Dubai Travel Guide

Dubai attracts millions of tourists each year. The tourists come from all around the globe. There are the Americans, the Europeans, the Asians, the Australians –all perfectly in harmony under the same umbrella in a cultural hotchpotch. The city itself harbors people from at least hundred different nationalities. That fact itself speaks for the hospitality and the empathetic nature with which Dubai embraces its guests of different color, race and religion. However, it is recommended that tourists take time to acquire general knowledge about the culture and customs of United Arab Emirates as Dubai is an integral part of that culture and customs. That would only ensure a peaceful visit without hitches caused by ignorance.

1.

Being a Muslim country, UAE residents have a deeply rooted Islamic belief that is embedded in their culture, practices and daily rituals. Mosques are scattered through out the mainland of Dubai. The resonating echo of the ‘adhan’ resounds through the still air of Dubai five times a day from the mosques. This is the call for Muslims to come to the mosque and pray. Streets are flooded with devoted worshippers on Friday afternoon when the Jummah prayers are held as they make way towards the mosques. Thus the local shops and stores open around 2pm after the prayers are over. However, large retail outlets and grocery stores open at the usual time.  Although Arabic is the official language, people speak English as well. some common words are ‘shukran’ meaning thank you, ‘la’ meaning no, and ‘naam’ meaning yes.

2.

There aren’t any strict dress codes for tourists in Dubai. There are beaches where women can wear bikinis and men can wear shorts. However, out in the local streets it is culturally prudent to avoid mini skirts and short tops. Capri pants, knee-length skirts and blouses are generally acceptable. It is wise for men to wear full length trousers in the streets. Arabic men are dressed in their traditional white robe while the women wear a loose black robe.

3.

It is recommended that permission is sought from the local women before taking their photograph. Also, Muslim women are not comfortable shaking hands with male strangers. Thus such gestures should not be made unless one is encouraged by the other party. Men and women being intimate in the open is really not appreciate in this parts of the world. It is customary for Arab men to greet each other with kisses on cheeks.

4.

If one is invited to the home of a local family, shoes must be removed before entering. Also the food should be taken with the right hand, not with the left. The soles of one’s feet must not point towards a person; it is insulting in Arabian culture. Arab hosts would always insist on offering third and fourth helpings in meals. One should decline politely and firmly.

5.

The Holy month of Ramadan is when the Muslims fast from dawn till dusk. It is recommended that non Muslims respect the practice and refrain from drinking eating and smoking in public. Most local eateries are closed. Hotels and some malls have screened-off areas for Non Muslims to eat. The grocery stores remain open all day. The women are required to dress a bit more modestly in this month. The bars open after the dusk when the fast is broken, although dance and music performances are strictly prohibited in this holy month.

6.

Non residents can learn more about the Emirates culture by visiting The Dubai Museum. There one can understand the past heritage and tradition of the Arabs that led to the unique culture that they have today. One can take Arabic language classes and learn details about Arabic culture in the Sheikh Mohammed Center for Cultural Understanding.

Dubai is probably one of the most glamorous cities which have defined luxury in its own terms. The magnificent urban landscape with its immaculate skyscrapers and beautiful well-built roads, the architectural delights in its mosques, the red sea of sand in its deserts and the posh luxury of its grandiose hotels –all add to the versatility and extravagance of the dazzling cosmopolitan. All in all, Dubai is pulsating with activity, with numerous tourists from different parts of the world –with different culture, religion and nationality—sightseeing and exploring the desert city. And in none of the places is this more pronounced than the exquisite shopping malls in Dubai that have blinded tourists with their glitz. Dubai has revolutionized people’s experience in shopping malls by embellishing the simple idea of shopping into entertainment. Shopping malls are not just a place where one goes to buy products. Now, tourists go to shopping malls for everything—starting from roaming around without hindrance, for hang-outs with friends, to eat, to watch movies, to play video games, smoke shisha and relax in utter contentment. The concept of shopping malls now is not merely confined to the conventional realms of exchange of goods and services. Other types of entertainment and comfort features have blended in to ‘shopping’ and in the process a complete amusement bonanza has been produced amid the delights of regular tourists. The Dubai shopping malls have not only been extravagant in terms of its architectural beauty, dazzling exterior and pristine interior, but also innovative in terms of offers in versatile amusement sectors for men, women and children alike. Three such malls are described below.

