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I have two days to kill in the UAE at the end of a business trip next month, and a £200 Amex credit to spend. Any suggestions? Doesn’t need to be in Dubai, but I’m flying back to the UK from there. I should have a car. I’d like a pool to lounge beside with a book in addition to a room with a desk and fast, reliable internet – I have some ‘zoom’ to do as well as relaxing.
This is so subjective. Is £200 your accommodation budget and if not what are you willing to spend? Do you need one night or two?
I’ve stayed at the Shangri La, WA, Sofitel Obelisk and IC Festival City this year. All would tick the boxes you ask about and there’s not all that much to differentiate between them in terms of quality. I mean the WA was nice, but didn’t warrant the premium price in my book. Sofitel probably gave the best value proposition but I booked a very good deal via Secret Escapes, not Amex.
The thought of driving in Dubai quite frankly does nothing for me at all. Amazed there aren’t way more accidents. Good luck with that!
This is so subjective. Is £200 your accommodation budget and if not what are you willing to spend? Do you need one night or two?
I was thinking two or three hundred £ a night should secure something decent. My other nights will be with a Marriott/IHG/Hilton hotel somewhere near Business Bay as that’s the area I’m working in (yet to decide which one). I could just bolt the Amex credit on to my other stay and remain in the same place, but that seems like a wasted opportunity to see something else.
I’ve stayed at the Shangri La, WA, Sofitel Obelisk and IC Festival City this year. All would tick the boxes you ask about and there’s not all that much to differentiate between them in terms of quality. I mean the WA was nice, but didn’t warrant the premium price in my book. Sofitel probably gave the best value proposition but I booked a very good deal via Secret Escapes, not Amex.
Thanks
The thought of driving in Dubai quite frankly does nothing for me at all. Amazed there aren’t way more accidents. Good luck with that!
I’ve driven in a few developing countries, and was planning a drive to Abu Dhabi for sure… unless that’s madness?
This is so subjective. Is £200 your accommodation budget and if not what are you willing to spend? Do you need one night or two?
I was thinking two or three hundred £ a night should secure something decent. My other nights will be with a Marriott/IHG/Hilton hotel somewhere near Business Bay as that’s the area I’m working in (yet to decide which one). I could just bolt the Amex credit on to my other stay and remain in the same place, but that seems like a wasted opportunity to see something else.
The thought of driving in Dubai quite frankly does nothing for me at all. Amazed there aren’t way more accidents. Good luck with that!
I’ve driven in a few developing countries, and was planning a drive to Abu Dhabi for sure… unless that’s madness?
I’m just back from Dubai, and stayed in the JW Marriott Marquis my last 3 days, it’s in Business Bay of course.
Entry rooms came in at around £250 a night, but if you have status (I’m Marriott Platinum) you should be able to get a decent upgrade if the hotel isn’t full. I was able to negotiate an upgrade to a one bed corner suite (£550pn). I say negotiate, as they told me the hotel was full at check in and were putting me into an Executive room, however I countered that I had just done a dummy booking in the Marriott app which showed corner suites for sale, and after a quick huddle with one of the suits a corner suite became available.
There was enough space and furniture in there for a full office meeting!
The hotel also has a sizeable pool, and a much larger (and quieter) lounging area adjacent to it.
Internet was fine as I streamed a couple of live football games.
Good executive lounge, plenty of food and drink in the evenings, but if you are getting the lounge for free you are not allowed breakfast at the main buffet.
Driving? Every taxi driver I spoke to said the roads were getting more congested by the day, and to avoid road transit between 3pm and 7pm if possible. With the price of taxis being so cheap I wouldn’t entertain a car anyways, you can get from downtown Dubai to downtown Abu Dhabi for about 60 – 70 quid, and it takes about 90 minutes.Just to add, Conrad Dubai is a favourite of mine if you have Hilton status, its just 10 minutes down the road from Business Bay if you prefer, similar facilities to all of the above, but a lovely and very relaxing pool area. Can be expensive though depending on dates as it’s right opposite the World Trade Centre.
I’ve driven in a few developing countries, and was planning a drive to Abu Dhabi for sure… unless that’s madness?
You absolutely need your wits about you. SZR is an eight lane racetrack when it’s not snarled up, with cars weaving all over the place.
The Careem app (like Uber) is really good. It cost me £90 for a taxi from AUH to Dubai – that wasn’t just a normal cab, but sort of an exec type thing. Easy to use to jump around town as well. Only time I had a slight problem was on the evening before a holiday weekend, but then I waited maybe 8 minutes instead of 2. Short journeys were £5-£10, a trip from the Sofitel to the Marina was £22, again in a nice car, but even the standard cabs all seemed immaculate inside.
