As the credit crunch bites, spending your money wisely makes sense even in the Gulf. Dominic Ellis reports.
Hotels
Express by Holiday Inn Dubai Internet City
Slap bang in the middle of those two mushrooming urban centres, Dubai Internet City and Dubai Media City, this 244-room property shows Intercontinental’s faith in the value market – there’s another one at Safa Park near Sheikh Zayed Road, heading back into the city. Wifi is available in the rooms and public areas from Dhs20 (£3.50) an hour.
Tecom Zone, Knowledge City; tel +971 4427 5555; hiexpress.com
Rooms from Dhs750 (£133)
Rihab Rotana Dubai
Checking into this Rihab shouldn’t give you too many scares financially; you should be able to pick up room and breakfast for a reasonable rate. It’s five minutes from the airport, even on a bad day, and within walking distance of the retailing giant, Deira City Centre. While it’s a straight-up-and-down tower, the interiors are pleasant enough and there’s an attractive rooftop pool area. Another rate-friendly property in the Rotana group is Jumeira Rotana in the central Satwa district.
Al Garhoud Road; tel + 971 4294 0300; rotana.com
Rooms from Dhs1,020 (£180)
Novotel/Ibis World Trade Centre Dubai
Although separate hotels, we’ll count them as one as they’re from the same Accor stable and stand cheek-by-jowl at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre. You’ll struggle to find rooms cheaper than at the budget-brand Ibis, which has prospered from being first in the market, but is now facing competition. The mid-market Novotel contains a good selection of conference facilities, dining and leisure options. Either of these is perfect for meetings in the city and handy for events hosted next door. In November, Accor also opened another 365-room Ibis and a 188-room Novotel, both at Deira City Centre shopping mall.
Novotel: Zabeel Road 2nd; tel +971 4332 0000; novotel.com
Rooms from Dhs800 (£141)
Ibis: Sheikh Zayed Road; tel +971 4332 4444; ibishotel.com
Rooms from Dhs465 (£82)
Four Points by Sheraton Sheikh Zayed Road Dubai
It’s been a while coming, but this newcomer is a refreshing addition to the upscale Sheikh Zayed Road main strip. With its central location, high-speed internet, Business Suites and one, two and three bedroom Executive Suites, this 385-room tower is likely to be on corporate travellers’ hit list and complements the first Four Points by Sheraton Bur Dubai nearby.
Sheikh Zayed Road; tel +971 4323 0333; fourpoints.com
Rooms from Dhs1,080 (£192)
Dubai Investments Park
Premier Inn, the UK’s biggest hotel chain made its global debut with the opening of the 308-room Dubai Investments Park Hotel in April. The property is just off the Emirates Road between the Palm Jebel Ali and Dubai Marina, and features free wifi in every room and a rooftop pool. A daily buffet breakfast is available for Dhs60 (£10). Premier Inn will also be opening a second property, Dubai Silicon Oasis, in May 2009, adding to the emirate’s steadily growing budget hotel sector.
Emirates Road; tel +971 4885 0999; global.premierinn.com
Rooms from Dhs495 (£88)
Restaurants
Japengo Cafe
One of the best things about Dubai is that you can eat well away from the hotels. The Japengo Café chain serves up quality fresh cuisine (such as seafood and sushi) catering for all tastes at affordable prices.
? Palm Strip, Jumeirah Beach Road
Tel +971 4345 4979
? Festival City, North Oval Court
Tel +971 4232 6220
? Ibn Battuta Mall, Sheikh Zayed Road
Tel +971 4366 9910
? Souk Madinat, Jumeirah Beach Road
Tel +971 4368 6575
? Wafi Mall, Al Wasl Road
Tel +971 4324 5411
? Mall of the Emirates, Sheikh Zayed Road
Tel +971 4341 1671
? Oasis Tower, Sheikh Zayed Road
Tel +971 4343 5028
Food courts
Chinese, Indian, Lebanese, fast food – you name it, it’s served up in the food courts of all the major shopping malls, and special meal deals (a main course and a drink) won’t cost you more than Dhs25 (£4.50). They’re not the quietest of places, but you won’t leave hungry.
The Lime Tree Cafe
Perfect if you’re in need of a tasty bite, The Lime Tree Café serves salads, quiches, frittatas, kebabs, club sandwiches and savoury bakes, and its large terraced areas are popular in winter. A second outlet is now open at Ibn Battuta Mall.
? Beach Road, Jumeirah
Tel +971 4349 8498, thelimetreecafe.com
The Irish Village Dubai
Consistent winner of “best pub grub” in local restaurant awards, “the Village” serves up all your home favourites for around Dhs35-50 (£6-9). If you’ve been skipping meals on the road, sit back and feast on the roast of the day. There’s also a good choice of drinks.