1. Dubai Festival city:

Festival City mall, despite not being as large as other malls like Dubai mall, is an unrivalled favorite among UAE residents. Located near the airport, the theme of this mall is imbibed with sophistication. There is a gorgeous outdoor canal and walkway inside the mall dotted with restaurants and cafes –there are more than 100 of them– giving the tourists a magnificent view of the canal while moistening the taste buds. The mall is equipped with more than 600 shops. The residents of the Intercontinental hotel nearby can park their elegant yachts in the Marina. The journey in the mall could be complete with a visit in the bar at the top of the hotel where the Dubai skyline and the Dubai Creek blend in a panoramic view.

2. Dubai Mall:

This is the biggest mall in the world at the moment and it is highly likely that an ordinary tourist would feel like he or she is lost in the sheer expanse of the mall. It is like being stranded in a vast ocean with no one to guide although there are guides all over the mall to point one in the right direction. The mall is equipped with more than a thousand shops. There is children theme park called KidZania where children get a taste of adulthood by handling replica money and doing mock professions.  Games arcade like Sega Republic and the largest fountain in the world are two of its many attractions.

3. Mall of the Emirates:

This mall is just a short taxi ride away from the one and only Burj Al Arab, the first seven-star hotel in the world. This mall features an artificial indoor snow haven has been created against the backdrop of a hot tropical climate. The giant ski slope is so long that its ramp is visible from miles around the mall. One can enjoy skiing, tobogganing, snow boarding, ice skating or simply fiddling in the snow 365 days a year. There are shops in the mall that sell snow gadgets like skis, snow boards, skaters and other related accessories.

Dubai is one of the busiest cities in the world. And the reason for this is not only because of all the business trades that go on in this city. In fact, it is the huge number of tourists who flock into the city all throughout the year that makes the city so crowded.

Dubai remains crowded every time – no matter what the season is. As a result, it is easy to understand that the city – or rather the megacity – has a lot to offer to its tourists. There are many attractions in Dubai. The city has one of the greatest offerings of nightclubs, which make sure that people find the city full awake even during the night. And the shopping malls of Dubai are famous in every continent – thanks to all the excellent products that they sell at a much lower, affordable price.

However, this year, Dubai now has even more to offer to its users. Soon after the turn of this year, Dubai unveiled one of its greatest attractions – the Burja Dubai Tower. Even though the tower was inaugurated on January 4^th, 2010, it took the authorities another one month to open it. And the reason for the delay was that the authorities still felt that the tower needed another few touches of finishing before it could be presented to the world. This clearly indicated that the authorities took great care in making the tower as impeccable as possible.

However, all this does not reveal how great the tower really is. The greatness of the Burj Dubai Tower is actually showed by all the facts concerning this. For instance, many people would be surprised to know that Dubai now holds the title of being the home to the world’s tallest building – that is, the Burj Dubai Tower.

Certainly, building the tallest tower of the world was not an easy play. However, the authorities still managed to do that – even though the total cost associated with the project was extraordinarily high. For instance, the foundation of the tower required a total of around 45000 CUM concrete. This figure surely shows that the tower is extremely strong. The strength of the structure has been increased with the addition of a total of 192 piles that are accompanies by rafts, which are at least 12 feet in thickness.

A lot of agencies have wanted to design the Dubai Burj Tower, which has already found itself a place in the history. However, only one agency could get the job. This agency was Skidmore, Owings and Merrill. The designer of the Dubai Burj Tower was Adrian Smith who worked for the same agency.

Many tourists might wanted how long it would take them to reach the top floor of the building from the ground floor. Certainly, they will not need to travel by the stairs. But then again, they may also think that even the elevator will take at least 15 minutes for carrying them to the top floor. However, nothing can be further from the truth. The elevator takes only two minutes for travelling from the ground floor to the top floor. And the credit for such a short duration must go to its incredible speed – which is of about 40 kilometer per hour.

