Dubai - planning first trip

revoke12

Hi all,

Currently looking at booking Dubai for middle of sept looking at 6 days is this enough time or too much time?

Need help on locations of hotels etc do people stay in the city centre of Dubai or seen few people recommend hotels along beaches etc.

Never been so clueless to it all

Any suggestions on hotels etc and also is it easy to get around?

Apiarist

I am planning to go in February for the first time. I have booked a hotel on the outskirts of the city because I need an easy access to the (private) beach for the kid. If I went by myself or with other adults, I would rent an apartment in one of the high rise apart-hotels closer to the city centre.

miezekatze

I think 6 days is fine. We stayed in one of the hotels near the Burj al Arab at the time, there was a private beach, plenty of restaurants and it didn't take long to get to the centre. I would recommend that area. Taxis are quite cheap over there (the normal ones anyway, don't use the fancy ones) and there are plenty of them.

Apiarist

miezekatze wrote: »

...Taxis are quite cheap over there (the normal ones anyway, don't use the fancy ones) and there are plenty of them.

Thank you for the information. Could you please share:
1) Is there a taxi app that is good in Dubai?
2) Best way to use a mobile phone for internet there? Buy a local SIM?

michellie

6 days is good.

I stayed in the hilton Jumeira beach twice. Its a great location on the walk, loads of bars, shops and restaurants close by. Lovely beach, the water is so hot. Would love to go back soon

ecospace

Careem is the Taxi app you need to use, but make sure and book the Hala option as you can also book the other private ones on that app ( Government here recently announced all taxis will be booked thru it )
Best hotels to stay in are on Jumeirah beach road, the likes of the Mina Seyahi or Jumeirah Beach hotel. Even Madinat Jumeirah can be reasonable. You can get a local sim here for 30 days by giving a copy of your passport. Virgin mobile is the best value.

miezekatze

victor8600 wrote: »

Thank you for the information. Could you please share:
1) Is there a taxi app that is good in Dubai?
2) Best way to use a mobile phone for internet there? Buy a local SIM?

We didn't use an app, there were always taxis around, the place is full of hotels and shopping centres and they usually have a taxi rank.

If you're with Vodafone bill pay you just pay a certain amount extra every day, I think it was 5€, and you can use your regular allowance, so we did that.

Been several times, we never stay in Dubai, we stay in Ras al-Khaimah. it is roughly 45 minutes from Dubai airport. there is not a lot to do where we stay, but, we don't go away to do stuff, just relax, eat & drink.
we stay at the Doubletree by Hilton resort & spa, Marjan island. it is a man made island, the resort is 5 stars. we usually pay (cheapest 750pp - most paid 895pp).
That would be for Flights (direct with Emirates from Dublin @ 10pm ish & 3pm ish from Dubai), transfers & 5 nights accommodation on an all inclusive basis, lovely food plenty of choice and endless amounts of beer/wine/cocktails & spirits. never stayed in the actual hotel building though did look at the rooms whilst we were there, we stay in the Bay Club rooms (not that much difference in price but much bigger room), a shopping mall about 5 minutes away, not a massive amount of shops but a decent variety plus a cinema. free bus to the mall or jump in a taxi it costs about 5 euro. the hotel also offer a bus service to Dubai 2 or 3 times a week (a charge for this), a taxi from outside the hotel to downtown would cost approx 40 euro. hotel has private beach, several pools inc an adults only one, watersports etc (charge), a few bars, perfect for 5/6 nights.
A lot of people would prefer to stay in Dubai, which is understandable, however you cannot beat the place I've described for value. As an example, if you were not staying all inclusive in this place, it would cost you anywhere between 6-11 euros for 1 beer, yeah that's right 1 beer :eek:. without a doubt, we eat and drink the cost of our holiday when we go there. something to think about

smurfjed

Dubai has grown incredibly expensive, the 6-11 Euros for a beer mentioned above is for a PUB, not even a nightclub. You can avail of Duty Free on the way in which is a good idea and an excellent way to save a few bob.
As for where you can stay, well that depends on what you are going for? If for the sun and a beach, then pick such a hotel, if for shopping, pick somewhere along the metro so that travel is easy and cheap. But as RoyNaire has said, there are better places in the UAE compared to Dubai.

