Spending 3 days in Dubai next August, en route from Melbourne to Copenhagen.
Got no idea about the place, but been looking a bit around for hotels.
Seems like massive price differences.
Found a good one (according to reviews), Hilton Sharjah.
Very very cheap, which makes be a bit concerned. Sounds too good to be true (A$93 per night = £54)
It's located in (surprise surprise) Sharjah.
What's this area like?
OK for families (with 2 kids).
Or have we got far to travel to see and do things + shopping?
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There are many, many hotels in Dubai for a variety of budgets but the better ones are all pretty expensive. You can't go wrong if you choose a hotel run by the Jumeirah Group, but they may be outside your budget.
Will definitely avoid the area, as I need my beers (especially when I'm on holiday).
What's Deira like?
Was also the scene of my second spotting of Carlton Palmer. Saw him the day before in a restaurant. Dont let that stalker put you off though.
Try the jumeirah beach residence. or
www.mydubaistay.com
Great hotel with free entrance to the aquarium and the water park (which might not be bad in view of the temperatures you can expect in August!)
Avoid Fujairah, Ras al-Khaimah and Sharjah. They are not in Dubai.
Atlantis, stands on its own at the end of The Palm. OK, if you want to stay in the hotel (and pay the prices for their captive market food and drink). Has its own water park. Is a pain if you want to go out in Dubai. Very expensive.
Jumeirah Beach Hotel (or its sister hotels Mina Al Salam, Al Qasr and Dar Al Masayaf) are all in one complex, share a water park, private beach and you can eat in all the restaurants use all of the pools. They are beachfront, in front of Burj Al Arab. Also very expensive.
Hotels in Downtown Dubai have best access to Dubai Mall and Burj Khalifa and some will run shuttle buses to the beach. Best is The Address Downtown, then The Address Dubai Mall and Sofitel Old Town and then Al Murooj Rotana.
Of the other beach hotels, Le Royal Meridien and Ritz Carlton are the best but more expensive, next are Hilton and Sheraton Jumeirah Beach. Amwaj Rotana is a good hotel but has a tiny swimming pool. These hotels are on a mile long stretch of (alcohol free) restaurants and cafes, so good for eating out.
In the city, so near the airport, the best hotel for me, is Grand Hyatt as it has a great lagoon pool but it only has expensive restaurants. After that, Raffles and Jumeirah Creekside are good and new, Hilton and Sheraton have good Creekside hotels but are very old.
It all depends on what you want to do and where you want to go and what you want to see. Taxis are cheap but traffic is a nightmare, so best to stay nearest to what you want to do.
It will be 50+ degreezs in August and you won't be walking anywhere in that heat / humidity.
Don't forget that you can only get alcohol in (mainly 5*) hotels, but you can buy it at the airport on the way in and drink it in your room. You can't buy it in the supermarkets or shops.
Hope that helps
Red Pete, I found the Metropolitan Palace, which is in Deira.
5 star hotel, booze, bar (but no nightclub).
Might be a winner.
I assume something like JA Ocean View Hotel would do then.
Have stayed at Jebel Ali also which is one of very few all-inclusive hotels in Dubai and is excellent value for food and drink as the restaurants are all pretty good - it's just the hotel is a bit out of the way from anything else . Esp if you're only there for 3 days
The "Jumeirah Beach Hotel" and its sister hotels have a (free to guests) water park attached.
It is against the law for unmarried couples to share a room. However, unless you tell them that you aren't married, how will they know. (Not all countries / religions share a surname, when they get married). They don't ask to see a wedding certificate.
360 bar just along the front from it?
The Abras (Gondolas) are part of Madinat Jumeirah (Shopping Mall) and the 3 other hotels.
All very expensive, but you do get what you pay for.
Most people seem to be swayed by what they children want. If that is swimming / water park, then you are best off at the beach