From the highest level of the building – that is, the 124^th floor – visitors can enjoy the view of the outdoors while being unconsciously aware that they are now standing on the highest observation spot of the world. Any visitor can enjoy views of a maximum distance of 80 km.

The tower also costs the authorities in terms of the utilities that it requires. For instance, it has been found that a total of 946 kilolitre of water was required within the building premises!

The tower is home to the Armani hotel, which contains a total of 39 floors. These 39 floors provide 160 rooms to their guests. In addition, the total number of the residential apartments in the city is about 1044 and the number of office floors equals 49. Eight escalators and 57 elevators are also always working every day to provide service to the guests.

Such a tall building obviously presents the possibility of accidents. As a result, the Dubai Burj Tower is equipped with one AC refuge area for each series of 25 floors. These refuge areas will provide shelter to people in any fire accident.

It required more than 4 months to make the glass panes of the tower clean and clear. Even at a distance of 95 kilometer, a person can see the tallest point of the tower – provided the weather is good!

Only a few megacities stay awake even during the night. One such city is Dubai, which can easily be called one of the heavens of Asia. Thanks to the incredible nightlife offered by Dubai to its countless number of tourists and residents, the city has already garnered a place among the most fun-to-live cities in the whole world. Anybody – no matter what their age is or what their interests are – can come across true enjoyment and happiness in this city.

In order to truly acquaint oneself with the nightlife in Dubai, tourists and residents must visit its famous clubs, some of which are popular in other continents as well. However, not all clubs in this city provide the same kind of excellent service. Neither are they equal in terms of the enjoyment they offer. As a result, tourists should try to visit only the top clubs in the city. Here is a list of the top 11 nightclubs in Dubai:

1) Boudoir:

This is both a lounge and a restaurant. It not only offers excellent food but is also designed in the most unique and exciting way. The interior night club offers an atmosphere characterized by soothing lighting – that matches the atmosphere of classic French Renaissance times. Moreover, the entire interior of the night club looks vibrating – thanks to the magnificent arts, dark colors and excellent fabrics.

2) Bridges:

The nightclub is situated in the lobby. The club offers a walkway along the famous Sheikh Zayed Road. As a result, people can hang out with their friends or coworkers here. The club offers excellent tea and specialty coffee. However, the main attraction of the restaurant lies in its pastries, all of which are homemade. Moreover, a range of specialty cocktails, wines, beers and champagne are offered.

3) Carters bar and lounge:

The club offers an unique Egyptian ambience. It is most famous for its offering of a range of exquisite cocktails. The food is also of outstanding quality. The club also owns a live band – called the “Big Life”; this band regularly performs in the club’s “Wafi Gardens”. There is also TV room – decorated as a lounge – that lies next to the club room. Visitors can enjoy all important games, such as the Premier League, there.

4) The Sapphire Lounge:

The club offers such a stylish atmosphere that deludes the visitors in thinking that they are enjoying a superb night in New York, Paris, Sidney or any other megacity in the West. The club also has incorporated the concept of “Everybody’s House” in its atmosphere; Guest DJ Dennis Ferrer has been the creator of the same concept in Sydney.

5) Ginseng:

The lounge offers modern Asian Tapas, combined with a range of contemporary cocktails. The interior is wrapped in Chinese black and red murals that add to Eastern styled décor.

6) The apartment lounge:

The lounge plays popular music all night long from Tuesday to Saturday. It even features its own DJ.

7) Trilogy:

The club occupies a space of three floors and is located right in the centre of Dubai. More precisely, it is situated in the corner of Souk Madinat Jumeriah, where all the great shopping malls of the city can also be found. Not surprisingly, the club is perfect the most sophisticated members of Dubai’s society.

The Cigar Bar:

This bar is famous for its Cuban cigars as well as various designer scotches, vintage ports and cognacs. It is also features elegant extra-large furniture made of dark oak.

9) Mix:

This holds the title of being the sole Super Club in the city – thanks to its huge space and elegant design. In fact, a total of 900 people can easily fit into the Super Club at the same time. Except on Saturdays, the club stays open for six hours (9 PM to 3 AM).

10. Zinc:

This occupies a space at Crown Plaza Dubai and is most for its Hip Hope and RnB music.

