Hotels
So many dramatically different hotels are in Dubai – ranging from the tatty around the edges to ridiculously large and opulent. Perhaps because Dubai is a destination that has built its reputation on luxury, the star rating is pretty fastidious at the top end of the scale.
Rooms are always large and well appointed and facilities are generally good across the board – if you book into the Atlantis or any of the Jumeirah Group or Address hotels, you can be assured that you won’t get stuck in a box room facing the car park – but only those opened in the last five or so years have really got a handle on modern interior design. Many also offer amazing added value, whether it’s waterparks, camel rides or giant aquariums. We have profiled hotels in the three- and four-star categories extensively, as these are where you find the biggest discrepancy in quality – some are almost as good as five stars; some you’d be surprised if they scraped two. Boutique hotels don’t really exist, bar a couple of hidden gems – the authorities, who believe big is beautiful, are notorious for capriciousness with their
licensing. We have tried to focus on hotels that have a solid reputation, and we have attempted to summarise this somewhat unwieldy and problematic subject in ratings and rankings that quickly allow you to crystallise your choice. We concentrate on the specific variables that differentiate one hotel from another: location, size, room quality, services, amenities and cost.
Entertainment and Nightlife
Visitors will have very personal ideas of what constitutes a good night out on the town, depending on their age, background, bank account and bedtime. Some night owls will want to hit as many different clubs as possible during their stay, but they will probably prefer to party with like-minded people, or at least want to blend in a bit. Because nightspots so often have a very specific clientele and ambience, we believe that detailed descriptions are warranted, so that you don’t end up in a lager-soaked theme pub when you’re dressed for rosé and poolside recliners. Funnily enough for a city that is constantly on the move, nightclubs here actually seem to have some longevity – although bars go in and out of fashion like ‘it’ bags. So for these, we have made a point of selecting places that seem to have withstood the tests of time. If you do want to scout out new spots to sink a Cosmo (and they are opening all the time), then the best thing to do is to head to one of our recommended places and just ask around – as everybody travels in taxis, bar-hopping is de rigueur in Dubai. Sadly, it is very unlikely that the concierge in your hotel has ever been to any of these places, so this is one area where they can’t give first-hand advice.
Restaurants
We provide plenty of detail when it comes to restaurants, and we wish we could promise you that they will be just as fresh as the daily catch by the time you have this book in your hands. But as with everything in the universe, the only constant is change. All we can do is try to focus on those things less likely to do a sudden about-face: location, reputation, clientele, service standards and calibre of chefs (although this is probably the most changeable aspect, sadly, as there is often quite a high turnover of staff). Given the high cost of eating in Dubai (unless you are prepared to go down the wipe-clean tables route), and the fact that you will probably eat at a dozen or more restaurants during your stay, you may benefit from discussing your choices with other visitors or acquaintances before you make your reservation, or consulting local guides such as Time Out or What’s On. Of course, we know that you don’t want a Michelin star at every meal, so we have also included a large selection of our favourite cheap eats and a few uniquely Dubai experiences, such as the all-you-can-eat brunch and Champagne afternoon tea. Try to vary your restaurant experiences according to cuisine, price and location – our dining profiles can get you started in that direction, and we hope the standards we observed at all these many tables have not slipped in the slightest by the time you put your napkin in your lap.