Eat Drink Stay Dubai Newsletter 71/w8

Hi Dubai friends,

Welcome to Week 8, Edition 71

Here’s your latest edition of ‘Dubai news, deals & tips, every Thursday, in 10 mins or less:-

🤑 35% off Ennismore hotels during March

✅ Dine Around by More Cravings - back

🏨 Four Points Bur Dubai moves?

👪️ W Mina Seyahi to allow kids?

💳️ Heaps of AmEx offers for Dubai/UAE (and elsewhere)

Last but not least, thank you for continuing to click the ads, as it helps to support the newsletter 👏

PS. Please let me know if you have any feedback, such as which content you’d like to see more (or less!) of, any questions or anything else I can be of help with by clicking here

Thanks for reading 👏

Shaun

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

LOYALTY PROGRAMS

Dine Around by More Cravings Is BACK, Baby

After last week’s edition mentioning the Dine Around by More Cravings offer page appeared to have disappeared, I’m happy to report normal service appears to have been resumed.

Amusingly, it appears one hotel wasn’t even aware the offer page appeared to have fallen off the Internet. 🙂

The offer page can be found here, and the current offer says it is valid until 30 Dec 25 and includes over 100 restaurants in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and the Northern Emirates (which appears to be a reduced number than last year).

🔗 Dine Around by More Cravings by Marriott Bonvoy

HOTEL NEWS

W Mina Sehayi Allows Kids? Four Points Sheraton Bur Dubai Move

Two snippets of info about two Dubai hotels.

Firstly, the former Four Points by Sheraton Bur Dubai is now the Majestic Premier Hotel Bur Dubai, whilst the former Four Points by Sheraton Downtown (actually in Karama) has now adopted the ‘Bur Dubai’ moniker. I often reference this hotel as a solid choice for value, but I’m unsure when the change in name happened.

Secondly, and this is more ‘rumour control’ at this stage, but Lil from Dubai Family Leisure Guide has suggested that W Mina Seyahi is apparently moving towards allowing families. It was always clearly mentioned that it was over-16s only, and in true Dubai style, there’s very little documented official information to suggest anything has changed, but it could be worth keeping in mind if you’re looking at this property.

Comment

What intrigues me about this is that W Mina Seyahi has made a real push for marketing their ‘All Access’ All Inclusive package, and part of this included it being marketed as an ‘adults only’ property. Generally, W hotels are aimed more at party or adult crowds, especially their ‘Wet Decks’, so whether this new approach is a trial, or a change in approach, remains to be seen.

As always, a call to the hotel directly rather than listening to an agent (or other third parties) should always be the first step before booking, to avoid any disappointments.

🔗 Dubai Family Leisure Guide

TRAVEL OFFERS

Current American Express Offers, 70,000 MR Sign-up Bonus

There are a few current American Express (UK) Offers that may be of interest, such as:-

• Etihad - spend £750 or more, get £150 back (expires in 8 days)

• Delano and SO/ Hotels - spend £500 or more, get £150 back (exp 14 May 25)

• Virgin Atlantic - spend £2,000 or more, get £250 back (exp 31 Mar 25)

• Four Seasons - spend £750 or more, get £150 back (exp 07 Jul 25)

• Mandarin Oriental - spend £500 or more, get £100 back (exp 21 Apr 25)

• Luxury Escapes - spend £1,200 or more, get £150 back (exp 27 May 25)

• Pullman, Swissotel, Movenpick - spend £300 or more, get £75 back (exp 06 May 25)

• Viator - spend £200 or more, get £20 back up to two times (exp in 8 days)

• 25hours Hotels - spend £300 or more, get £75 back - (exp 06 May 25)

The current sign-up bonus of 55,000 bonus Membership Rewards points on the Platinum Card has been temporarily increased to 70,000 for new sign-ups. If you use my referral link below, I may also receive some points - thank you 👏

As always with credit cards, please ensure you can afford to use.

🔗 American Express Platinum - 70,000 bonus Membership Rewards (referral link)

ENTERTAINER

Entertainer Promo Code: 10% Discount On All Products

Reminder: 10% discount on all Entertainer products with discount code EDSD25*.

Disclosure: I’m an Affiliate for Entertainer, so if you purchase using Entertainer Promo Code EDSD25* , I may receive a commission at no further cost to you (so it’s a good way to support me/my work/this newsletter!).

🔗 How to use Entertainer Promo Code

🔗 Entertainer UAE (main site)

HOTEL OFFERS

Dis-Loyalty 35% Off Stays Until 26 March

I’ve mentioned Dis-Loyalty in previous editions, as it’s a paid membership programme for Ennismore hotels and can offer some tremendous value.

For example, the following Dubai hotels are available for 35% off 1-26 Mar 25.

• 25hours Hotel Dubai One Central

• SO/ Uptown Dubai

• SLS Dubai

• Hyde Dubai

(and many more around Europe, UK and worldwide)

🔗 Dis-Loyalty 35% Off Spring Sale

DUBAI NEWS/TITTLE-TATTLE

No Time To Dubai? Live and Let Deira? Licence to Karama?

Seems that Dubai is making a push to take over the James Bond mantle, of sorts. The developer behind the Heart of Europe resort on Dubai World Islands, Josef Kleindienst, has apparently challenged the trademark ownership of the James Bond name.

Comment

I think this is just spin, as Mr Kleindienst certainly likes getting his name in the local media. We often hear more from him in friendly articles than about his resorts and properties, so I think it’s more a case of a ‘Dr No’ on this one. 🔫 

Did you know Buddha Bar Dubai has been going for 20 years? Read how it keeps ‘owning the night’, according to its F&B Director.

UAE begins mapping corridors for air taxis and cargo drones (Reuters)

Abras are one of the most unique ways to see Dubai, and RTA Dubai has announced newly redesigned ‘fourth generation’ ones that can accommodate up to 24 passengers.

If you’re visiting Bur Dubai, here are a few restaurants worth checking out. Arabian Tea House especially 😉 

I once went to see Swedish House Mafia in Johannesburg, and was in the ‘V-VIP’ section with free drinks, cocktails etc. and got chatting to a nice chap. When I asked him if he was looking forward to watching SHM, he didn’t seem to know what to say. I didn’t realise until he took to the stage with his two mates, it had been Sebastian Ingrosso (of SHM) I’d been speaking with, so it’s good to see he’s managed to make a name for himself these days, as he’s headlining Soul Beach this Saturday 😄

Get free tickets to Dubai Fountain Boardwalk, Sky Views Observatory and Sky Slide if you book return flights with Emirates by 26 Feb 25, and fly before 29 Mar 25.