Hi Dubai friends,

Welcome to Week 44, Edition 107

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

🤷‍♂️ How to make a ‘Dubai Decision’ on anything

🏨 3 more Marriott properties in Dubai

🍴 Traiteur reopens

🎂 Emirates is 40

🚶 Old Dubai tours

⛺ Camping in the UAE

PS. You can always email me here also.

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DUBAI NEWS

Blacklane and dnata Travel Group launch new partnership for chauffeur travel in UK, Middle East and Asia.

This appears to be aimed more at chauffeur packages for other dnata Group companies and expanding on existing offerings, whilst Blacklane remain an exceptional standalone offering for ‘on demand’ chauffeur ride-hailing in the UAE.

Old Dubai Food Tours named as one of the best global experiences for 2026 in Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel.

If you’re into culture and/or food tours around Dubai, do check out Frying Pan Adventures or Wander with Nada.

4 perks of the Nol card - including paying for parking and travel discounts.

Etihad Rail’s luxury train service expected to launch in 2028 “if all goes to plan”.

KNOW MORE ABOUT DUBAI

Camping in the UAE is something that doesn’t immediately spring to mind, but there are some terrific options to get away from it all.

Camping, glamping, eco resorts - you name it.

19 quirks of living in the UAE. Who doesn’t say “Yalla!”?

ONE BIG DUBAI TIP

The Art of the ‘Dubai Decision’

A common complaint about Dubai is “there’s too much choice, it’s overwhelming, I can’t choose!”.

Whilst it’s true to a degree - there IS a lot of choice, be it beach clubs, brunches, hotel choice, attractions, tours, etc. after all - the hard truth is, it’s not Dubai that’s the problem, it’s your process.

As regular readers will know, I’m a big advocate of “slicing and dicing” i.e. looking at things in different ways to get a similar outcome or deal that may work better. For example, rather than paying for a beach resort you may not use the facilities of each day, consider a cheaper, city hotel with a redeemable day pass to use pool/beach on a more favourable (e.g. redeemable F&B) deal only on the days you need it.

But before even that, you need to consider your process to allow you to make a choice. Let’s call it a ‘Dubai Decision’.

How to Make a Dubai Decision

I’d suggest there are two steps you need to complete to enable you to make a ‘Dubai Decision’ :-

1. For whatever it is you’re looking to decide on, you need to be aware of everything available and relevant.

2. You need to know what your drivers are, and most of all, the priority which you will make your decision on.

Key things to note here.

• A priority is singular; it literally means you can have only one priority.

• A good way to determine a priority is to think about the “Focussing Question”, as made famous by the The One Thing book : “What’s the one thing I can do such that by doing it everything else will be easier or unnecessary?“.

• To get to a priority, you may have to dig deep, even step back and rethink, but if you can establish the ‘One Thing’ then it’s a priority and it becomes a binary, yes or no choice when you’re trying to make a decision. Example - my priority is - the hotel must have an Executive Lounge.

• By ‘drivers’, what I mean is the (possibly subconscious) things that may ‘drive’ your decisions, e.g. convenience, detail, lowest cost, best quality, amount of time you can invest in research etc.

What Not to Do When Trying to Make a Dubai Decision

This is easy.

Don’t get distracted, and don’t even consider trying to make a decision until step (2) above is crystal clear in your mind.

Sometimes, new information comes to light. You may see a new article, advertisement or social media post. You may find positive or negative information about the thing you thought you’d decided on.

All you need to do if this is the case, is to step back, reassess against your drivers and priority, then move forward towards making a decision.

This is important because it’s often at this exact point where people get frustrated or distracted, usually because they see something else that attracts their attention such as an offer, advert or post.

And this comes back to the reason you have a priority. If you only have one priority, it’s far simpler to make a decision. If you try to ‘spin plates’ and try to have several ‘buyers needs’, then it’s YOU that’s complicating the situation, not Dubai!

Example: Choosing a Hotel

Whilst this is a far bigger decision that needs more research, planning and consideration than say, a day pass, the ‘Dubai Decision’ process still works.

Picking a hotel is perhaps the biggest decision you’ll make when planning a trip to Dubai, and if you get it wrong, it can be costly in time and money.

