Eat Drink Stay Dubai Newsletter 100/w37

Hi Dubai friends,

Welcome to Week 37, Edition 100

Here’s your latest edition of Dubai news, deals & tips, every Friday, in 10 mins or less.

👏 Thanks are in order - to you, dear reader.

💸 Breakfast in hotels - worth it?

🪰 Uber + flying taxis

🧠 UAE AI

🏨 Ciel Dubai to open in ‘November’?

🛬 Emirates bans kids in First Class?

🫰 Save 25% with Marriott Bonvoy

PS. You can always email me here also.

Please note: some links in this newsletter may be affiliate links, and will be denoted with an asterisk (*). This is a link to a partner site that may pay me a commission - at no further cost to you - and if so, helps to support me & this newsletter. For more info, please see Disclosure and Policies

APPRECIATION POST

Thank You, Thank You, Thank You for All Your Support

This is the 100th edition of this newsletter, and it wouldn’t be here without you and your support.

When I first had the idea of a newsletter, I didn’t really have a big plan, other than to put something out on the Internet about Dubai that people may read and find helpful.

So here we are, 100 editions in, and each week you turn up, read it, engage with it, email me to say how much your appreciate it, and if I’m really lucky, you may buy me a drink or donate to the Tip Jar.

So please keep reading, commenting, emailing, suggesting and all that - it really helps, because it guides me how I can make the next ones better, and in turn, serve you better.

As a special bonus, pay even closer attention in the coming weeks as there are a few ‘special’ things I’m planning that I think you may like.

I have plans to build on the success of these 100, create even better things, help you in more ways, so please keep reading, engaging, sharing and supporting.

You’re awesome 💘 

DUBAI NEWS

Book Flying Taxis With Uber?

Looks like Uber is making tracks to allow bookings to be taken for Joby Aviation’s ‘flying taxis’, possibly as soon as next year.

Blade, a subsidiary of Joby Aviation, already runs seaplanes and helicopter in New York and Southern Europe and will be available in-app shortly.

Joby Aviation has partnered with RTA and conducted several test flights already, with a planned launch in-region of their VTOL aircraft in “early 2026”.

The UAE will adopt a tax levy relative to sugar content in drinks, to encourage healthy lifestyles.

The UAE has launched its own AI model, K2 Think, as a lower cost alternative to DeepSeek and OpenAI.

HOTEL NEWS

Ciel Dubai to open in ‘November’?

Ciel Dubai, which will claim to be the world’s tallest hotel, is now open for reservations from 15 November.

A confirmed opening date is yet to be announced though, and of course, some Dubai hotel openings can slip or fall into various stages of ‘soft’ or over ‘soft-soft’ (i.e. incomplete!) opening phases.

🔗 Ciel Dubai, Vignette Collection (IHG main property page)

EMIRATES

Emirates Skywards Open for Emirates Premium Economy

Emirates Skywards members can now book Premium Economy with Skywards Miles.

Redemptions start from 15,000 Skywards Miles whilst Economy upgrades to Premium Economy will be from 7,020 Skywards Miles.

Emirates First Class: 8yo or Under Allowed on Cash Tickets Only

Emirates have also amended their Skywards terms and conditions to restrict First Class Emirates Classic Awards and Upgrade Awards to passengers over 8 years old.

So if your 8yo or younger wants to fly First Class on Emirates, they will have to be on cash fares.

HOTEL OFFERS

To keep things easy, please click here for the full details of any hotel offers.

To save space on the newsletter, the full details of all current offers can be always be found at Dubai Hotel Deals, Offers and Promotions.

Marriott Bonvoy: In-App Exclusive Members Save 25%

Save on weekend stays until 30 November in USA, Canada, Caribbean, Latin American, Europe, Middle East and Africa.

• Book by Sunday, 14 September.

• 5 day-advance booking, pre-paid, non-refundable.

• Needs to be booked in-app, not available on web.

Voyage Prive: FIVE Palm Jumeirah, SO/ Uptown and more

Voyage Prive ‘selling off site’ which will often ‘sell off’ short-notice or ‘flash’ sales, with a limited time to book, but with discounts and special benefits.

• SO/ Uptown Dubai (up to 58%) (as covered in more detail here)

• FIVE Palm Jumeirah (half board from £270)

• 25hours Hotel Dubai One Central

• Andaz Dubai The Palm (up to 62% off)

KNOW MORE ABOUT DUBAI

Madinat Jumeirah Christmas Market Dates Confirmed

Dubai really goes ‘all in’ at Christmas and New Year.

Whilst it may be the ‘peak weeks’ in terms of occupancy and rates in hotels, there are always heaps of great events around in the malls, hotels, restaurants and elsewhere. Dubai really does balance culture and commerce excellently, so do look into what’s happening if you happen to be around at Xmas.

Madinat Jumeirah puts on an annual Christmas Market, and this year it will start on 05 December and run through to 31 December - and it’s always well worth a visit.

This page from Visit Dubai was for last year’s Market, but you can get an idea from it.

ONE BIG DUBAI TIP

Do You Actually Need a Hotel Breakfast in Dubai?

Did you know that for hotels, breakfast is the most profitable of the three main meal sittings?

There are several reasons for this, including :-

• It’s the lowest demand on staff

• Revenue-wise, it’s the most predictable (a set amount x number of guests)

• Not everyone will eat the same amount

Adding Breakfast to a Rate Doesn’t Always Add Value

If you’re looking to get the best deal for a hotel, the best way to do that is aim for the most comparable rate, which is Room Only. When you have the same room category available across the most sales channels, this not only is simpler to compare ‘like for like’ but the more channels makes for the most competition, thus higher potential for a deal.

