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Dubai Revisited

Canals in Dubai

21st March 2017: My first ever trip to Dubai was back in 2004 where I stayed at the Mina A Salem, part of the Jumeriah complex. The hotel had just been completed, however the canals and waterways were just a few hundred metres long and there was still the odd bit needing to be finished. The iconic Burj Al Arab and the Jumeriah Beach were both fully open and the Wild Wadi water park was exciting thrill seekers. Fast forward 12 years to another visit, had anything changed?

On my recent trip I stayed at the Dar Al Marsaraf villas in the Jumeriah Complex of hotels. The three hotels I noted from my visit a decade earlier had had other fantastic hotels built around them; the Al Qasr and shortly after the Jumeirah Al Naseem which opened in December 2016, opposite the Burj Al Arab.

Dar Al Marsaraf villas

The few hundred metres of waterways were now a huge network of canals linking the hotels and attractions together. Buggies were constantly going back-and-forth through the palm-lined grounds, taking passengers around the huge array of bars, restaurants and attractions. While impressive, I thought to myself, does all this rejuvenation actually make the destination any better?

In my opinion, the answer is a resounding yes! While the beach is now a busy place and the Wild Wadi water park has larger queues, overall, the area is sensational, with so much to see and do both day and night. The careful planning and design made a great impression on me. There area isn’t a huge bunch of high-rise hotels becoming an eye-sore on the surrounding landscape; instead, the place is quite the opposite and now serves a heaven to relax in.

Canals in Dubai

The once small canals are now alive and, at night, are lined with numerous restaurants busy with diners. The vibe within the restaurants is wonderful. If you prefer however, you can still find hidden gems amongst the hustle-and-bustle thanks to its clever design.

All the hotels were at full capacity when we visited but just like the size of the numerous swimming pools and beach, there is plenty of space where you can still find sun beds! The restaurants were busy and early booking is recommended but with so many restaurants available, there is always something with space, whether it is the hotel's main restaurant or the speciality dining. The dining itself is a true experience, Thai, Steakhouses, Italian, Chinese and many more, and not just one of each, the choice is slightly overwhelming.

Food in Dubai

Will Dubai suit you? Those seeking the very best in service, speciality dining and venues, will love the Jumeirah complex of hotels. Everything is within a buggy or a boat-ride from each hotel making it a perfect break in both summer and winter. With a flight time of around seven hours, Jumeirah is very hard to beat.

I would stress however, if you are on a budget, Dubai will not be suitable for you. Prices are expensive. Drinks are around £10 each as a rule and each main course meal is usually around £40. I stayed on a half-board basis but a lot of the speciality restaurants charge a supplement on top of this, usually around £35 per person and nothing for under 12's. Service was top-notch at every turn and what you’d expect for these kind of prices. We ate at the Pai Thai and The Hide restaurants, both offering stunning meals and great service and whilst expensive, they were certainly worth it!

Overall, Dubai is certainly a 'thumbs up' from me and a return visit will be planned I am sure. Expensive, yes, worth it, yes, and judging by the full occupancy levels, it is not just me that thinks this! I would definitely recommend a holiday to Dubai in the near future.

Travel Blog by Miles Morgan


Miles Morgan

Phone: 01291 762007

Email: [email protected]

Visit: 14 High St, Chepstow, Monmouthshire, NP16 5LQ

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