Eat Drink Stay Dubai Newsletter 46/w35

Hi Dubai friends,

Welcome to Week 35, Edition 46

So here is this week’s digest of the ‘Dubai news worth knowing’, all in 10 minutes or less of your time.

So, it’s that week, the one where all the residents and locals come back to Dubai off their Summer holidays, ahead of the new season starting.

👇 A few things worth knowing about Dubai this week 👇

💸 More Cravings by Marriott Bonvoy

🛬 Last chance to bag those crazy-low premium companion fares

🚨 Sharing facilities between hotels (or not?)

⛳ Five Iron Golf

🍛 The Market Island

🗞 Tittle-Tattle: DSS 90% 3 day sale. Dubai Metro birthday. Food Sheikh. Al Ustad Special Kebab.

One last thing - do give me a follow on YouTube. I will get some new videos up very soon, pinky promise.

Or here’s an idea, why not let me know what type of videos or content you’d like to see on there?

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DUBAI DEALS

More Cravings by Marriott Bonvoy F&B Offers

This could be a little confusing, but bear with me - it’s worth it.

Marriott Bonvoy is the loyalty program for Marriott chain hotels (think W, Aloft, Marriott, Luxury Collection, Le Meridien, Westin etc.). Point to remember - Marriott (the brand) is not the only brand within Marriott Bonvoy.

More Cravings by Marriott Bonvoy is a platform aimed at dining and drinks deals at Marriott Bonvoy hotels.

It’s worth being a member of Marriott Bonvoy if you’re staying at Marriott hotels for benefits, earning points and the like, but you don’t have to stay at hotels to earn points. Just being a member of Marriott Bonvoy and visiting restaurants as a ‘walk up’ should allow you to avail of earning points or any promotions.

So, back to the point. If you check the More Cravings by Marriott Bonvoy website here you can see what offers are currently available.

So for instance, there are currently three different promotions currently available for Dubai.

1. Dine Around by More Cravings by Marriott Bonvoy is the ‘gold standard’ for Half Board. It allows you to dine at restaurants using your Half Board package either for dining credit or set menus at other hotels than the one you’re staying at. Currently, that’s 87 venues, though it changes frequently.

2. My Emirates Summer Pass is the discount program for Emirates passengers, and is still running up to 30 Sep 24. It allows you to save money at restaurants, bars, shops, attractions by showing your Emirates Boarding Pass (mobile or paper). The link on More Cravings will show you what discounts are available at bars and restaurants at Marriott Bonvoy properties. To check the other bars and restaurants (ie not Marriott Bonvoy) on My Emirates Summer Pass, click here.

3. Restaurant Month is a new promotion, and is only available up to 30 Sep 24. It allows you to dine at 54 venues on their set menus or buffets for a set price, starting at 95 AED through to 245 AED. There are some really fab restaurants on this promotion such as Buddha Bar, Akira Back, Cafe Belge, Rhodes Twenty10, Senor Pico and Toro Toro so it’s a good opportunity to explore them.

So of the three current offers, one (Dine Around) IS aimed at Marriott hotel guests, but the remaining two (My Emirates Summer Pass and Restaurant Month) can be used by walk-up customers (i.e. non-guests) in outlets at Marriott properties.

Bear in mind you don’t need to be a Marriott Bonvoy member for My Emirates Summer Pass but you do for Restaurant Month. As mentioned previously, it’s worth being a member to earn points on your spend anyway.

Still with me? Grand. One last thing, as Columbo may say. There is also a More Cravings app that can offer Two for One deals, although this is aimed as a ‘standalone’ product to the website it seems. I told you it could be confusing.

🔗 More Cravings by Marriott Bonvoy

🔗 My Emirates Summer Pass

FLIGHT DEALS

Don’t Miss the Lufthansa/Swiss Companion Sale

I don’t want you to miss out on this deal, hence this reminder.

If you didn’t read it in special edition or last week’s edition, Lufthansa and Swiss are running a crazy-good companion sale on premium flights*. These are special rates for two or more passengers, and need to be booked by 03 Sep 24.

These rates always sell out quickly, as it’s possible to get London to Dubai in Business Class for around £700, along with many other destinations.

If you want to read more about the offer, be sure to read last week’s edition here or click the main link below to go direct to the sale.

🔗 Companion Special 2024 Sale*

DUBAI TIPS

Beware: Sharing Facilities Between Hotels

It’s possible to save a bit of money on Dubai hotels by making use of ‘sister hotel’ facilities, such as by staying at Grosvenor House and using the pool and beach at its sister hotel, Le Meridien Dubai. Crikey, they practically encourage you to do so as they even put a shuttle bus on to do it.