When agents include dining packages such as Half or Full Board, it’s in their interests because it’s harder to compare ‘like for like’ whether you’re getting value (or not!).

What is essential for comparison is for the ‘item’ to be the same, and sometimes with adding breakfasts to a room rate, it may not always end up the same amount.

Direct vs indirect may not charge the same - agents and OTAs may add an uplift - but also, the add-on cost a hotel may charge also depends on how you may take it.

• If you pre-book breakfast for every day of your stay in advance, the chances are this will be the cheapest rate.

• If you don’t commit to breakfast in advance, and charge it ‘ad hoc’ to the room, the breakfast charge may be higher than including in the room rate for every day.

• Whilst you may be able to negotiate an ‘upsell’ on arrival, it will likely be somewhere between the advance charge or the ad-hoc charge.

Considerations Before Committing to Breakfast in Advance

This may sound obvious, but the first thing you should consider is if you want breakfast every day. Think about this as if it’s a ‘nice to have’, or whether you will actually make the most of it. If all you do is have coffee and not much else, is it worth having the ‘standing cost’ of a full breakfast?

Another consideration is the policies in place with your booking or rate condition. Different rate conditions for the same room may add ‘free’ breakfasts, such as for children, where some may charge each family member a set amount.

Last but not least, do research before you go on official websites of hotels, reviews, photographs, menus etc. to get a feel for what’s on offer. Some hotels may offer ‘free’ breakfasts by brand standards, such as Hampton by Hilton, but they’re quite midscale by Dubai standards. There are many reasons breakfasts in hotels may vary, such as if they include pork products (which cost more due to licencing), but also scope and service levels.

Could Eating Out Be Cheaper?

By evaluating the cost of adding breakfast, you may find better value from a cost angle to get the best deal on the room then have breakfast outside of the hotel.

I’d pin around 150 AED as a baseline cost for a hotel breakfast per person. A bigger, better hotel with a wider spread, including pork, then go up another 75 AED.

If you go on Zomato or Google Maps, it’s possible to compare restaurants from menus or typical prices. For example, Jones the Grocer at Al Manara, offers a ‘Full English’ (beef) at 83 AED. Reform Social & Grill have a pork ‘Full English’ for 103 AED.

Where the potential for value comes in with the deals, such as Buy One Get One Free with Entertainer, other discount apps or promotions.

The only exception I can see to this tactic is if you’re one of those people who love the buffet concept and take it as a challenge to load in volume to eke out every last gram of value.! It’s unlikely an outside restaurant or cafe will deliver value if you’re weighing your breakfast consumption rather than what you may spend on it 😄

Similarly, if you consider a club lounge because it offers value, please understand that it will hardly ever be comparable to an in-restaurant breakfast. The spread may be good, even if somewhat lesser, and even if they do special orders like omelettes, you may need to factor slower delivery times.

I decided to write about this because I know the ‘buffet breakfast’ angle is an attraction to some as a ‘buyers need’, and in Dubai, the hotel breakfasts are generally good - nothing against that at all. However, it doesn’t always mean they’re the best deal overall, especially if you’ve taken an uncompetitive rate to have that breakfast included.

There are plenty of great breakfast places around Dubai, even for those seeking a ‘proper English’. Places like Reform Social & Grill, The Hamptons, McGettigans, 1762, Fibber Magees to name but five.

Conclusion

If you’re in a five star and it’s a lavish buffet, especially with a more costlier spread eg pork, then it’s likely it’s easier to get value from that. If you’re at a midscale or select service property, then perhaps it’s more difficult because the value proposition would be reduced.

If you’re the sort of person who just pecks, or is fine with coffee, fruit and basic options, you’re more likely to find value going elsewhere and into cafes, especially if you can avail of deals.

ABU DHABI

Interested in the planned Disneyland Abu Dhabi?

Check out this interview with Zach Riddley, the Senior Vice President of global creative strategy at Walt Disney Imagineering.

Whilst the interview is primarily about “imagineering” Disney castles, skip to around 25:15 mins in for the chapter on Abu Dhabi.

FOOD AND DRINK

You don’t have to stay in the main touristy areas in Dubai, as areas such as Al Barsha or Barsha Heights (formerly known as TECOM) have some great hotels, bars and restaurants around.

Whilst it’s not as concentrated as say, Marina, there are still some decent spots such as these bars and restaurants Time Out have picked in Barsha Heights.

There’s also a Metro nearby (Dubai Internet City), a Carrefour, and whilst the hotels are more midscale, Media Rotana and Grand Millenium are solid options.

One excellent pick for eating that’s not on that list is Cascade Multi Cuisine. It covers a wide range of cuisines and is (literally) cheap as chips.

Mexican isn’t that popular a choice for eating out in Dubai in terms of numbers of restaurants, but if it takes your fancy, do try Muchachas or Maria Bonita Taco Shop & Grill.

Muchachas recently turned 9, and whilst the offer has passed, this article is a nice write up. It’s located at Holiday Inn Express, Safa Park.

A great hotel to visit as a walk-up customer for their restaurant choice is JW Marriott Marquis in Business Bay. It’s a Marriott property, so you can earn Bonvoy points on spend as well as avail of discounts, such as My Emirates Pass and Entertainer (Buy One Get One Free).

Vault, Prime 68, Rang Mahal, Tong Thai are perhaps the pick of the twelve restaurants, bars and lounges, but don’t overlook Bridgewater Tavern and Wanderlust brunch. If you happen to be in Dubai this weekend, the former has an intriguing sounding 80s/90s “school dinners” brunch lined up!

ETIHAD

Following on from a past post with a great introduction to Emirates Skywards, it’s only fair that we share another of We Go’s overview of Etihad Guest, Etihad’s loyalty programme.

🔗 Etihad Guest (official site)