Eat Drink Stay Dubai Newsletter 61/w50

Hi Dubai friends,

Welcome to Week 50, Edition 61

Here’s your latest issue of the ‘Dubai news worth knowing, all in 10 mins or less’.

In this week’s edition:

🫢 Dubai’s 30% alcohol tax to return

🏨 Marriott to open first Moxy hotel in Dubai

🛬 Buy Emirates Skywards Miles with a 25% bonus

🚗 Bolt and Apple ‘Tap to Pay’ launch in Dubai

As always, if you’d like to provide further feedback, including which content you’d like to see more of (or not!) do let me know by clicking here

Thanks for reading 👏

Shaun

PS. Advertising - thanks to all you lovely readers, I’m getting more advertisers asking to be featured. I manually screen each request and reject those I feel inappropriate, so any I do include please do click through and check them out. Some may be from advertisers I use and recommend, in which case I will add a comment about them.

This week it’s 1440, which is a free daily newsletter with an excellent run-down of daily news from around the world. I subscribe and read it daily, as the writing is top-notch and it links out well for deeper dives.

PPS. Thanks to all those who partook in the poll last week; it’s really helpful to improve and keep delivering what you appreciate 👏

Here are the results; so let’s hope we stay ‘just right’.

There’s another poll about how you read the newsletter, ie if you’re a ‘preview from the inbox’ or a ‘click and open’. This one is useful because I aim for around 1,500 words or what it tells me Gmail may ‘clip’ if it’s too long, so if more ‘click and open’ than preview from inbox, I can ignore those warnings and maybe produce a fuller newsletter.

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

EAT

Have You Tried Dave’s Hot Chicken?

If you love hot fried chicken - yeah, pretty niche I know! - just a headsup to think about trying Dave’s Hot Chicken. They’re a buzzy brand that started in Los Angeles car park and have a lot of celebrity fans and backers. They have a very simple menu - tenders, pieces and sliders - along with shakes, top-loaded fries etc. and the Nashville-style fried chicken is available in a range of heats, all the way up to ‘Reaper’ which requires a waiver.

I tried them for the first time recently in Houston - top-loaded fries with 6 pieces, extra-hot - and it was excellent. Their Dubai branch is in Motor City, so not immediately ‘in’ Dubai, but as their only current branch in UK has just opened in Shaftesbury Avenue, London, it could be a more convenient opportunity in Dubai than UK.

🔗 Dave’s Hot Chicken, Dubai Motor City

A bit of an edit …

A past edition linked to an article about At.mosphere offering a Christmas Day brunch for 500 AED. However, since then, At.mosphere have raised the price to 1,250 AED (and Time Out haven’t changed their headline) …

Bull & Bear at Waldorf Astoria DIFC is a great venue, but I’m not sure what their message is by referencing “A Fairtytale of New York meets Dubai” though.

Unless the lines “They've got cars big as bars, They've got rivers of gold” was meant for Dubai …. 🙂

A new restaurant is coming to JW Marriott Marquis Dubai.

DRINK

Bad News: Alcohol Tax Is Coming Back

Dubai Municipality has announced the 30% tax on retail alcohol sales will return for 2025. This was initially brought in, apparently on a ‘trial’ basis, in 2023 and then extended for 2024.

Comment

Whilst the future implications remain to be seen, if what happened with the reduction is anything to go by, it’s likely the purchasing from retail establishments such as A&E, MMI or the home delivery services will increase when the tax returns, Over the bar prices may not rise (as they are set independently - although some restaurants and bars did drop prices, it was on an individual basis).

However, who knows in Dubai, it could be a sneaky way to add a price rise and blame taxes 😏

STAY

Moxy Al Barsha to Open in 2025

Marriott, in partnership with Al Ali Property Investments (API), will open their first Dubai Moxy property in 2025. Situated in Al Barsha, Moxy Dubai Al Barsha will have 480 keys (guestrooms).

Comment

This is an interesting move, as Moxy is the fastest growing brand in the Marriott portfolio. They are like a funky Travel Inn, ideal if you’re looking for ‘just a bed’, as they are a select service brand. They are usually pretty generic - some of the new-build UK ones have almost the exact same design, layout and number of floors - and are similar in theme to Marriott’s Aloft brand.

Expect lots of pink - their brand colour - but don’t dismiss them as an option, as they’re usually a decent price point and a bit of fun. Elites within Bonvoy will often get a welcome house-mix cocktail, for example. They are usually pretty tech-forward also, such as Chromecast big screen TVs, keyless entry via app (if required) etc.

I’ve stayed in several of them - Chester, Malpensa, Manchester to name but three - and they’ve all been fine. Remember they’re a select service brand, so rooms tend to be a bit smaller, with facilities like a small drop-down mini-desk, limited hanging space (often a wireframe on wall) and no fridge.

🔗 Moxy Hotels

🔗 Marriott International Press Release

Lapita, Dubai Parks and Resorts Autograph Collection, has launched a limited-time staycation offer, including special Real Madrid World themed rooms to coincide with the launch of Real Madrid World at Dubai Parks and Resorts.

Mark Kirby leaves Emaar Hospitality Group to become President of One and Only Resorts.

DUBAI

Dubai Visa Rejections on the Rise for Indian Visitors

Seems recent chatter about visa rejections increasing for Indian visitors seems to have some basis in truth, according to reports claiming a 62% increase!

The Times of India recently published details that daily rejections were up to 5-6% from a previous of 1%.

Here’s a great interview with Tony Truman, co-owner of O Beach Dubai.

Worth reading for these lines alone, comparing Dubai to Ibiza,

Bolt has launched in Dubai, to provide yet another ride-hailing option.

On the subject of ride-hailing, just a reminder - as I feel I’ve mentioned this previously - but you can also use Hala ride-hailing direct from Google Maps (look for the stick man with raised arm on the ‘Directions’ tab).

Apple has launched Tap To Pay in UAE for iPhone users.

You don’t have to pony up big money to see New Year’s Eve fireworks.

How about an abra, starting from 150 AED, departing from several locations?

EMIRATES

Buy Emirates Skywards With Up to 25% Bonus

As it’s approaching year end, lots of loyalty programs are offering bonuses for buying points and miles.

Emirates Skywards have launched a bonus on purchases of Skywards Miles, where if purchased by 22 Dec 24, it’s possible to get a bonus of up to 25% extra.

Note - although this link is the main link, check your email if you’re a Skywards members as some countries, statuses and other factors may mean you receive a targeted offer that may be different, or even better. For example, you may be limited to a maximum amount depending on status in Skywards.

🔗 Emirates Skywards Buy Points with Bonus

Why are Middle East carriers so successful? 

Not a bad article, apart from it seemingly only concentrating on the ‘big three’ and overlooks that there are other ME/GCC carriers 😁 

Emirates are reportedly introducing a new uniform, but the iconic headwear and veil will remain.