? The Aviation Club, Garhoud Road
Tel +971 4282 4750, theirishvillage.ae
Da Vinci’s
Dubai has more Italian restaurants than you can shake a noodle at – but old favourite Da Vinci’s in the Millennium Hotel still takes some beating and is reasonably priced. Lunch is available for Dhs65 (£11.50) and dinner for Dhs85 (£15).
? Millennium Airport Hotel Dubai, Al Garhoud Road. Tel +971 4282 3464, millenniumhotels.com
Top ten activities
1. Visit the souks
You can’t visit “the City of Gold” and not take in the glitzy Gold Souk, and while picking up jewellery might set you back a bit, there’s no charge for entering into the carat spirit. The district has a labyrinthine, step-back-in-time feel to it, and you can pick up spices and herbs at basement prices.
2. Soak up some culture
There’s a nominal charge of Dhs3 (£0.50) to get into the Al Fahidi Fort, housing the Dubai Museum, which charts the modern history of the emirates from the pre-oil gold rush to the present day. From here, it’s a short walk to the old Bastakiya district with its narrow lanes and tall wind towers. Pop into the attractive Majlis Gallery, which is free to enter.
3. Dart across the Creek
It’s not free, but taking an abra (boat) across Dubai Creek is not far off it at Dhs1 (15p) a ride – for Dhs100 (£17) you can even splash out and have the vessel to yourself.
4. Go window shopping
In a city where retailing is an art form, shoppers can mooch for hours without buying anything. Mall of the Emirates pushed the “retail-tainment” boundaries with its ski slope and snow park, and now Dubai Mall – the city’s biggest – has opened its doors, complete with a vast aquarium. Relative newcomer Dubai Festival City has taken up the baton, with its commodious, immaculately polished corridors hosting photography and art exhibitions, and Wafi Mall has been extended, with one section designed as a traditional souk.
5. Pop by Nakheel’s office
Right next door to the Palm Jumeirah, this isn’t your average sales office – it’s where “the vision of Dubai gets built”. Nakheel’s major projects (the Palm Jumeirah, Palm Jebel Ali, Palm Deira and The World) are laid out in all their miniature model glory, and a comfy theatre allows you to rest your legs and widen your retinas as you learn all about the developer’s audacious man-made projects.
6. Read in Magrudy’s
This leading bookstore has plenty of seating areas, so pick up a new title and have a good read.
7. Unwind on the beach
UK tabloids went to town with the “sex on the beach pair” – but enjoying yourself within the confines of the law isn’t a problem for most visitors. Take a dip in the warm waters off Jumeirah Beach, stroll along the shore as the sun goes down or just sit on the golden sand, and you’ll soon forget about all those pressing deadlines.
8. Chill out in the park
It will cost you a few dirhams to get in, but the emirate’s beautiful parks are well worth a visit. Dubai Creek Park overlooks the waterway and has abundant barbecue and seating areas, while the new Zabeel Park (close to the World Trade Centre) is so big that it’s joined by a suspension bridge and has all manner of attractions including a boating lake and cricket pitches.
9. Visit Madinat Jumeirah
The beauty of Dubai is that you can go anywhere – sheikhs’ palaces withstanding – and no one will bat an eyelid. Even if you’re not staying at Madinat Jumeirah, have a wander around the three hotels, the canals and the indoor souk, and snap a picture or two of the Burj Al Arab.
10. Do a road trip
Ok, you might pay a bit for your petrol, but the outlying emirates have plenty of attractions that won’t hit your wallet. Drive east to Hatta, to the mountainous east coast of Fujairah, or west to the capital, Abu Dhabi.
Travel tips
? Taxis in Dubai are plentiful and relatively cheap, but if you’re here for a week or more, it’s probably more cost-effective and convenient to hire a car – all the major companies post daily and weekly deals. If you’ve had enough of budgeting, a range of limo companies will take you to your meetings in style.
? Compare prices online at emirates.com, ba.com and virgin.com to get the best direct flight deal. You could also consider Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways (etihadairways.com) – it may not have Emirates’ UK network yet but prices are often competitive, although you will need to factor in an hour in the chauffeur taxi (free for business class passengers) if you’re travelling on to Dubai. Flying on other regional or Asian-bound carriers may be cheaper still, but will probably entail a stopover en route.
? There’s no getting away from service and municipality charges (5-10 per cent on food purchased in restaurants; hotels add a 10 per cent service charge and 10 per cent municipality charge for rooms), so budget accordingly.
? Skype is often blocked, so be prepared to pay for phone calls.
