hour flight. Despite the service not being very personable and rather assertive – the food and in-house entertainment was plentiful. Click here to see more of Emirates services and cabin features.
Icon Holidays accommodated us for our entire stay in Dubai. This is a wholesaler whom I would not hesitate in using for their products and services they offer and pride themselves on.
On arrival in Dubai we were transferred to the Hyatt Regency, this property stood out from many of the other places for its prompt, professional and personal service. The style and décor was very contemporary, cosmopolitan yet warm and fresh - their breakfast stood out for its variety and quality. The hotel would suit all types of travellers. Click here to visit their website which will give you a good feel for the place.
Next point of call was a city tour through Dubai. There are several types of city tours so it really depends on what interests you. I have listed a few of the ‘musts’ below:
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Visit the Gold Souks (this is where you will find great gold and silver jewellery.)
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Stroll through the spice markets
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Take a dinner cruise along the Dubai Creek (in the evening beautiful)
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Explore the City Centre Shopping Complex and take advantage of all the great deals in the European shops. One tip is if you do manage to go to the shopping complex on a Friday or Saturday - pre book a taxi to pick you up to avoid waiting for a taxi for hours. This is the weekend in Dubai – you will be amazed to find a queue that goes right through the complex where people are waiting in line for a taxi. There are buses that do operate however after 4pm they only run every 1.5 hours.
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For the thrill seekers – take a 4WD Safari through the desert to enjoy a traditional Lebanese BBQ under the stars and amongst the sand dunes, followed by camel rides and belly dances.
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Lastly the Dubai Museum, this is a very impressive museum that depicts the history and culture of Dubai.
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Because there are so many lovely hotels/resorts – go to one of the resorts for lunch or afternoon tea.
Icon Holidays allowed us to experience several properties. All were great in their own right – Below I have listed the three hotels that stood out to me:
Park Hyatt – This property is absolute class. From the décor to the food to the location!! As Dubai doesn’t have an actual city district – everywhere is a convenient location – however the Park Hyatt is situated along the harbour giving a real holiday feel – caters for all types of travellers from couples, to families and business travellers. This would be my favourite property!
Burj Al Arab – World famous for being the only 7 star resort in the world! This place is really like no other – not only for its unusual and intriguing architecture and location but also for its bold and colourful décor. All its rooms are suite style with your own personal butler service, leaving you with a real experience not comparable to anything else!
For those who cant afford to lash out by staying at this place! I recommend organising afternoon tea or dinner (which is affordable) so you can take advantage of the view and see for yourself this extraordinary and extravagant wonder!
Jumeriah Beach Hotel – This property is ideal for families and beach lovers as it is one of the few hotels that is situated right on the beach. Jumeriah beach makes you feel as those you are on a real holiday (certainly not a stopover). Bare in mind – if you are after a more boutique and remote feel – this hotel is not for you as it is quite a busy and social resort. Perfect for families!
One thing about Dubai that intrigued me was that there is no real city centre. All the hotels and resorts are spread within a 10km radius. The more expensive hotels are situated along the water and the more affordable hotels are scattered throughout the city.
I feel that Dubai is an ideal alternative stopover city if you have already experienced Singapore or Hong Kong. You do however need the funds to be able to take advantage of the 4 to 5 star resorts, as I didn’t find them cheap. I feel in 5 to 10 years time this place will be an even more worthwhile place to visit as the underground Metro will be completed and hopefully the amount of construction that is currently taking place has reduced significantly.
If you have any questions or would like any further information on the hotels in Dubai I would be more than happy to discuss your options based on your needs and budget!
Alisa Christensen
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