Eat Drink Stay Dubai Newsletter 22/w11

Hi Dubai friends,

Welcome to Week 11, Edition 22

Ramadan Mubarak; a Blessed Ramadan to one and all.

Do share your thoughts on this week’s newsletter using the comments button below ⤵

If you’d rather drop me an email, just click here - I’m always eager to hear your thoughts, suggestions and feedback (good or bad!).

7 things worth knowing this week ⤵

🕌 Ramadan Roundup

💸 FOUR Marriott Bonvoy Offers worth checking

🏨 Marriott Marquis Dubai opens at Jewel of the Creek

🛬 New Abu Dhabi airside/transit hotel opens

👩‍🎨 Emirates features local artist Anja Bamberg

🤑 Reminder: Ramadan Entertainer promo codes

🛴 Escooters banned on Dubai Metro, Tram

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You could also add [email protected] to contacts or just reply to this email (even if it’s blank, or just saying ‘yo’) as this helps also 👍

RAMADAN

Ramadan Roundup

As the Holy Month is upon us, here’s a quick roundup of Ramadan-related news.

Dubai Media Office: RamadaninDubai campaign

Time Out: “19 Lovely Things to Do During Ramadan” 

What’s On: “Celebrate Under The Stars with Habtoor Grand”

Gulf News: Dubai Ramadan Markets and Souks

OFFERS: HOTELS

Marriott are offering $50 daily resort credit

Marriott are offering a $50 resort credit for bookings of 3 or more nights.

Bookable from 26th February 2024 to 28th June 2024 for stays from 10th April 2024 to 7th July 2024.

🔗 to offer page on Marriott Bonvoy

Talking of offers via Marriott Bonvoy, I just want to take this opportunity to draw attention to the merits of checking OFFICIAL (ie direct) booking via Marriott Bonvoy.

Here are just three different offers available for Dubai hotels via Bonvoy

Dine Around: Marriott Resort Palm Jumeirah

Although this landing page is for Marriott Resort Palm Jumeirah, it details the ‘Dine Around’ Half Board (which IMO, is the ‘gold standard’ for Half Board because it’s a standard, measurable offer that allows one to dine in over 100 or so Dubai restaurants)

UAE Staycation Offer: Marriott Resort Palm Jumeirah

This is the offer that’s being reported as ‘free All Inclusive’, but it’s not a proper All Inclusive deal.

As per the offer page,

“ For up to 2 kids under 12 years of age, the rate includes:

Breakfast in Levantera.

A choice of lunch and dinner at Levantera (buffet) or from kids' menu at Myami (Pool), Bal Harbour (Beach), Cucina (Italian), and Senor Pico (Mexican Californian).

Snacks at Gelateria by Cucina.

Unlimited soft drinks, food, ice cream served by the pool from 12.00 to 19.00.

Kids club access included free of charge from 9.00 to 18.00.“

So it’s a ‘kind of’ All Inclusive if you’re a kid and like ice dream or soft drinks 🙂

Note: ‘Staycation’ offers are generally restricted to UAE and GCC residents, though the T&C don’t mention that for this offer. It would be prudent to call the hotel to confirm the specifics of an offer before booking, as ‘Your Mileage May Vary’.

W All Access: W Mina Seyahi

Although W Mina Seyahi isn’t a ‘true’ All Inclusive hotel (i.e. everyone there is on All Inclusive') as an adult-only (well, over 16s) hotel, their All Inclusive offer could be worth a look.

“ YOUR ALL-INCLUSIVE PACKAGE INCLUDES:

• Breakfast in Ginger Moon

• Lunch

• Dinner

• Snacks throughout the day

• Tea & coffee throughout the day

• Ice cream throughout the day

• Alcohol (served from 12:00 pm until last call)”

Are these offers of any interest to you?

Will you be booking any?

👇👇 Have your say by commenting below 👇👇

STAY

Marriott Marquis Dubai is now open

As teased in a previous edition, Marriott Marquis Dubai opened on 12 Mar, in that it was available for booking from then.

Marriott Marquis Dubai is located at Jewel of the Creek (i.e. between the Al Maktoum and Floating bridges on Creek). There's also a new Hilton going up there too.

As always with hotel openings in Dubai, be mindful whether it’s a ‘soft’ opening, a full opening, or somewhere inbetween. Especially as it’s not been officially announced nor any local media or press releases covering it.

Rates are from 630 AED.

🔗 for official website 👉️ Marriott Marquis Dubai on Marriott Bonvoy

STAY

AUHotel: New Transit Hotel at Zayed Airport Terminal A

Ah, the continued rush to be ‘first to press’ vs ‘most accurate & informative’ strikes with this one, so read with caution 🚨

There is scant detail about this, not least no official website or press releases, but apparently there is new transit/airside hotel at Zayed International Airport’s new Terminal A, called AUHotel

It is bookable via OTAs (for now) and it seems the entry on Google Maps is incorrect, as that’s adjacent to Premier Inn, near SkyPark Plaza, so it's not exactly close to Terminal A (even if you can run along the roof like Tom Cruise)

If it is indeed to confirmed to be airside, it could be a convenient option for connecting passengers that aren’t eligible for Etihad’s various stopover promotions or don’t fancy clearing immigration for a landside hotel.

Prices look to be around £140 or so, but bear in mind it’s a ‘captive market’ and you are paying for the convenience.

🔗 to BookingCom’s page for AUH Hotel

Details are very sparse at this time, and this may all prove to be proved correct/incorrect over time.

My guess is that location is wrong, and more details will emerge soon.

ARTS

Local Artist Featured on Emirates: Anja Bamberg

If you’re flying on Emirates any time soon, please check out Channel 794 on ICE for the film “Arts Sustainability: Anja”.

Anja Bamberg is a talented artist from Germany who now lives and works in Dubai, and it’s great to see her work recognised by Dubai Culture and Emirates in this way.

Please check out Anja’s website and her Instagram 

ENTERTAINER

REMINDER: Entertainer Promo Codes for Ramadan

Whilst there is a promo code for 10% off Entertainer 2024, please note that for Ramadan there are a couple of changes, as of today.

1. The promo code is not valid for Entertainer GCC during Ramadan.

2. However, the promo code is valid for Dubai 2024 - so now’s the time to purchase Entertainer Dubai 2024 as the 10% discount will only be available during Ramadan.

3. The promo code EDSD24 will work for all other Entertainer 2024 products as normal (ie Abu Dhabi, Singapore, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman etc.)

More info here 👉️ Entertainer 2024 Promo Code EDSD24

DUBAI NEWS

Escooters Banned on Dubai Metro

Roads and Transport Authority have implemented a ban on Escooters, which includes riding and carrying, on Dubai Metro and Dubai Tram.

🔗 The National

🔗 Khaleej Times