Dubai

Shinners23

Myself and the other half are thinking of heading over to Dubai for a wee break. Can anyone, who have been there before, recommend it as a destination?

Daz R1

I can with out a doubt ! We went there last year for a break,got a great deal on a 5* hotel Habtoor Grand ....amazing ,so good infact we booked the same hotel just last week for the 1st week in Aug .

BOOK IT NOW

Beanmachine

Unbelivable place. Was there only a few months ago i'm fairly well travelled and it is definetly up there with one of the best places ive ever visited.The food and shopping is excellent and i would recommend going to the Burj Al Arab even just for a few drinks.The madinat is amazing at night and a great place to eat its modelled on venice with gondolas taking you around the various areas of it.

tdp-carol

I've spent a day there, and the shopping is really good - lots of bargains, and I'm not even a "shopping type".

I definitely want to go back for a holiday, as I have heard excellent reports of the hotels there, which are mostly four and five star.

Everyone I know who has been on holiday to Dubai says it's the last word in luxury.

theCzar

Well, you've had the positive responses... here comes the balance!

Personally, I didn't like Dubai. If I wanted to live in a hotel I could find somewhere on the M50. Beyond the Gold souk (which is brilliant) shopping is no greater an experience than that to be had in Dundrum IMO. (I'm not a shopper!)

For me Dubai was the ultimate in tackyness, a fake city supported by oil revenue (fairplay for having the forsight to invest in tourism) in a barren and inhospitable landscape that forces you to hide in an AC environment from 10am until sundown (going in August smacks of Masochism!!). Its got some novel attractions, mostly hinged on the gross expedniture of wealth (artificial, indoor sky slope with real snow, massive artifical islands).

Not my cupan tae. But you can't please everybody.

MCMLXXXIII

theCzar wrote: »

Well, you've had the positive responses... here comes the balance!

Personally, I didn't like Dubai. If I wanted to live in a hotel I could find somewhere on the M50. Beyond the Gold souk (which is brilliant) shopping is no greater an experience than that to be had in Dundrum IMO. (I'm not a shopper!)

For me Dubai was the ultimate in tackyness, a fake city supported by oil revenue (fairplay for having the forsight to invest in tourism) in a barren and inhospitable landscape that forces you to hide in an AC environment from 10am until sundown (going in August smacks of Masochism!!). Its got some novel attractions, mostly hinged on the gross expedniture of wealth (artificial, indoor sky slope with real snow, massive artifical islands).

Not my cupan tae. But you can't please everybody.

...so basically it's like Las Vegas?

The city is as real as it gets - the economy is booming. Yeah - a lot of it came from oil, but by now the tourism and building industries are supporting it. I have a friend that lives there now. She says she would love to visit, but she doesn't like living there. I plan on visiting sometime this September/October. I'm told to prepare to spend loads of money, but that it is worth it.

theCzar

MCMLXXXIII wrote: »

...so basically it's like Las Vegas?

The city is as real as it gets - the economy is booming. Yeah - a lot of it came from oil, but by now the tourism and building industries are supporting it. I have a friend that lives there now. She says she would love to visit, but she doesn't like living there. I plan on visiting sometime this September/October. I'm told to prepare to spend loads of money, but that it is worth it.

Vegas occured to me while writing that post, and their are similarities, in as much as Dubai wants to be a "Vegas" with its money coming from luxury tourism and conferencing. It may be as successful in the end, but its my feeling that if the oil was turned off tomorrow, Dubai would be a ghost town this time next year. The building industry is booming of course, but that's only as long as their capital to invest in building.

You can get more luxury for your dollar in Dubai than most places, i'll give it that.

Personally, I didn't like Dubai. If I wanted to live in a hotel I could find somewhere on the M50. Beyond the Gold souk (which is brilliant) shopping is no greater an experience than that to be had in Dundrum IMO. (I'm not a shopper!)

For me Dubai was the ultimate in tackyness, a fake city supported by oil revenue (fairplay for having the forsight to invest in tourism) in a barren and inhospitable landscape that forces you to hide in an AC environment from 10am until sundown (going in August smacks of Masochism!!). Its got some novel attractions, mostly hinged on the gross expedniture of wealth (artificial, indoor sky slope with real snow, massive artifical islands).

That's exactly how it appears to me, just really "fake". Something created for rich tourists, like a Disneyworld of the Middle East or something. I know holidays are supposed to be relaxing, but I like to experience some of the culture and reality of a place, not feel like I'm on a movie set. Then again, I hate Disneyworld, Las Vegas and anything similar so it's no surprise. If it's appealing to you, no harm in checking it out!