I haven’t really thought about writing a holiday post before, and if I was doing the usual beach holiday then I probably wouldn’t, but after my Dubai experience was so amazing I wanted to give you a bit of an insight into what an awesome city Dubai is….
I was only in Dubai for 6 days – so 4 full days after you take out the travelling, and it was no where near enough time. I’m going to highlight a few of my favourite things we did while we were there, and I will try and keep it as short as possible, as I really could ramble on for hours about this beautiful place.
Sofitel Jumeriah Beach
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| Sofitel Jumeriah Beach Swimming Pool |
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| View from our room |
I stayed at the Sofitel Jumeriah Beach and I can highly recommend it. It was a great location, with fab service and the rooms were beautiful. The hotel had an infinity pool, with swim up bar (perfect for 42 degree heat) that over looked the sea and Jumeriah Beach. We were lucky enough to have a beach view room, which was lovely waking up to every morning.
We didn’t spend much time in the hotel as we were so busy seeing what Dubai had to offer, but I can say that the breakfasts were yummy – you got so much food for about £8. However, cocktails were pricey (about £12) and a glass of champagne was £32- yep, £32!
Desert Safari
You can’t visit Dubai without going on a desert safari. There are lots of companies that offer the safaris and they all vary as to whats included, but we decided to pay that bit extra and go for the more luxurious experience. We went with a company called Platinum Heritage and it cost about £100 each.
I cannot recommend this excursion enough. We did so much, it was all so well thought out and we really were treated like royalty. As I promised you that I wouldn’t ramble on for ages I suggest that you visit their website to see more information, but in a nutshell you get a camel ride, falcon display, dinner, traditional dancing, henna tattoos, Jeep ride across the desert and throughout it you get to learn about the Emirates heritage which is really interesting.
Dubai Mall
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| Shopping at Dubai Mall, and in front of the Burj Khalifa |
There are so many malls to choose from in Dubai, but the Dubai Mall is the biggest – in fact it’s the world’s largest shopping mall with 1,200 shops! It’s easy to get to by taxi or by the Metro and has every type of shop imaginable. For fashion and beauty items I didn’t find the prices were any cheaper than the UK, but Dubai is good for grabbing a bargain when it comes to gold and silver. What I wasn’t expecting was walking around and seeing all the UK shops such as Boots, M&S, New Look and Dorothy Perkins. But don’t worry, they do also have the high end stores like Louis Vuitton, Gucci and Chanel, as well as the US favourites like Bloomingdale’s and Victoria Secrets to name just a few.
I can’t tell you how big this place is, and it isn’t just the shops that attract visitors. Dubai Mall has an ice rink, an array of restaurants, and outside they have the famous Dubai fountains (that dance to music) and the worlds tallest building – The Burj Khalifa. All in all, it’s a must if you visit Dubai and will suit all tastes and age ranges.
Champagne Brunch
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| Our setting for Champagne Brunch at Madinat Jumeriah |
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| Our boat ride after Champagne Brunch at Madinat Jumeriah |
Dubai’s weekend starts on a Friday and its during this day that the top notch hotels open their doors to the public and crack open the bubbly. Champagne brunch is big in Dubai. The best ones are all inclusive food and drink for a set period of time (typically 12pm – 4pm), and is frequented by plenty of expats that dress up to the nines and know how to party.
My champagne brunch experience was at Madinat Jumeriah. The food was plentiful, delicious and the champagne free flowing. Outside were stalls themed to different parts of the world where you could pick up cocktails and admire the stunning view of the river and the Burj Al Arab. The hotel owns the waterway outside and runs boats between the other bars, restaurants and shops on the complex.
The whole experience was luxurious, glamorous and a lot of fun (but that might have been the champers!).
Budda Bar
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| Sorry, this is the only acceptable photo from that night! |
If like me, you enjoy upmarket restaurants and bars then you will love Dubai as it has them in abundance, and Budda Bar is one of them.
Budda Bar is situated inside the Grovesnor House Hotel and has an eastern themed menu and decor. I had dinner there and then went to their uber trendy bar for some drinks afterwards.
As you can probably imagine its very extravagant with luxurious red decor, crystal chandeliers and a huge gold budda in the middle of the restaurant. The food was to die for and service impeccable but this all comes at a cost. The bar served a range of cocktails and champagne, but unfortunately I cant comment on other drinks as that’s all I drink! Its buzzing with beautiful people, chilled out music playing and oozes sophistication, If you like London hot spots like Mahiki and Whiskey Mist then this is for you.
There is so much more to Dubai above and beyond what I have listed here and I’m already eager to go back, so if you are looking for a holiday that has it all then look no further…..
If you have any suggestions of what I should try on my next visit then please let me know!