11. Vu’s Bar:

It can be found at the Emirates Tower. There are over 200 different cocktails in the bar – all of which are worth a lot and thus are more appropriate for the rich, elite group of the society.

‘Ordinary’ isn’t the right word one associates with Dubai, what with its state-of-the-art architectural structures, luxury Dubai hotels, posh resorts, outrageously expensive restaurants, lavish shopping malls and the likes. However, there are a lot of simple and benign activities in Dubai which, if done, can bring pleasure in its purest form. After all, when one goes to foreign terrain, one only needs to walk and explore and wonder at new discoveries of different culture, practices and norms. Here is a list of top nine ordinary, yet fabulous stuffs one can do in Dubai.

1. Dip toes in Arabian Sea:

The serenity of the Arabian is enough to turn anyone’s head. There are so many things to do on the beach: surfing on the sea, going for a speedboat ride, bathing in the warm water and so on. And if venturing out into the sea on a windy day is not a wise option for some, enjoying photo sessions with the majestic Burj Al Arab in the background provides much pleasure.

2. Catch a local bus:

Most tourists would opt for a private car service provided for a hotel for rides around the spectacular city or just walk on sidewalks. But catching a local bus is the most useful way to mingle with the locals and understanding their culture. There are workers’ cafés and expatriates community to explore and discover which fills the mind with pleasure.

3.  The midnight snack:

After all the sightseeing and shopping till late night, one wants to enjoy a sumptuous snack in midnight. This is just what neon-lit Satwa area offers. The Pakistani curries and the mouthwatering Shwarmas would leave one wanting more.

4. Drink in the views:

With such wonderful architectural beauty and lush sea side panorama around, one is not short of great views that compel the most stoic of people to bring out their cameras. There is the  Bar 44 at the Grosvenor House with its elegant champagne menu, or Vu’s Bar for excellent drinks. Then there is the Jumeirah Beach Hotel from where the majestic Burj Al Arab could be relished.  Then of course, there is the classic view of Arabian Gulf Sea from Sho Cho where one can hear the crashing of waves on sand.

5. Be a good sport:

Dubai has been known to patronize various sports. Cricket tournaments featuring the Asian countries are scheduled every year. There are tennis tournaments and golf tournaments as well. Ski Dubai gives tourists plenty of opportunity to participate in sports, rather than watching and cheering.

6. Succumb to the spa:

The long tiring day of shopping and sightseeing can only be assuaged by the ultimate lavishness and relaxation in a luxury spa. Cleopetra’s spa is known to be the mother of all spas and is also priced affordably.

7. Picnic at Creekside Park:

This fabulous park is a favorite haven for picnics with its kids’ facilities and shades. The smell of fresh bread, barbecue chicken, sizzling beef and grilled vegetables would make the stomach grumble with hunger.

8. Crazy shopping:

Malls are the life of Dubai. Bustling with people of all ages, malls are home to exclusive designer clothes, state-of-the-art gadgets, gorgeous shoes, Cineplex and what not. It is quite possible to spend an entire day in a Dubai mall.

9. Check out the local supermarkets:

Surely they are not as sophisticated as the glitzy malls, but the local supermarkets –full of daily items like flour, oil, fresh vegetables, nuts, rose water, dates—are full of energy of the locals. It’s simple enthralling.

Time to go out of the confines of the hotel room and explore the magic of Dubai!

Dubai is probably one of the most glamorous cities which have defined luxury in its own terms. The magnificent urban landscape with its immaculate skyscrapers and beautiful well-built roads, the architectural delights in its mosques, the red sea of sand in its deserts and the posh luxury of its grandiose hotels –all add to the versatility and extravagance of the dazzling cosmopolitan. But nothing has grasped the attention of tourists all over the world more than the engineering exquisiteness in its brick-and-mortar structures that fills one’s eyes with awe and admiration. The sheer architectural magnificence of these giant structures with its posh services and entertainment bonanza in its interior catches the breath of the gravest and most unbending of persons. Here is a list of top eight such breathtaking architectural masterpieces.

