Dubai holisday - recommendations

[jay0101]

Im thinking of going to Dubai for a week end of July/beginning August

I was looking at staying in the Shangri La Dubai, but having been on trip advisor, expedia etc and read the reviews im concerned about the location, in that it may be too far out from the shopping malls/restaurants/nightlife etc

can anyone recommend a good hotel that is close (preferably within walking distance) of the main bar/restaurant/shop district? or where the best area to look into staying with this in mind is?

also what is the nightlife like out there? is there any?! i believe ramadan is September this year..is that correct?

I have done a search but nothing really relevant came up

TIA

[Fer]

That time of year I doubt anywhere will be walking distance, but you might want to post over the Middle East forum for better ideas.

[jay0101]

thx for that i will put this on the middle east forum aswell

if it is too hot to walk short taxi rides are ideal, its just i have read a couple of reviews that say the shangri-la is a 20/30min taxi ride from the main shopping/eating areas which is abit much, so just looking for a hotel abit closer/more central

any recommendations?

thx again

[Fer]

Depends on where you are going to shop/party. There are plenty of places, in both directions, although the creek is quite a way from that hotel. Taxis are cheap and safe, in fact the whole place is great... but then again, I am biased!

[Mr Trophy]

jay0101 said:

Im thinking of going to Dubai for a week end of July/beginning August

I was looking at staying in the Shangri La Dubai, but having been on trip advisor, expedia etc and read the reviews im concerned about the location, in that it may be too far out from the shopping malls/restaurants/nightlife etc

can anyone recommend a good hotel that is close (preferably within walking distance) of the main bar/restaurant/shop district? or where the best area to look into staying with this in mind is?

also what is the nightlife like out there? is there any?! i believe ramadan is September this year..is that correct?

I have done a search but nothing really relevant came up

TIA

I think ramadan is in October, however, I could be wrong! If you go July / August, it's rather hot! Only around 20-25 minutes you can lay in the sun, before you need to go inside. (It really is that hot). I would recommend October. It's warm, but not to warm. As for accommodation, it's really how much you're whiling to spend. I went with the family, and it cost us about 350 pounds a night for "Burj Al Arab". The new shoppig mall which has not long opened, has every shop you can think of!

Here is some snaps from our room.

[jay0101]

Fer said:

Depends on where you are going to shop/party. There are plenty of places, in both directions, although the creek is quite a way from that hotel. Taxis are cheap and safe, in fact the whole place is great... but then again, I am biased!

i will be going with a couple of friends, we are early 20's so would obviously be wanting to go out to bars/clubs etc at night. what area is best/busiest with regard to nightlife?

i will then look at hotels around that area

thx again

ETA: is Dubai creek the place to base ourselves with this in mind?

Edited by jay0101 on Monday 30th June 16:55

[cromptonenator]

Shangri La is on SHK Zayed Road I believe. You'll have a nice view, and will only be a short taxi ride from some good malls. While it's not near anything in particular, it's wedged between the Burj Al Arab End - Featuring Mall of the Emirates, and the "Heart of the City End" namely Deira, with Deira City Centre and the more dense urban environment.

[Corpulent Tosser]

Unless you intend to spend most of your time in malls/restaurants/bars my recommendation would be don't go July/Aug, it is very hot at that time of year.

My favourite things there are dune buggy driving, go karting, (not the fastest karts but the best go kart track I have ever driven) and best of all the driving experiences at the race circuit, all outdoors.

[jay0101]

Corpulent Tosser said:

Unless you intend to spend most of your time in malls/restaurants/bars my recommendation would be don't go July/Aug, it is very hot at that time of year.

My favourite things there are dune buggy driving, go karting, (not the fastest karts but the best go kart track I have ever driven) and best of all the driving experiences at the race circuit, all outdoors.

its abit of a last minute idea for a friends birthday and end july/early august is the only convenient time for people to get off work etc, which is why we are looking at then

we will want to go out to bars/clubs etc at night, so the main thing is that we get a hotel in a good location for this, can you recommend the better areas for nightlife?

what is the nightlife out in Dubai like?

will def go go karting if the heat allows

thx again

[jay0101]

mickken said:

Very very hot there.....in the sun for 15 mins, burn. My mother is there for the week this week and it was 41 There today....August will be hotter.

I've stayed in the Burj, Sheraton, Four Seasons, Dusit, SAS Rad and many others. Any 4*/5* hotel there is good. Bigger and more modern than you would expect over here.
Make sure you get out to the big dunes, go skiing! and check out all the Souks (especially the Gold Souks)

The exotic car sotting is especially fun!

Bars wise....360 Bar at Jumeriah Beach is a must.

Taxi's are cheap and plentiful so a central location is not that important. Most of Dubai is spread out anyway.

Edited by mickken on Monday 30th June 17:00

looking forward to the car spotting!

i quite fancy the Shangri-la, if we were to stay there most places would be easily accessable by taxi?

[jay0101]

mickken said:

jay0101 said:

Corpulent Tosser said:

Unless you intend to spend most of your time in malls/restaurants/bars my recommendation would be don't go July/Aug, it is very hot at that time of year.

My favourite things there are dune buggy driving, go karting, (not the fastest karts but the best go kart track I have ever driven) and best of all the driving experiences at the race circuit, all outdoors.

its abit of a last minute idea for a friends birthday and end july/early august is the only convenient time for people to get off work etc, which is why we are looking at then

we will want to go out to bars/clubs etc at night, so the main thing is that we get a hotel in a good location for this, can you recommend the better areas for nightlife?

what is the nightlife out in Dubai like?

will def go go karting if the heat allows

thx again

Nightlife in Dubai is mostly centred around the big hotels.....very few independant bars.