The one thing you want to avoid most when planning a trip to Dubai is - don’t be sold to. Know what you want, how to make a decision, and how to find a deal.

The main reason this process will work for you is it’s far more productive - and likely a far better deal - to determine a hotel, or a shortlist of maybe 2-3 hotels and only then, look for the best way to find a deal. The alternative method is to be ‘sold to’, i.e. an agent or a website search suggesting a hotel for you, which may not be be right for your needs.

So, coming back to the two steps, it would go something like this.

1. Research - look at areas, types of hotels, locations, general prices, dining packages to get a ‘feel’ for what’s available. Stick to facts, not adverts or ‘stay for praise’ ‘reviews’ by ‘influencers’. Focus on quantifiable, measurable ‘hard facts’ not opinions.

2. Prioritize and think about ‘drivers’ - do you need a city hotel, or beach resort? A ‘drop and flop’ or just a base to explore from? Are you looking for the lowest price, best value, VIP treatment* service levels, quality, ambience, facilities etc.? Do you know your ‘nice to haves’ versus your ‘must haves’? What are you looking for in a rate condition? And most importantly, what’s your priority that will be your ‘deal-breaker’ if it’s not a match?

In Dubai, location is perhaps the most pivotal choice for hotels, followed by type of stay (i.e. stay on site/’drop and flop’ or ‘just a base to explore from’), then, if your ‘buyer need’ leans towards dining packages such as All Inclusive or Half Board. These three criteria will cut the '‘wheat from the chaff’ and help your decision making, but most of all, the priority will be the thing that saves the stress.

For instance, you may think you want to be on Palm Jumeirah, and lean towards a ‘drop and flop’ then find a hotel that offers Half Board. But IF your priority may be, you want pork products at breakfast, then it’s a lot, lot easier to decide.

Similarly, say you think you want to be based in Marina for a hotel. If you had a priority to have a hotel with its own beach, it cuts the option down to a handful of hotels on The Walk that have direct access.

Key point to note - it’s no good having a great process, if you’re not brutal with it.

For instance, if you must have direct beach access then Hilton The Walk would be excluded if you were comparing with Hilton Dubai Jumeirah, as the former uses the latter’s beach and it’s not directly ‘on’ the beach, but beach-facing.

Example 2: Day Passes, Beach Clubs, Pool Parties

Day passes are a massive industry in themselves in Dubai, and they’re a great example of a Dubai Decision as the choice is massive.

Take this article about 46 Beach Clubs in Dubai, for instance - a surefire case of ‘potential overwhelm’ for anyone trying to decide.

By going through the process listed to make a ‘Dubai Decision’ though, it’s a lot, lot simpler.

The first step is research. Look at what’s available, how they differ, what they offer, and what the terms are. Whilst all those on the list are suggested as ‘Beach Clubs’, by research they actually aren’t.

Bab al Shams for instance, is in the desert, not near a beach and it’s only a pool pass. It may get sold as a ‘Beach Club’, but it’s marketing rather than accurate or descriptive. Some places may be restrictive, such as needing to pay an uplift for loungers, or only granting access to a beach and not the pool (or vice versa).

Second step, once you’ve researched, is to think about your drivers, and establish a priority. Do you want a lively vibe, or somewhere more sedate? Is it more important to get your sunbathing in, or eat some nice food? Would you rather go somewhere influencers go, or perhaps consider visiting at quieter times such as weekdays to get a lower price? Most of all though - you’ve got it! - if you have a priority that you’re going to choose on, it becomes a lot clearer. Your priority may be, not to pay above a certain price, or that it must be 100% redeemable, or you only need a pool not a beach, or you may prefer to get drinks deals such as Ladies Days for value, or not have to travel more than 20 mins in a taxi, or even you want a ‘proper’ beach such as along Jumeirah Beach or Palm Jumeirah rather than the Creek, such as Twiggy.

Conclusion

Yep, a lot of words there.

Yes, it sounds a bit heavy, but in reality, it’s not. Think of it as an investment that will save you time, money and hassle in the long run.

It doesn’t matter if it’s a brunch, a desert safari, an attraction, a tour, a hotel or even a restaurant or bar. The process works the same for anything.