1. Burj Al Arab:

Known as the ‘Tower of Arabs’ in Arabic, this grandiose structure is the world’s most luxurious hotel in the world, with the tag of a ‘seven star’ under its belt. Its architectural magnificence is magnified tenfold at night, when it is a vibrant display of color sculptures overlooking the sea.

2. Hydropolis:

Known as the first underwater resort, its structure is made of concrete and solid steel to give rise to dome-shaped bubble ceiling. Its Plexiglass walls ensure that the guests have a full view of the aquatic life under the sea, as the luxury resort is situated well below Persian Guls at the depth of 66feet.

3. Burj Khalifa:

Known as the tallest building in the world, it has a wonderful design depicting a desert flower of six petals. It is part of a development project called ‘Downtown Dubai’ covering two square kilometer of landscape. The cost of making this building is around 4.1 billion dollars.

4. Ski Dubai:

This artificial mountain-themed snow haven has been created against the backdrop of a hot tropical desert city. Probably it was built keeping in mind the Americans and the Europeans, most of whom enjoy dry cold and wet climates. One can enjoy skiing, tobogganing, snow boarding, ice skating or simply fiddling in the snow 365 days a year.

5. Palm islands:

These are three man-made palm-shaped islands named The Palm Jumeirah, The Palm Jebel Ali and The Palm Deira. The three islands combined would consist of 100 luxury hotels, marinas, water theme parks, exclusive beach side bungalows and apartments, restaurants, health spas, shopping malls and sports club.

6. Dubailand:

The world’s biggest amusement park features an expanse of six different theme worlds. They are: Attractions & Experience World consisting of Universal Studios Dubai, Global Village, Kids City, water parks and Dubai Snowdome; Retail and Entertainment World featuring World Trade Park, , Auction World and Factory Outlets; Sports and Outdoor world featuring Dubai Sports City, Dubai Golf city and Plantation Equestrian and Polo Club; Themed Leisure and Vacation World featuring Women’s World, Destination Dubai, Andalusian Resort and Spa and Desert Kingdom; Eco-Tourism World featuring Al Sahra Desert Resort, Sand Dune Hotel and Al Kaheel; and finally, Downtown with its magnificent Mall of Arabia, City Walk, The Great Dubai Wheel and Virtual Game World.

7. Dubai mall:

Claiming to be the world’s largest mall, its chief attractions are the huge gold souk, Fashion Island; one of the biggest aquariums in the world; a mammoth ice skating rink; Oasis Fountain Waterfall and WaterFront Atrium.

8. Dubai Sports city:

This would be the all-purpose sport haven equipped with state-of-the-art stadiums, sport academies and other commercial projects. It could be the destination of world class sporting events and tournaments.

These spectacular engineering perfections are what makes Dubai truly an amazing tourist destination. Its extravagance and lavishness is unrivalled yet, and it would be a long time before it is challenged.

Dubai, being one of the most attractive and busy tourist destinations in the world, hosts millions of tourists each year in the multiethnic cross-cultural city. However, the success has not come overnight. It has taken a lot of effort on Dubai’s part to ensure that it become the premier tourist spot in the world. Multi-billion dollar projects have been undertaken to transform and evolve the urban posture of Dubai, with each accomplishments taking years of completion time.

Their design has been scrupulous, the technical details foolproof and the construction rigorous. These mammoth projects have given rise to iconic state-of-the-art structures that have made people breathless in wonder. The sheer size of the impeccable structures has made people gaze in awe. Projects like the Palm Islands, Burj khalifa, Burj Al Arab and DubaiLand are just few examples of the exquisite urban architectural displays that Dubai is presenting the world in a periodic basis. Here are the top ten tallest buildings that have made the headlines courtesy their sheer heights and made Dubai renowned in the world.

1. Burj khalifa:

This mammoth structure is the tallest building in the world at an unbelieving height of 828 meters. It has a wonderful design depicting a desert flower of six petals. It is part of a development project called ‘Downtown Dubai’ covering two square kilometer of landscape. The cost of making this building is around 4.1 billion dollars.

2. Ocean Heights:

This tall structure is a residential building with twisted unique curves being one of their eyecatching features. The tower is 310meters tall having 84 floors.