If you are looking for a typical 20 somethng drinking holiday....Dubai may not be for you.

its not a typical drinking holiday as in Malia/Kavos we are after which is why we have come on Dubai

we just want a place were we can relax/shop etc in the day and that has eating/drinking options available in the evening (not raves!)

as long as there are few bars/restaurants etc that is fine

just didnt want to get stuck in a place were everything shuts at 8pm thats all!

[Corpulent Tosser]

Taxis are cheap and plentiful, as has been said most nightlife is in hotels, in fact only hotels can serve alcohol - something to bare in mind when eating out, restaurants not attached to hotels are dry.

The only exception I know of is the Irish Village which I believe has a drinks licence as it is part of the airport club.

[mel]

It's hard to comprehend exactly how hot it can get out there in the summer months, my brother's in Oman at the moment, last week it hit 52 in the villages!

[jay0101]

another question - can the trips onto the sand dunes in landcruisers etc be booked at most hotels once out there or do these sorts of excursions need to be arranged beforehand?

thx

[Scraggles]

why do people insist on going to dubai at the hottest times of the year ? never understood the urge to go when the temperature is in the 50-60 C region, friend from work went mid august and she found it way too hot

but expect if the op wants to spend most of their time in A/C areas, it might not be too bad

[jay0101]

Scraggles said:

why do people insist on going to dubai at the hottest times of the year ? never understood the urge to go when the temperature is in the 50-60 C region, friend from work went mid august and she found it way too hot

but expect if the op wants to spend most of their time in A/C areas, it might not be too bad

as i say late july/early aug is the only convenient time we are able to go in the next few months, its for a friends birthday and we do plan to spend most of our time in A/C areas so we will put up with the heat when necessary

edited for typo

Edited by jay0101 on Monday 30th June 17:38

[Asterix]

mickken said:

Very very hot there.....in the sun for 15 mins, burn. My mother is there for the week this week and it was 41 There today....August will be hotter.

I've stayed in the Burj, Sheraton, Four Seasons, Dusit, SAS Rad and many others. Any 4*/5* hotel there is good. Bigger and more modern than you would expect over here.
Make sure you get out to the big dunes, go skiing! and check out all the Souks (especially the Gold Souks)

The exotic car sotting is especially fun!

Bars wise....360 Bar at Jumeriah Beach is a must.

Taxi's are cheap and plentiful so a central location is not that important. Most of Dubai is spread out anyway.

360 is shut now for the summer.

Stay at the Jumeirah Beach Hotel or the Mena Al Salam at the medinat - close to all the bars in the medinat and not too far from the marina or SZR where there are other bars and stuff.

The Al Qasr is a stunning hotel as well but quite pricey

Edited by mickken on Monday 30th June 17:00

[jay0101]

Asterix said:

mickken said:

Very very hot there.....in the sun for 15 mins, burn. My mother is there for the week this week and it was 41 There today....August will be hotter.

I've stayed in the Burj, Sheraton, Four Seasons, Dusit, SAS Rad and many others. Any 4*/5* hotel there is good. Bigger and more modern than you would expect over here.
Make sure you get out to the big dunes, go skiing! and check out all the Souks (especially the Gold Souks)

The exotic car sotting is especially fun!

Bars wise....360 Bar at Jumeriah Beach is a must.

Taxi's are cheap and plentiful so a central location is not that important. Most of Dubai is spread out anyway.

360 is shut now for the summer.

Stay at the Jumeirah Beach Hotel or the Mena Al Salam at the medinat - close to all the bars in the medinat and not too far from the marina or SZR where there are other bars and stuff.

The Al Qasr is a stunning hotel as well but quite pricey

Edited by mickken on Monday 30th June 17:00

so jumeirah beach is the best place location wise?

can you tell me what the medinat is?

thx again

Edited by jay0101 on Monday 30th June 17:46

[Asterix]

jay0101 said:

Asterix said:

mickken said:

Very very hot there.....in the sun for 15 mins, burn. My mother is there for the week this week and it was 41 There today....August will be hotter.

I've stayed in the Burj, Sheraton, Four Seasons, Dusit, SAS Rad and many others. Any 4*/5* hotel there is good. Bigger and more modern than you would expect over here.
Make sure you get out to the big dunes, go skiing! and check out all the Souks (especially the Gold Souks)

The exotic car sotting is especially fun!

Bars wise....360 Bar at Jumeriah Beach is a must.

Taxi's are cheap and plentiful so a central location is not that important. Most of Dubai is spread out anyway.

360 is shut now for the summer.

Stay at the Jumeirah Beach Hotel or the Mena Al Salam at the medinat - close to all the bars in the medinat and not too far from the marina or SZR where there are other bars and stuff.

The Al Qasr is a stunning hotel as well but quite pricey

Edited by mickken on Monday 30th June 17:00

so jumeirah beach is the best place location wise?

can you tell me what the medinat is?

thx again

Edited by jay0101 on Monday 30th June 17:46

http://www.madinatjumeirah.com/

hth

[Targarama]

I love the heat - so long as its not one of those ultra humid days. We're heading out there on Friday for 4 nights. Staying at the Sheraton on the beach (all the beachfront hotels are similar), renting a car (always do - driving not half as bad as somewhere like Naples). Although I love the heat, I rarely sit in the sun for long, sitting in the shade is just a nice and you don't get quite so fried - you get a tan walking around with SPF 50 on anyway.

My favourite hotel is actually the Hilton on the Creek.