I have seen the Hilton Canopy in the old part of Dubai come up very cheaply on the Amex page with assorted benefits but it seems to come & go. Would at least be a different part of town. The Marina just felt very same-y to me – glizty buildings, a shopping mall, etc etc, although the people I met down there rated the Crowne Plaza very highly.
I think the one thing I look for when travelling alone is a club lounge for breakfast. Two instances of getting up to order an omelette at the main restaurant then returning to the table a few minutes later to find it cleaned down and some random sitting in my chair was enough to convince me.
I think you’ll find you pay a big premium if you stay out by the coast. You could always stay on the QE2 and get Accor points thrown in, too. That’d be different although don’t know what the wifi is like. Also just a thought but does Zoom work out there? I believe Teams is OK and Skype works for voice calls.
Wouldn’t it be more interesting to go to Ras Al Khaimah or Sharjah rather than staying in Dubai or even going to Abu Dhabi?
Wouldn’t it be more interesting to go to Ras Al Khaimah or Sharjah rather than staying in Dubai or even going to Abu Dhabi?
The Waldorf RAK is currently closed for refurbishment, and the all inclusive Hilton, although very nicely set, can be an absolute zoo at the weekends!
I’ve also been in and had a look at most of the hotels on Marjan Island, and none of them really struck me as somewhere you would go to “relax by the pool”!Wouldn’t it be more interesting to go to Ras Al Khaimah or Sharjah rather than staying in Dubai or even going to Abu Dhabi?
Ras is definitely possible, prices seem to be even higher than Dubai though.
Sharjah I know nothing of — will check it out.
This is a business trip, but it’s my business that’s paying, so I am a somewhat price sensitive.
I’m just back from Dubai, and stayed in the JW Marriott Marquis my last 3 days, it’s in Business Bay of course.
snip
Driving? Every taxi driver I spoke to said the roads were getting more congested by the day, and to avoid road transit between 3pm and 7pm if possible. With the price of taxis being so cheap I wouldn’t entertain a car anyways, you can get from downtown Dubai to downtown Abu Dhabi for about 60 – 70 quid, and it takes about 90 minutes.
Just to add, Conrad Dubai is a favourite of mine if you have Hilton status, its just 10 minutes down the road from Business Bay if you prefer, similar facilities to all of the above, but a lovely and very relaxing pool area. Can be expensive though depending on dates as it’s right opposite the World Trade Centre.
Thanks, I will check both of these out.
I’ve driven in a few developing countries, and was planning a drive to Abu Dhabi for sure… unless that’s madness?
You absolutely need your wits about you. SZR is an eight lane racetrack when it’s not snarled up, with cars weaving all over the place.
The Careem app (like Uber) is really good. It cost me £90 for a taxi from AUH to Dubai – that wasn’t just a normal cab, but sort of an exec type thing. Easy to use to jump around town as well. Only time I had a slight problem was on the evening before a holiday weekend, but then I waited maybe 8 minutes instead of 2. Short journeys were £5-£10, a trip from the Sofitel to the Marina was £22, again in a nice car, but even the standard cabs all seemed immaculate inside.
I have seen the Hilton Canopy in the old part of Dubai come up very cheaply on the Amex page with assorted benefits but it seems to come & go. Would at least be a different part of town. The Marina just felt very same-y to me – glizty buildings, a shopping mall, etc etc, although the people I met down there rated the Crowne Plaza very highly.
I think the one thing I look for when travelling alone is a club lounge for breakfast. Two instances of getting up to order an omelette at the main restaurant then returning to the table a few minutes later to find it cleaned down and some random sitting in my chair was enough to convince me.
I think you’ll find you pay a big premium if you stay out by the coast. You could always stay on the QE2 and get Accor points thrown in, too. That’d be different although don’t know what the wifi is like. Also just a thought but does Zoom work out there? I believe Teams is OK and Skype works for voice calls.
I was in Dubai last week.
On the specific Zoom point – Zoom is absolutely fine.
Taxis/Ubers are inexpensive and readily available; but traffic can cause plenty of extended journey times at peak times.
Just looked and for Nov 17-19, the Canopy Hotel is £310 on the Amex Hotels Collection rate, so you get a US$100 credit on that as well. I guess pre-pay would be necessary so knock any Hilton status benefits out the window but in terms of cost, you’re going to struggle to beat that.
@DanielD thanks for the VOIP info – I know WhatsApp wasn’t working for me on my trip at the end of September.
@DanielD thanks for the VOIP info – I know WhatsApp wasn’t working for me on my trip at the end of September.You need to use a VPN, then it works fine
The northern Emirates are absolutely worth a seeing, you can drive up the mountains and almost to the top of Jebel Jais. The east coast too, Khor Fakkan Road is a great run across the peninsula and there are some good beaches. Al Ain oasis and Jabel Hafeet is a decent road trip as well. The roads a generally very good and I found driving to be fine with the exception of Dubai, its just a total logjam from late afternoon into the evening.
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