Eat Drink Stay Dubai Newsletter 108/w45

Hi Dubai friends,

Welcome to Week 45, Edition 108

Before we get into it, a continued thanks for all those kind souls who comment, feedback, email and donate tips. All are very much welcome and appreciated, and they all help guide and improve for future editions.

It does take a lot of time, effort, research, pondering and all that so it’s terrific to hear from you all, and whilst the tips/donations (see the inline links for Tip Jar/Buy Me a Drink) help fuel things along and show appreciation, always know that you can email or message me if there is anything I can help you with or if there’s anything you’d like me to cover in future editions.

There is nothing better than reader feedback to show I’m either doing a good job, or you like something in particular, or of course - the opposite. Don’t be scared to say if you don’t like something; it’s all feedback and I’m not fragile (yet!).

PS. You can always email me here also.

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

🏖️ Abu Dhabi beach hotels

🏊‍♂️ New waterpark for Dubai?

🎂 Hilton Dubai Jumeirah at 25

🍊 Mandarin Oriental Downtown, Dubai opens

🚇 Dubai Metro 30 minute rule

1️⃣ The Power of a Priority

🛫 Manchester Airport (MAN) Terminal moves for Etihad, Emirates

😎 Dubai beach clubs

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ABU DHABI

Are These the Best Beach Hotels in Abu Dhabi?

These are the best beach hotels in Abu Dhabi, according to Simon Calder and The Independent.

Comment

Whilst Abu Dhabi doesn’t have anything like the amount of beach resorts as Dubai does, they are often more competitively priced. Abu Dhabi has been on a push for the last few years to boost inbound tourism, and with Etihad’s pricing generally being lower than Emirates, more or more people are considering it is an alternative to Dubai.

Of course, ‘best’ is always subjective and it often will depend on your priority (more on this later 😉) and ‘buyers needs’ as to what’s a fit for you. I don’t think location is as important in Abu Dhabi as it is Dubai, and a ‘true’ All Inclusive is even rarer in Abu Dhabi.

Even on ‘Dine Around’ packages such as Marriott’s More Cravings, be aware there aren’t the 100+ restaurants there is in Dubai.

If I was suggesting beach hotels in Abu Dhabi as a very general start point, i.e. without specific needs, my shortlist would be (in no order) :-

• The St Regis Saadiyat Island

• Park Hyatt Dhabi Hotel and Villas

• Conrad Abu Dhabi Etihad Towers

• Le Meridien Abu Dhabi

• Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental

• The Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi, Grand Canal

• Jumeirah Saadiyat Island

• Sheraton Abu Dhabi Hotel & Resort

As a leftfield suggestion, it could be worth keeping an eye on Eastern Mangroves Abu Dhabi, as it’s due to reopen in December as an LXR (Hilton) after reflagging from Anantara.

These hotels cover a range of price points, facilities, vibe, dining options and locations. I’m definitely not saying they are the ‘best’ all round hotels in Dubai - there are some exceptional ‘city’ hotels such as Rosewood for example.

Yas Island is really more of a ‘captive market’ location geared towards the theme parks and attractions, but don’t necessarily jump at the ‘free’ passes and offers some hotels may include without doing the usual comparison/shopping around.

If you’re set on ‘true’ All Inclusive, perhaps look at the Rixos properties or Beach Rotana Abu Dhabi for a more midscale option.

DUBAI NEWS

Could Dubai Be Getting a New Waterpark?

Sometimes, Dubai press rushes before it can walk, and this may be a good example.

At the recent World Travel Market (WTM) London, Dubai Holding Entertainment (DHE) announced plans for four new attractions :-

1. Oasis Bay Waterpark

2. Space Park

3. Desert Safari

4. Fisher-Price Family Entertainment Centre

Oasis Bay perhaps is the most attention-catching, with claims the park “will feature the largest pool in the region, along with record-setting slides, family zones, and immersive experiences designed for all ages“.

Where it gets a bit mysterious, is the press releases to local media such as Khaleej Times and Gulf News are now showing 404 errors, i.e. page not found. MSN appear to show an archived version of the Gulf News article here.

Maybe the press releases are getting updated and will be reissued, or maybe there are some details changing, but at this stage it only appears to be an announcement at a trade event, so in true Dubai style, let’s wait and see what happens.

HOTEL NEWS

Hilton Dubai Jumeirah Is (Almost) 25 Years Old

Hilton Dubai Jumeirah, recently reopened after refurbishments, have announced plans for their 25th anniversary on 27 November, according to Jean Kling, General Manager.

Mandarin Oriental Downtown Officially Opens Today

Friday, 07 November, is the official opening of Mandarin Oriental Downtown, Dubai. The hotel, located in a mixed-use property called Wasl Tower, has 259 guest rooms, 224 residences and 10 dining outlets.

Yet again, another Dubai hotel adds ‘Downtown’ to its name when it’s ahem, not actually in Downtown. It’s on the other side of Shekh Zayed Road to Downtown, almost in City Walk, next to the Coca-Cola Arena.

Bear this in mind if you’re looking to use the Metro or visit Dubai Mall, as you’ll have to walk a little way South and then walk over the overpass to Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall Metro Station.

🔗 Mandarin Oriental Downtown, Dubai

Yet anther hotel announces plans for the Heart of Europe on The World Islands, this time an Intercontinental.

Read more about The World Islands in this previous edition. There are certainly some interesting hotel developments planned there, as well as the existing ones.

