Dubai is one of my favourite cities so when the opportunity came up for a 4-night trip with Emirates and Jumeriah Hotels I couldn’t turn it down.
It’s a very relaxed city and while food and drink can be expensive if you dine in some of the exclusive restaurants, there are many affordable options available. One of the things that does stand out
about Dubai is the level of service that you experience, and that’s whether you’re eating at your hotel’s restaurant or simply grabbing a coffee at the local Costa.
It was only a quick 4-day visit, however we packed in so much it was an incredible experience. We went on a night-time desert safari, took a seaplane flight over Dubai and got to view Dubai from the observation deck on the world tallest building, the Burj Khalifa.
There’s way more to Dubai than just shopping. From the cultural highlights of the Creek, to the glitzy Marina, there’s plenty on offer. We went Dune bashing in the desert, which was amazing, but you can also ride camels or go sand boarding. We got a great cultural insight with a Bedouin Camp experience where we enjoyed a full BBQ dinner in tents, we got fire dancers, and the sunset was magical.
Whilst on the Jumeirah Palm we made the most of the location. It’s got a boardwalk, tons of restaurants, beach clubs, and a pretty good nightlife. The whole area is quite high-end, but it has a relaxed feel with everyone walking around in shorts and flip-flops, although many of the restaurants in the evenings are more formal.
Anyone who’s an adrenaline junkie absolutely has to go up the Burj Khalifa. The lift up takes 60 seconds to cover 124 floors and the speed even makes your ears pop. Of course, a view always gets better with a cocktail and we got the chance to enjoy one at Gold on 27, the 27th-floor bar at the Burj Al Arab Jumeirah. You might have seen this hotel on the BBC documentary. It’s considered the most luxurious hotel in the world. Staying here may not be an option, but I’d recommend visiting the bar as taking in the Dubai sunset from Gold on 27 is impressive.
We were also lucky enough to take in the Dubai panoramas from a seaplane, which as well as being an exciting way to see the city, it gave me a real sense of how quickly the city is being transformed, with skyscrapers going up in every direction.
I get asked all the time where people should stay, but it totally depends on what you’re after from your holiday. If you’ve got your eye on Dubai for a relaxing beach holiday, I’d recommend Jumeirah Beach or The Palm. Jumeirah Beach is more of a long, white-sanded strip with things to do (water skiing, promenades, great swimming) and it’s a more central location. The Palm is more a cluster of beaches with resorts like the Atlantis. Both offer stunning horizons, plus endless drinking and dining opportunities. There’s also Kite Beach and the wide-open walkways at the fancy new La Mer beach.
If you want to explore the neighbourhoods, I’d suggest checking out both the Marina and the Creek. The Marina is pretty amazing as a setting in itself. Docked boats are surrounded by loads of curved skyscrapers and glass, and the waterside cafes and restaurants provide really relaxing settings. You’ve got Skydive Dubai, Dubai Marina Mall, cinemas, and the Dubai Marina Walk where you can shop, drink, dine, and even get your daily Starbucks by the waterfront.
For winding walkways and the smell of spices, head to the Old Souk. This covered market has a real old feel, there’s a Gold, Textile, and Spice Souk, the locals are really friendly, and you can pick up stuff you’d never find in the UK. My tip is to visit around 11am before it gets too crowded.
For the shopaholics, Dubai has everything from Gucci to cut-price Nike, with a mall for everything you could imagine. The Dubai Mall and Mall of the Emirates are the most famous. These places aren’t just a couple of floors with shops. They’ve got fountains, aquariums, human waterfalls, and even a 155 million-year-old dinosaur display at the Dubai Mall. If you’re in Dubai to shop, there are even hotels linked- you literally roll out of bed and shop. Cheaper shopping at the Dubai Outlet Mall is also great, and there’s endless food wherever you are.
Wherever you go (and whatever your budget), you’ll be impressed. Standards are high in Dubai. Rooms are large, dining is superb, and attention to detail is the reason why Dubai has earned it’s reputation as number 1 for luxury.
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Greek island hopping sorted to perfection. Anna listened to everything I wanted and came up with a detailed plan which exceeded all my expectations. Every island on my to do list and with a choice of hotels. Thank you Anna.
We’ve recently booked a multi-centre holiday to Croatia for later this year through eShores and in particular Hannah. Hannah has been extremely helpful, very approachable, prompt with communications and very informative as regards choices and suggestions for places to stay. We’ve bee extremely happy with the service provided by Hannah and eShores and are very…
Flawless communication with Chris. He’s really easy to talk to, his listening skills are incredible. He delivered the holiday I wanted within a few hours.
Contacted eShores after finding them on internet. Emily was very helpful and knowledgeable. She prepared a schedule and called back with the details and alternatives. Very friendly and professional service; if the holiday is half as good we will be delighted.
Everyone I have spoken to at eShores has been really friendly and helpful. Chris was very knowledgable, gave good advice and put together an itinerary that suits us perfectly and at a great price! The booking and payment system has been really easy so far.
All great
This is my first holiday booking experience with EShores and I can only say that the service from Emma, has been exemplary. From my first enquiry to the booking of our next holiday it has been handled professionally and the email responses are answered very quickly. There have been a number of doubts about our…
Our consultant Megan took into account all of our requirements and budget. She took time to find the best hotels for us and checked out transport links. Overall very good service
Very helpful although I was very indecisive will definitely book with e shore again
Thank you to the wonderful Anna at EShores for assisting in us booking a marvellous trip to South America.
Very helpful team. Sorted our holiday without any problems.
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I have been booking holidays with Chris Eaves for quite a few years. He is always very professional and has great knowledge. His advice has proven invaluable many times and he has an uncanny ability to find flights that others can’t find. I would wholeheartedly recommend both Chris as an individual and his company that…
My experience with Eshores was excellent, from initial email with ideas to quick phone call to ask follow up questions on what we required, the quotation was sent through within 48 hours. It was full of information on flights trains and hotels with links. One more quick phone call and it was all explained and…
This is the 4th holiday booked with Emma . As always very efficient patient and knowledgeable - getting the holiday to fit our needs and budget ! This year Vietnam Cambodia and Thailand - fabulous ! Looking forward to Barbados and St Lucia next yr !
Anna, was extremely patient with me as I had to get things in order here before finally deciding when we were going and how how long. Also adaptable in terms of the changes we made. Now it's finally paid for we are looking forward to our Vietnamese trip.
Excellent service from eShores and Kelly in particular. She listended to what we wanted and delivered. It took the stress out of a complicated plan and we highly recommend them.
Fifth time of using Eshores. Never been let down when not travelling to just one destination it is very comforting to know everthing is in hand. Wont use anyone else
Michelle, who was our consultant was very attentive very thorough and gave us a number of options to look at. I feel confident that this trip of a lifetime will go to plan. Michelle consistently came back to us with updates as when required and she did what she said she was going to do.…
The lady was really helpful and informative. She responded to our enquiry very quickly and provided us with a detailed quotation, including everything we asked for.
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