1. Research, so you know all your options.

2. Know what your drivers are, and above all, the priority that you will make your decision on.

It’s amazing how many people don’t do something as simple as this when they’re trying to make a ‘Dubai Decision’.

When folk complain about being overwhelmed by the choice in Dubai, it’s either because they’ve not researched deep enough to fully know all the options, or they’re not specific or brutal enough in having one priority that they will decide based upon.

They look at hotels, then keep adding things to what they think they want, whilst at the same time, not knowing what their priority is. I know this from experience, as when I ask anyone who asks for my help what their priority is, the silence that follows is telling.

To be clear, I’m not saying you should only consider ‘one thing’ when making a Dubai Decision.

But I am saying, whilst balancing all your ‘buyer needs’ and knowing what your drivers are, you’ll never proceed in making the best possible decision without clarifying what your priority is first.

FOOD AND DRINK

Try ‘The Hangover Club’ Brunch at Three Cuts Steakhouse & Bar

Three Cuts Steakhouse & Bar at Palm Jumeirah Mall have launched a new Saturday brunch concept called The Hangover Club.

They also have several offers available in Entertainer 2025, including Reusable Business Lunch and Sunday Roast, or Buy One Get One Free Main Course (3 vouchers).

Talking of brunches, one of the ‘Big Three’ of the Dubai brunch scene, Traiteur Brunch at Park Hyatt Dubai Creek Resort, will reopen on 01 November.

If you’re still going after brunch, NOEPE continues with a Sunset Soiree from 1800.

Also at Park Hyatt, check out Soleila at Twiggy, especially on Fridays.

The Address Montgomerie have confirmed the reasons for the closure of Phileas Fogg’s, with Solutions Leisure (Wavehouse, Lock Stock and Barrel, Asia Asia etc) looking to open a new venue in its place.

Early indications are the new venue will be called The Hills.

Address Hotels + resorts open a vegetarian restaurant with an Indian twist, Vegetarian Room at Address Dubai Mall.

🔗 Address Dubai Mall: Vegetarian Room

HOTEL NEWS

3 First Collection Hotels to Rebrand to Marriott International

If you’re a Marriott Bonvoy fan or member, there are now another three Marriott properties in Dubai.

First Group Hospitality have rebranded three of their properties to Bonvoy brands, namely :-

1. The First Collection Marina, Dubai, A Tribute Portfolio Hotel

2. The First Collection Waterfront, Dubai, A Tribute Portfolio Hotel

3. Hotel Local Dubai, Jumeirah Village Triangle, Autograph Collection

This will bring the total of Marriott/First Group properties in Dubai to four, with the existing The First Collection at Jumeirah Village Circle (JVC), a Tribute Portfolio Hotel.

All hotels will offer access to Soluna Beach Club on Palm Jumeirah, with a discount for hotels guests.

Comment

These hotels could be of interest because of Marriott Bonvoy (discounts, earning points, status benefits, Best Rate Guarantee etc.) but also, the beach club access along with reasonable rates.

The First Collection Marina used to be Wyndham Dubai Marina, and is in the quieter/cheaper part of Marina - the south end, where the Marina turns back towards Bluewaters. It’s about ten minutes walk to The Walk/JBR.

One last thing - this is a ‘hot off the press’ announcement, and sometimes in Dubai the press side of things runs well in front of the operations. You will note, for instance, some of the properties have the same ‘hero image’ on the landing page, and some of the room photographs and details are a bit vague or similar (e.g. Marina hotel shows bathroom photos as lead-in/featured rather than the room shots). This will probably get ironed out over time.

🔗 The First Collection

Delano Dubai is looking for new General Manager. 

(Archived page here)

EMIRATES

Emirates at 40

On 25 Oct 1985, Emirates took flight for the first time with its inaugural flight to Karachi.

Over the 40 years since, they’ve had some amazing press stunts, such as the famous Burj Khalifa flypast (see BTS video below) or using a drone/plane to deliver the match ball at a Real Madrid match.

realmadrid

View more on Instagram

Read more about the major milestones of the world’s largest international carrier, and the 153 destinations and 80 countries it flies to.

Their Premium Economy has recently been voted the World’s Best by Forbes Travel Guide, along with World’s Best airline.