3. 77-storey twin towers Emirates Park Towers Hotel & Spa:

The twin towers stand in unison at a height of 395 meters will be one of the top Dubai Hotels. The towers would consist of a hotel with over 1500 rooms fully equipped with sky terraces, restaurants and cafes, business centers, conference rooms, rooftop bars, banquet halls, gymnasium and swimming pools. The towers would also house a spa and health center covering as much as 3700 square meter.

4. 68-storey Almas Tower:

This tower has a height of 363 meters. This supertall skyscraper houses offices for a number of business entities and service centers for the precious gems industry like diamonds and pearls. For this, the tower has a high security system.

5. Emirates Office Tower:

This tower stands at a height of 355 meters. This is a office building of 54 floors. It is connected with the Jumeirah Emirates Tower Hotel, both of which are jointly known as the Emirates Tower Complex.

6. Jumeirah Emirates Towers Hotel:

This stands at 309 meter which is connected with the Emirates Office Tower. The luxury hotel has 56 floors within which rest as much as 40 luxury suites.

7. Rose Tower:

Standing at a height of 333meters, this tower is an exclusive alcohol-free hotel with its own collection of suites, penthouses and a 24 hour cafe. 180 million dollars were invested for the construction of this tower.

8. HHHR Tower:

This stands at 327 meters. This is a residential building of 72 floors which is also sparingly used for commercial purposes. This building is the tallest residential building in Dubai and also the world’s second tallest.

9. Burj Al Arab:

Standing at a height of 321 meters, this gigantic structure is the world’s most luxurious hotel in the world. It is also world’s first seven star hotel. Its architectural elegance is magnified at night amid vibrant displays of color in an aquatic ambience.

10. Al Yaqoub Tower:

This tower stands at a height of 330 meters. Interestingly, this is a clock tower. It is also a residential and office building. Like the HHHR Tower, this also consist of 72 floors.

It has become nothing less than an unproved fact that if a tourist destination has to attract people from all over the world, it must have a beach.  Beaches are associated with a revered natural beauty and serenity that is unparalleled with any other natural scenic beauty. The roar of the waves rushing in, the fine sand and the breezy ambience are mesmerizing to behold. It has a hypnotizing effect on mortal beings providing an ethereal experience in the mind. Beaches are also home to water sports like surfing and volleyball, entertainments such as speed boats and yacht rides. Beach picnic make up for a wonderful family excursion. Places like the Carribean islands, Mauritius and Goa of India attract millions of tourists each year—all endowed with beautiful sandy beaches. Dubai is not an exception. Dubai has before made headlines with its massive urban projects. The beaches in Dubai have just completed the vision as the world’s premier tourist spot.

The largest and the most popular beach is undoubtedly the Jumeirah Beach. It is only a twenty five minute ride away from the center of Dubai. The blue sea and the wide expanse of silver sand stretch out for a few kilometers for nature lovers to behold. The first beach park of Dubai is scattered with cafes and restaurants where tourists can laze for hours enjoying tea and light snacks and relish the panoramic view. One can view the magnificent Burj Al Arab or the Jumeirah from the beach. Beach Hotel Also, the beach has children’s recreation area for families with kids who have come for beach picnics. The beach waters are quite safe for children, the water being very shallow. There is a games’ section for children and for more adventurous lot, water sports in foamy waves pledge a worthwhile challenge. Lifeguards ensure the safety of those in the waters. The picnic spots in the parks are equipped with barbecue grills and wooden benches. One can enjoy succulent barbecue and watch the horizon where the blue of the sky and the blue of the ocean blends in a horizon. For those who are hesitant to brave the sea waves, there are swimming pools and shower facilities available. A small amphitheatre is there to show live dance or music performances.

The Al-Mamzar Beach Park is a man-made beach but is no short of gloried amusements for the tourists. Covering a huge area of 106 hectares, it comes fully equipped with plush greenery, an amphitheatre, kid’s recreation place, multiple swimming pools, barbecue and picnic spots, lagoons and multiple beaches that are meticulously guarded by expert life guards. Apart from the usual beach amusements such as picnics and water sports, the beach park provides the luxury of relaxing under the canopy of trees, playing footballs and flying kites in all splendors. The beach is open everyday except Thursdays and Fridays while Wednesdays are especially reserved for women and kids.

