all advice gratefully received on the prices, dress code ect...ive heard so many different stories about it.

one of my clients just got back from dubai.. says it lovely.
did say it's fairly expensive though.. but well worth it.

it's like £40 to just get into that big flashy hotel.. u know the 7* one.. he said they really take care of u in there, and it's freakin awesome.

that's all i know.. but would highly recommend getting a lonely planet travel guide. I got one for hawaii and it's just crammed with helpful info.. i'll always get one in future, no matter where i'm headed.

hope u have a lovely time x

We went to Dubai in 2000 and looking at recent programmes on TV it's changed a lot. Stayed in the Golden Sands (cheap and cheerful and in loads of brochures) which is south of the creek but within walking distance of the centre and a large shopping centre, downside is it's a distance from the public beach (we never went), but it does have swimming pools. All the big hotels are a long way from the main centre where the souks and large shopping centres are - the Burj al Arab, Al Jumeirah etc are about 15 miles south of the city - most have free buses in to the centre, otherwise its public transport or taxis - traffic during rush hour (which is four times a day as they have a long lunch break) can be a nightmare.

Best time to go is October to early May (we went in February and temperatures were mid to top 20s, but hotter in the desert) - the summer is too hot to do anything outside. If you do go the £50 spent on a day in the dunes in a huge V8 4x4 is well worth it. We went to the camel track too and saw them training the camels and 8 year old jockeys (yes 8 years old!).

All major hotels have bars where alcohol is available but it's not cheap so find out when happy hours are to reduce your costs. Don't worry about what you wear - T shirts and shorts were fine during the day.

Middle Eastern food is fantastic, but all the usual fast food outlets are there and major hotels have restaurants serving food from all areas of the World.

OH, yes a great place. More western than many western countries. A great place to holiday.
Rich,
http://www.franceinfocus.net/vlc8.html
Photos, video and travelogue of our trip to Dubai.

quote:

Originally posted by Sweet Summer:
one of my clients just got back from dubai.. says it lovely.
did say it's fairly expensive though.. but well worth it.

it's like £40 to just get into that big flashy hotel.. u know the 7* one.. he said they really take care of u in there, and it's freakin awesome.

that's all i know.. but would highly recommend getting a lonely planet travel guide. I got one for hawaii and it's just crammed with helpful info.. i'll always get one in future, no matter where i'm headed.

hope u have a lovely time x

thanks! which hotel did you mean? i hope its emirates towers thats where we are staying i think theres a few with 7 stars. is there somewhere to see dolphins?

thanks for the info and advice people i appreciate it.

I think there's only one 7* hotel, which is the Burj Al Arab. Most of the others, including the majestic Jemeirah Beach are blue ribbon 5*.

Yep. It's the Burj they make people pay to visit. We stayed there and you can see why they want to charge you for the pleasure of visiting it. It is out of this world. Also when you are paying the minimum of £500 per night you do not want 100's of sight see'er's putting you off you cocktails
Rich,
see my above link for photos and video of the Burj and save yourself £40.

Hi Wend, You must go to dubai, we went last october and have booked up again for sept, its a beautiful place.
I was very wary of going, thinking westerners werent looked on favourably, but I was so wrong.

the hotel you are talking about is amazing, but the others are worth staying at, as most of them are 5 star anyway.

Everyone treats you with respect, from the hotel staff, taxi drivers, and shop keepers, and thier honesty is amazing, they cant do enough for you.
And if you give them a tip of say 10 dirahms, which is approx £1.50-£2.oo, they are biting your hand off they are so grateful.

We were lost one night in some back streets, and couldnt make ourselves understood to get a cab, this man stopped and offered us a lift to our hotel, I was very suspicious, but hubby 6ft 5" so he said we'll go, the guy took us to our hotel, we offered him money, he refused, but we insisted, and he said something silly like the eqivillient of £2.00, so we gave him more, he was so grateful it was pitiful.

A friend of my hubb'ys lost his wallet, he thought theres no chance of him getting it back, the nest morning the police came to the hotel with the wallet and every penny and card in tact.

Only thing is in and around the complexes where what you like on the beach and pool etc.., but if you are going out in the evning in the town, wear sleeves or 3/4 sleeves, as sleevless is frowned on, and dont wear micro shorts or mini-skirts in the streets, saying that I went sleevless, as I didnt know, and got a load of stares, and was told afterwards that was the reason.

We Have been to load of places, italy, crete, st. lucia etc, and dubia is the best.

Its not expensive, clothes, goods, cab fares are peanuts, and the 18 carat italian designer gold is stunning.and what you pay for nine carat here you will get 18 carat and change.
The pieces are very different, and you wont see anything like it in the UK.

As I said we had already booked up in jan to go back to the same resort, as we dont want to go anywhere else, and this time we are going for longer.

BTW, everytime you leave your hotel room, someone comes in and changes the towels, cleans the showers, tidies up, new soap etc..., and this can happen 4 times a day, and its so clean, and the food is to die for.

Trust me, you must go, as I feel so stupid now worrying like I did.

quote:

Originally posted by wendx:

quote:

Originally posted by Sweet Summer:
one of my clients just got back from dubai.. says it lovely.
did say it's fairly expensive though.. but well worth it.

it's like £40 to just get into that big flashy hotel.. u know the 7* one.. he said they really take care of u in there, and it's freakin awesome.

that's all i know.. but would highly recommend getting a lonely planet travel guide. I got one for hawaii and it's just crammed with helpful info.. i'll always get one in future, no matter where i'm headed.

hope u have a lovely time x

thanks! which hotel did you mean? i hope its emirates towers thats where we are staying i think theres a few with 7 stars. is there somewhere to see dolphins?

the only actual 7* one is the burj al arab - it's beautiful to go and visit just to look around but it's about £20pp to go in if you're not a guest!

make sure you go wadi bashing - you go out in a jeep across the sand dunes and it's very exciting!

the gold markets are excellent and very cheap, and strict laws mean that everything is guaranteed quality and carat-wise.

the emirates towers have a wonderful view of the city and a fantastic teppan-yaki restaurant.

wild wadi is a fantastic water park but don't go on a friday because everyone has the day off and so if you are female and wearing a swimsuit, they presume that you are available to be touched - not nice!

bring plenty of smart clothes, full length trousers and shirts because the air con is violent in the shopping centres!

the burjaman shopping centre is great for designer stuff but city centre shopping mall is best for regular shops like zara and miss sixty.

yes it is expensive but there are some reasonable restaurants - the usual hard rock, etc.

I was in Dubai last Christmas I stayed in the Emirates towers hotel. It was so amazing!

Shops can be cheap der are loads of designer shops!

Go to the gold souks der amazing brilliant value i got loads of jewlery der!

The water park is brilliant aswell defineatly go der!

By far the best thing was when my family and I got a tour of the Burj al arb! My Dad knew the owner! We got picked up from our hotel and droped back after the tour by a chauffer. it was so amazing its such a spectacular hotel!!

quote:

And if you give them a tip of say 10 dirahms, which is approx £1.50-£2.oo, they are biting your hand off they are so grateful.

oooooooooooh, people being paid a shit wage, how lovely, I must go.

It's not exactly holiday of a lifetime material. You should be able to get a flight and four/five nights for under £500 if you shop around. No lottery required!