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Advantages:
Excellent weather, good shopping, fantastic restaurants and nightlife, excellent service,
Disadvantages:
Can be really hot in summer months, in the souks woman tend to get stared at alot by locals, woman also should cover up in public areas such as souks, alcohol is a bit on the expensive side and can only be bought and drank inside 4 * or above hotels
I first went to Dubai in March 2001, it was love at first sight. From the sparkling blue sea to the magnificent towering hotels this is a destination to set your heart alight.
It's not just a Middle Eastern country shroud in religion this is where the traditional East meets the modernised West. You have traditional mosques on one side of the road and the imposing Burj Al Arab ( supposedly the only 7* hotel in the world ) on the other. You have traditional shisha cafe's and then you have McDonalds. You have the wonderful souks ( markets ) selling fake designer goods, spices, oils, Gold, electrical good, silk sari's the list is endless and then you also have the huge American styled shopping malls which house the authentic deisgner shops as well the better known Western stores.
Restaurants
have to be some of the best that I have ever eaten at. If food is your thing then Dubai is the place to dine. From traditional Arabic outlets where you can eat for as little as £5.00 a head and then you have the huge array of restaurants to dine at inside hotels, you can have Italian, German, Seafood, French, Thai, A La Carte, Persian, Japanese, the list is endless. For a typical evening meal at a hotel restaurant you should be prepared to spend at least £20.00 - £30.00 a head then if you decide you want an alcoholic drink then again you are looking at £20.00 - £30.00 for a bottle of house wine, £4.00 for a beer and approximately the same for a spirit and mixer. The prices vary depending on what hotel you at.
Being a Muslim country you would assume that alchohol is a taboo subject, this is not the case in Dubai. If you go to any 4* or above hotel you will find an array of bars, nightclubs and restaurants that are all happy to serve you an alcholoc beverage. Outside hotels you will not be able to purchase alcohol from any shop etc and even the local restaurants will not service alcohol. Good tip is to take a bottle or 2 into Dubai with you, and an even better tip at Dubai airport they have a duty free shop just after passport control where you can purchase 2 litre box of white wine for £6.00 as well as your normal bottles of spirits ( cheaper then the U.K )
Hotels, so many to choose from where do you start. If your looking for a good value for money beach hotel then I would recommend the wonderfully friendly OasisBeach Hotel, if your looking for a more romantic honeymoon hotel then try the Ritz Carlton or the Royal Mirage. If you want to spend a night or 2 in an over the top glitzy glamorous property then definately go the the Burj Al Arab which stands on a small man made island opposiut the very famous Jumeirah Beach Hotel, it has to be seen to be believed. All the beach properties are of a very high standard and offer a complimentary bus service into the city centre throughout the day. If you wish to stay in the hub of Dubai then again you have a great choice of properties to choose from, recommendations of mine would be the Intercontinental and the JW Marriott both have a fantastic range of restaurants and are within walking distance of the city centre. One other property that I feel is worth a special mention is Al Maha, a spectacular desert resort only accesable by 4 wheel drive vehicle over the sand dunes of the desert, ideal for that secluded romantic break.
Nightlife, considering that Dubai is a Muslim country there are some pretty fantastic nightclubs and bars to be experienced. Recomendations Scarletts lively bar/nightclub/restaurant in Emirates Towers Hotel, Irish Village large pub near airport, Rock Bottom, pretty wild bar/nightclub in Regents Palace hotel definately not for the light hearted, Longs Bar boasts to be the longest bar in Dubai located in the Tower Rotana Hotel very lively even during Ramadam. There is no restriction on dress code but I suggest smart/casual again prices vary from bar to bar but you should expect to pay approx £4.00 a dink. Ladies your in luck Dubai has ladies nights where ladies can guarantee at most establishments a free drink or 2, these normaly run on a Sunday and Tuesday night. There are no entrance fees but the bouncers can be selective, a big huge grin can win your way into most places.
Weather, from mid June through to mid September be prepared for intense heat with high humidity levels. From end of September though to mid June is much more bearable and is the perfect time to travel. Remebering the holy month of Ramadam which runs from early November for 4 weeks, this is a period where there is no live entertainment allowed, no eating, drinking, chewing or smoking is allowed between sunrise and sunset in public areas. Hotels have less restrictions and in my mind this the best time to visit Dubai as it is very quiet.
Dubai where the East meets the West and where I spent some of the best months of my life. If you want to have a holiday with a difference then Dubai is certainly the place to go.
There is alot more that I can say about Dubai all of it in Dubai's favour. If you want any recommendations for places to stay, eat or party then feel free to contact me.
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Great op darling. Went to Dubai not so long ago. Met some great people, a couple of loopy reps from England, hilarious Scots Tazmanian devil and a rather suave Canadian called Dedo. Only thing I couldn't get over was not being able to party with the grownups cos of that petty little no-one-under-21 rule in da clubs!! ;)
Connoisseur_Haggler 27.09.2001 17:53
Absolutely fantastic opinion, a perfect timing for me!! I am going to Dubai within the next 2 months on route to Asia . I am staying at the Hotel you recommended in your opinion Oasis Beach Hotel along JUmeira Beach too! (well , cant afford Burj Al Arab 7 star I'm afraid:) Excellent opinion, I will bear this in mind and a belated welcome to Ciao, look forward to reading more of your interesting opinions-CH
Defiler 27.09.2001 17:53
Good opinion, when I first read this I thought you said that drinks cost £20.00 - £30.00 each, glad I was wrong :)
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Advantages: A Bustling Nightlife, Very cheap Shopping with a huge array of different popular retail stores, Beautiful Hotels, Beautiful Beaches, Pleasant weather between October and April, Brilliant service in restaurants across the board, Lots to do Disadvantages: Alcohol is generally quite expensive, Ramadan (holy month of ramadan means that you must not eat or drink in public during the day)
Advantages: Dubai is a safe place with very good quality of life. There is universal brotherhood everywhere. Disadvantages: None for me, but the hot weather for tourists who are not used to this.
Advantages: Located on Jumeriah Beach, comfortable, relaxed and friendly atmosphere, SUPERB VALUE for money and quality for a 4 star hotel Disadvantages: none really - if you get a sea view room
Connoisseur_Haggler 30.04.2002 (18.12.2004)
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Review of Oasis Beach Hotel, Dubai
Sep 27th, 2001
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