Last but not the least is the Jebel Ali beach. Forty kilometer away from the mainland Dubai, this beach is famous for a lot of reasons. Firstly, the beach is home to most industrial zones that are duty free in Dubai. One can take a knowledgeable tour to these commercial zones to know more about the industries of Dubai. It is also well known for the man-made Palm Islands project and is home to luxury resorts, lavish apartments, golf courses and hotels. Of course, the beautiful beach is reason enough for tourists to try out its quarters.

Winter is the best time to flock to these beaches as it is very hot during the day in summertime. Those who plan on a summer trip might explore the beaches in the evening.

The United Arab Emirates have plenty to offer to the colorful tourists out there who are planning on family vacations, summer trips or honeymoons. Sharjah, Abu Dhabi and Dubai are the three crown jewels of the UAE which have been given new life to boost the tourism sector in the country. Hence, hotel industry has turned out to be the ultimate growing industry in the desert states alongside the tourism industry. The multi billion dollar projects that have earned this Arab states the coveted headlines in national newspapers have almost always centered around luxurious hotels and amusement hubs—the seven star hotel Burj Al Arab in Dubai for example. The customers of these luxury hotels are billionaires, Hollywood superstars, millionaire sports stars and former presidents.

The Emirates Palace Hotel is one such luxury hotel. It is situated in Abu Dhabi amid commercial and amusement hubs nearby, just a half an hour ride away from the Abu Dhabi airport and just one and half hours away from the Dubai Airport. Covering a huge amount of land, it is one of the biggest and most extravagant hotels in the world with the grandest conference venues. The hotel provides satisfaction to a variety of customers by serving their needs. Whether one is a businessman, or a in a family trip—the Emirates Palace is the best place for luxury and relaxation. The hotel has its own private beach of 1.3km settled in unison with beautiful gardens covering 85 hectares of land. Emirates Palace has their own transport facilities to cater to customers who are travelling on roads all the time.

Emirates Palace has around 302 grand rooms, four Royal Khaleej suites, forty exquisite Khaleej and Khaleej deluxe suites and 16 palace suites with three bedrooms. The hotel is divided in to two wings—the west and the east wing. Both wings are equipped with their own reception area, private beach, fitness facilities and swimming pool. The suites come with LCD screen TVs, hand held touchscreen remotes to control gadgets, private butler facilities, wireless network and private terraces. The rooms are spectacularly embellished in Arabian theme with state-of-the-art technology. The décor includes gold leafs and finest marble. The newest addition to the hotel’s posh luxury is the Palace Lounge. The Palace lounge provides plush seating arrangements with splendid furnishings and eye catching décor. The guests can have beverages and snacks, also a delicious buffet for lunch. Attendants are at disposal at their beck and call. Also, the lounge is equipped with wireless internet, laptops, latest magazines, DVD library and daily newspaper. For business executives, the lounge allows the luxury of stopping by between travels and arranging board meetings in any one of the high profile conference rooms.

There are a number of top notch restaurants within the hotel to appease the taste buds of the guests. The elegant ‘Le Vendôme Brasserie’ with its exotic delicacies, the Sayad with its mouthwatering seafood dishes, the Mezzaluna with its amazing Mediterranean cuisine, Le Café and Caviar Bar—a haven of chocolates and rich beverages and classic champagne, La Brisas in poolside with its plethora of salads and succulent grills, the “Diwan L’Auberge” with its traditional Lebanese culinary delights and many other spacious restaurants and bars. Apart from these, the entertainment facilities include the likes of quality spa treatment, water sports like sailing and wind surfing, poolside fun with private Jacuzzis, water slides and waterfalls, multiple tennis courts, children’s play ground in Sarab Land, boutiques and fitness suites.

The Emirates Palace has been visualized and designed to give the highest level of comfort and luxury to the most high end customers. A stay at this hotel will indeed be a memorable experience.