TimHorton

Deleted User wrote: »

Been several times, we never stay in Dubai, we stay in Ras al-Khaimah. it is roughly 45 minutes from Dubai airport. there is not a lot to do where we stay, but, we don't go away to do stuff, just relax, eat & drink.
we stay at the Doubletree by Hilton resort & spa, Marjan island. it is a man made island, the resort is 5 stars. we usually pay (cheapest 750pp - most paid 895pp).
That would be for Flights (direct with Emirates from Dublin @ 10pm ish & 3pm ish from Dubai), transfers & 5 nights accommodation on an all inclusive basis, lovely food plenty of choice and endless amounts of beer/wine/cocktails & spirits. never stayed in the actual hotel building though did look at the rooms whilst we were there, we stay in the Bay Club rooms (not that much difference in price but much bigger room), a shopping mall about 5 minutes away, not a massive amount of shops but a decent variety plus a cinema. free bus to the mall or jump in a taxi it costs about 5 euro. the hotel also offer a bus service to Dubai 2 or 3 times a week (a charge for this), a taxi from outside the hotel to downtown would cost approx 40 euro. hotel has private beach, several pools inc an adults only one, watersports etc (charge), a few bars, perfect for 5/6 nights.
A lot of people would prefer to stay in Dubai, which is understandable, however you cannot beat the place I've described for value. As an example, if you were not staying all inclusive in this place, it would cost you anywhere between 6-11 euros for 1 beer, yeah that's right 1 beer :eek:. without a doubt, we eat and drink the cost of our holiday when we go there. something to think about

Looks good but I checked this via Emirates Holdays and AI in April in 1350 Euro each for 7 Nights. Show us an example of where you are actually able to book with costs you quote.

Ticking and Bashing

6 days is plenty in Dubai. There's not a whole lot of things to do there, unless you're into shopping. I don't really understand the appeal of Dubai at all, there's not much (any) history, just a load of skyscraper buildings in the middle of the desert, it's not cheap either. Saying that, the sand dunes safari and swimming in the sea (which is like a hot bath!) were highlights for me. Also, I was there in October and it was hot hot hot. Daytime temperature of 38c one day. Three days was plenty for me to see everything. The only time I'd recommend Dubai would be for a short stopover for 3 days max and that's what I did. Then again I like to keep busy on holidays so depends really! You might be able to break up the 6 days by taking a trip to Abu Dhabi, it's not too far from Dubai it seems, and the Sheikh Zayed Mosque looks amazing!

Cosmo Kramer

In six days you can have time for a day or two in Abu Dhabi as well as seeing Dubai if you want to. We did eight days on our trip and that was loads, we had a day around Abu Dhabi, including the (amazing) mosque, a day at the Waterpark, a desert safari day, a day at the Dubai Mall/Burj, a day in Old Dubai/Deira and still had time for a few beach/pool days.

In Abu Dhabi we stayed along the Corniche and in Dubai we stayed next to the Dubai Mall. But the taxis are so cheap that you can stay pretty much anywhere, just pick a hotel that you like the look of.

It's not a place I'd rush back to but it's well worth a visit. We had a nice trip and I would happily stop off again there for a few days on the way to somewhere else.

TimHorton

TimHorton wrote: »

Looks good but I checked this via Emirates Holdays and AI in April in 1350 Euro each for 7 Nights. Show us an example of where you are actually able to book with costs you quote.

well I did say 5 nights e.g leave Dub Sunday night arrive in RAK on Monday depart RAK on sat morn back in Dub sat night.
June 809 Aug 859 Sep 809, still cheap enough to eat and drink the cost.

https://www.tropicalsky.ie/middle-east-holidays/dubai-and-the-emirates/ras-al-khaimah/doubletree-by-hilton-resort-spa-marjan-island-hotel

Travel republic do similar deals but they don't normally include transfers.

northknife

revoke12 wrote: »

Hi all,

Currently looking at booking Dubai for middle of sept looking at 6 days is this enough time or too much time?

Need help on locations of hotels etc do people stay in the city centre of Dubai or seen few people recommend hotels along beaches etc.

Never been so clueless to it all

Any suggestions on hotels etc and also is it easy to get around?

We're doing Abu-Dhabi for Halloween. Booked flights through Vayama with Turkish airlines with couple of hours in Istanbul on each trip for €1180 2AD + 2CH. Booked hotel for 5 nights B+B for €380.

Its only an hour down the road from Dubai.
Are you thinking of going to Ferrari World or any of the theme parks?