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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This is not the first time we have used the services of eShores for our tailor made holiday, having dealt with the company for several years now. Once again, we are totally satisfied with the speed and efficiency of the whole process. It has re-inforced our view that eShores is a must first call for…
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Chris was fantastic! We wanted to visit Andalusia, especially Seville and Granada, but wanted some more free time than other tours seem to provide. Chris listened to our requirements, including which airports to use, number of nights at each hotel, rail transfers etc. Within 2 hours, Chris had put together a great itinerary for us,…
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EShores are such a joy to work with. They take on board all requests and requirements, coming up with excellent holiday proposals that they are happy to refine as required. Have always been delighted with the friendly professional service, and have always been delighted with the holidays we have purchased. Highly recommended.
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I have used Eshores’s quite a few times now and they always come deliver a great service. Hannah was brilliant throughout our last couple of holidays and ensured everything went smooth. Wouldn’t hesitate to recommend!
I have recently booked a multi centre holiday with Nick at eShores. He was great, he advised me with a few different destinations and timescales for each stop, with different price options also. Nothing was set in stone and I’m now looking forward to a wonderful holiday in Croatia.
This is the 1st time I have used Eshore or even booked a holiday online. Emily was so helpful. Nothing was too much trouble. Everything I asked for was dealt with by Emily professionally and with care and consideration. I would definately use her again in the future if this type of holiday was required…
Trip to Baltic capitals in June, options well presented and discussed and organised for me. Looks spot on & I've used eShores last year too so I expect it will prove to be a good trip.
Claire was fantastic at eShores. She managed to tailor my holiday exactly to my requirements and was well below my budget. She managed to find me hotels with easy train/airport access in the different cities I will be staying at in France. This was very important to me. Wonderful service and I will definitely be…
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Nick made the process easy, taking into consideration any requests. No pressure and we’re looking forward to our 2027 adventure!
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