All visitors in Dubai will remember their visit to this city for a long time without any regret – thanks to a number of affordable hotels that do not let people step out of their budget. The majority of these hotels are situated in the older areas of the city. Others are found either in the Diera region or the Sheikh Zayed Road. The list of the top 13 budget hotels in Dubai is as below:

1. Royal Plaza Hotel Apartments:

This hotel is located at Al Rigga Street, which is about 7 km from the Al Mamza Beach. It is also near to the Al Ghurarir. A room costs about £50 for every night. The hotel offers an army of multilingual staff, which help visitors with tour services, currency exchange and concierge. The hotel is also famous for its coffee shop, special business services, free beach trips on every morning and free airport transports.  You can also look at Regal Plaza Hotel, which is also from a very similar class.

2. Holiday Inn Express Dubai Safa Park:

This hotel is located at the Al Wasa District, and is very close to the major places of the city – such as the Dubai International Airport, the International Convention centre, Dubai Financial Center, the Burj Dubai and the Palm artificial island. A room in the hotel costs about £46. The staff can speak in a number of languages, such as English, Hindi, Russian, Spanish, French, Finnish, German, Dutch and Arabic. Moreover, it is famous for its ice machine, gift shop, gymnasium, business center and meeting rooms.

3. Ramee Guestline Hotel:

Located on Al Rigga Street, this hotel is near to the Dubai International Airport as well as to the Creek Golf Club, the Spice and Gold souks, Hamarian shopping centers, Al reef Mall and Al Ghurarir. The hotel also offers a swimming pool, a 24/7 coffee shop, city tours and desert safaris. A room in the hotel costs about £32.

4. Ramee Guestline Deira Hotel Apartments:

It is located at Al Rigga Street and offers rooms at £55 per night. It is close to the Gold Souk and the Dubai International Airport. It is composed of elegant Arabian designs. Moreover, the hotel offers a night club that is perfect for its corporate and leisure guests.

5. Holiday Inn Express Dubai Jumeirah:

The hotel is located at the Jumeirah Area Dubai Dry Docks. The hotel is most popular for its business center that comprises of excellent meeting rooms. In addition, the hotel takes great pride in its excellent health and fitness center that attracts a number of guests. In general, the hotel charges about £41 for a single room per night.

6. Holiday Inn Express Dubai, Internet City:

A room in this great hotel costs about £46 per night. The hotel is located at the Tecom Zone, Knowledge City. Its meeting rooms are perfect for its business guest since contain a number of audio and visual equipments. Moreover, there is a modern health club equipped with various fitness equipments and up-to-date cardio vascular machines.

7. Al Sharq Hotel:

It is located in Rolla Square, which in turn is situated on the Al Arouba Street. It is famous for its beauty salon, sauna, health club and steam room. The hotel also provides safaris for visiting the deserts. In addition, it offers town car or limousine services to its guests. Each room in the hotel costs about £32 per night.

8. Ramee International Hotel:

This hotel is located at the Nasr Square, which is found in Deira. Among its best offerings are a laundry and a doctor on-call service. The hotel is also excellent as regards to its travel desk service. In general, guests will need to pay about £61 per night for a room.

9. York International:

This is located at Khaleed Bin Walid Street, which is in Bur Dubai. It is famous for its rooftop swimming pool – coupled with a heal club, a sauna, a state-of-the-art gymnasium and a steam room. A room in the hotel costs about £40.

10. Arabian Park Hotel:

This hotel is located on Oud Metha Drive 1. The hotel provides complimentary trips to the beach and the Wafi Shopping Mall. The hotel is also equipped with a library that has enough collections to keep book lovers occupied for hours. Overall, renting a room in the hotel requires about £39 for every night.

11. Kirklees Hotel Apartment:

This hotel has found a place in the Mankhool Area 13th Street. Among the hotel’s best offerings is Jacuzzi, which comprises of a steam room and a sauna. The hotel also provides wireless internet access to its guests. In general, a guest will need to pay about £52.

12. Belvedere Court Hotel Apartments:

This hotel is located on Kuwait Street. As a result, it is close to Dubai Maritime. Its business is fully furnished and as a result is perfect for corporate travelers. A room in the hotel costs about £50.

13. Dar Al Sondos Hotel Apartments by Le Meridien:

This hotel is situated at the Rolla Street Bur Dubai. The hotel is most famous for its outdoor lap pool and sauna. The rent of a room in the hotel is currently fixed at £41.