However, this week’s big tip is - never assume these things are forever. It’s always best to call any hotel before booking to check these arrangements are still in place.

Yes, I said ‘call’. Not Email, not DM. Why? Because Dubai hotels are often rubbish at email, and by calling you have a ‘back and forth’ convo, ask Qs, request an escalation, beg them to confirm in writing or whatever. Emails can (and often, will) be just ignored, or just fobbed off with ‘copy/paste’.

Whilst it’s unlikely the GH/LRM setup will change anytime soon - because they’re both great hotels that value their guests - there are two things to bear in mind :-

• the growth in hotels selling day passes, pool parties, beach clubs etc. has made hotels chase ‘ancillary revenue’ and look to monetise access.

• Dubai hotels, and some chains more than others, are ‘clawing back’ and unbundling rate conditions. What used to be, may not be any more.

This was proved this week by a post on Trip Advisor Forum, highlighting that Jumeirah Beach Hotel and the Madinat Jumeirah Resorts have now apparently taken a Brexit-type view that ‘they shall not pass’. That is, guests at the Madinat resorts cannot use JBH’s facilities, and vice versa.

This may be a temporary blip, perhaps an on off-season measure, or something that is now ‘set in stone’ going forward into the new season.

It goes to show one thing though - just because something happened previously, don’t count on it always being the case.

🔗 Read More: “JBH Charging 150 AED to Use Madinat Resort”

DUBAI

Five Iron Golf at Westin Mina Seyahi

I’m not a golfer, but I do like the socialising aspect of it.

So I’m keen to see how Five Iron Golf will do at Westin Mina Seyahi when it opens (tomorrow!)

Apparently, it will be the largest Five Iron Golf in the world, and will pitch (see what I did there?) “top-tier entertainment” with an “unparalleled golf experience”.

It’s planned there will be another five FIGs across UAE over time.

🔗 Five Iron Golf (US main site)

🔗 Five Iron Golf (AE site - use for bookings)

The Market Island food hall Opens at Festival City

In true Dubai style, there’s often a big announcement, and then perhaps a ‘more coming soon’ aspect.

The recent opening of Market Island food hall at Festival City appears to fit that criteria. Announcing itself as ‘the biggest food hall in the Middle East’ at 70,000 sq ft and with over 50 food outlets and restaurants, it certainly sounds impressive.

However, at first glance, there does seem to a bit of “If you build it they will come” here, as whilst it’s open and no doubt impressive, there’s clearly more to come over time. Keyword - over time, ie maybe not immediately.

Comment

Dubai never seems to have any limits on expansion and new concepts - especially when they’re the ‘biggest’ - does it?

I’m sure this The Market Island will be great, and Festival City is worth a visit. However, time will tell I guess, especially with brilliant places like Time Out Food Market already open at Souk al Bahar.

I’d suggest their thinking that Festival City Mall is predominantly for residents and locals - as tourists generally don’t go to Ikea during their Dubai hols - and it will be busy enough to support all those outlets. Let’s hope so, and wish them well 🍀

🔗 The Market Island

DUBAI NEWS/TITTLE-TATTLE

Don’t forget the final DSS (Dubai Summer Surprises) Sale, with up to 90% discounts, finishes 01 Sep 24.

Dubai Metro turns 15 on 09 Sep 24. To celebrate, RTA are giving “Metro Babies” the chance to win a sponsored education.

Sadly, this isn’t for kids born on Dubai Metro and is for locals - and with high GPA - but it’s still a nice touch, isn’t it?

Keep your eye out over the coming days if you’re intending to use Dubai Metro, as there all sorts of promotions and events to celebrate the birthday, ranging from Metro ice creams, discount NOL cards and musicians at stations.

After giving ‘Food Influencers’ some pelters last week, it’s only fair I do my bit to say they’re not all bad and help promote some of the good ones.

So I was pleased to see Food Sheikh being featured in What’s On, so go give him a follow - it’s worth your time.

Dubai isn’t all fancy-schmanzy ‘Fine Dining’, and I’ll often extol the virtues of places like Ravis at Satwa for a more authentic experience. So I was delighted to read this feature about some of the UAE’s oldest restaurants, and even more so to see Al Ustad Special Kebab featured.

So don’t forget to add these two venues to your ‘eats hitlist’ ….