Jumeirah recently announced Cape Morris, a private island managed by Burj al Arab, also at The World Islands.

Matthieu Busschaert will be the General Manager of the “soon to launch” Creekside Hotel Dubai by Accor, formely Jumeirah Creekside.

First Group Hospitality, fresh from their recent announcement about opening 3 new Marriott properties, will open a Radisson Red hotel in 2027 on Al Marjan Island, Ras al Khaimah.

Did you know Ras Al Khaimah is aiming to double its available hotel rooms from 7,144 by 2027, with 71% of the 15 new hotel brands to be five star?

KNOW MORE ABOUT DUBAI

A handy tip for Dubai Metro is the “30 minute rule”, which allows you to swipe in on another form of public transport within 30 minutes of leaving a Metro station for no extra charge.

There is a maximum of 3 transfers within this time, and the final cost will depend on the number of zones you pass through and the nol card used, but it could be useful.

Some quirky things to try in Dubai (10, even if sub-head says 11!) including being Pac-Man, Deep Dive Dubai and camping out in a rainforest.

Visit Dubai always do amazing content about Dubai, and really should be one of the first places you check for info, research and articles - just like this one about Dubai’s Great Outdoors with Julia Bradbury.

ONE BIG DUBAI TIP

The Power of a Priority

Last week's tip on "making a Dubai Decision" seems to have resonated with those of you struggling with overwhelming choice. So let's dig deeper.

The most common mistake I see when planning/trying to decide with Dubai?

Trying to ‘spin too many plates’ at once, especially with big decisions like hotels or booking strategies.

When I ask someone their priority (singular), few will answer immediately. Most rattle off a long list instead. Both mindsets are dangerous.

Here's the key: A priority is the ONE thing that makes everything else irrelevant. Not two things. Not five. One.

Why One Priority Works

• Simpler – Easy to say yes or no against one measure, not ten

• Clearer – If your priority is the executive lounge, you have a clear baseline to judge your stay

• A line in the sand – This is crucial. Think of it as your basecamp to ‘climbing the mountain of choice’ 🚵‍♂️

Here's the problem with "spinning plates". When you list multiple criteria you "want," you will rarely find something that ticks every box. You'll settle for a "best fit" that's may be mediocre on several fronts - a hit-and-hope exercise tha tpotentially breeds disappointment.

What’s more to the point, whilst it’s unlikely there are hotels in Dubai that are 100% perfect for all the things that may matter to you, you need to have a clear mind that can determine your priority, and visualize/order your needs/nice to haves. Think of them like Russian/Matryoshka dolls, line up them largest to smallest.

See this (AI-generated) image, and guess which one should be your Priority 😉.

Real example: Someone told me their priority was a central location on The Walk, JBR. Then they spent the whole stay griping about breakfast. Turns out, daily dining quality mattered more than location - they just hadn't realized it.

To be clear: I'm not saying only one thing should matter. I'm saying know what matters MOST and make that your dealbreaker.

By all means, consider other factors—booking method, room category, facilities, dining packages, if they have ‘proper’ breakfasts etc. But if your priority isn't met, walk away. No amount of "nice to haves" will compensate.

Your priority is your dealbreaker. Everything else is negotiable.

EMIRATES

Manchester Airport (MAN) Terminal Moves for Emirates, Etihad

According to Manchester Airport official site, Etihad will move to Terminal 2 on 12 November and Emirates will move on 19 November (as it stands, at least!).

If your flight is affected, the airline should contact you directly.

Regarding lounges, check with your carrier as to what lounge (Aspire, 1903 etc.) you may be able to use if access is provided by them, and note that if you’ve paid for cash access to T1 lounges you will need to cancel and rebook for T2.

Emirates Skywards Miles Valuations?

Although it’s often a “how long is a piece of string” question, this article is a ‘rough guide’ for assessing the ‘worth’ of Emirates Skywards Miles.

Of course, a lot depends on things like routing, whether it’s an outright redemption or an upgrade, and numerous other factors, but hey - it’s a good start.

For a more scientific approach with deeper insight, take a look at Award Wallet as they often publish a wider range of valuations for different situations.

FOOD AND DRINK

Dubai’s Beach Club Scene: Not a ‘Rarity’

The Times has this “insider’s guide to Dubai’s splashy beach club scene”, though I’d respectfully disagree with the line about them being a rarity until the last few years.

Zero Gravity opened in 2013, and what about Barasti, White Marlin, 360 etc. ? Even Playa Pacha at FIVE LUXE JBR isn’t the first incarnation of Pacha on The Walk.

Even pre-pandemic, restaurants were offering beach/facilities access for brunches and on select days, more as a ‘freebie’ or ‘incentive’. There have always been paid access options for Dubai hotels, but it was the pandemic where they really took off as hotels looked to cash-in on inbound travel restrictions and build ‘ancillary revenue’.

Dubai is always quick to spot a trend and try to monetise it, and these days, beach clubs are almost at an ‘inflection point’ as they can’t all be making coin. But as ever, heaps of choice and competition makes for plenty of deals and value for savvy travellers, so ‘ride the wave’ whilst it lasts!

Top tip - always check the “Archive” of past editions and the “Beach Club/Day Pass Deals” tag, as you can see past articles about beach clubs, day passes, ladies days, deals etc.

Never one to miss any brunch-related content, here are the 96 best brunches in Dubai 2025 according to Time Out, whilst The Telegraph narrows it down to 10 (archived version here).