Eat Drink Stay Dubai Newsletter 74/w11

Hi Dubai friends,

Welcome to Week 11, Edition 74

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

🌙 Why you should try an Iftar, and which to choose

🍀 St Patrick’s Day in Dubai

🏨 Dubai is opening 5,300+ hotel rooms in 2025

🎭 Dubai’s comedy clubs

🧳 Storing luggage in Dubai

💳 The Abu Dhabi Pass - discounts, free SIM & more

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

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EAT

Dubai's Vibrant Iftars: A Cultural Feast Under the Stars

Iftars in Dubai are vibrant evening meals marking the end of the daily fast during Ramadan. Traditional Iftars often begin with dates and water, followed by a lavish spread of local and international dishes.

Tourists should try these Iftars to immerse themselves in Emirati culture and hospitality. Iftars are a unique opportunity to experience the city's festive atmosphere, enjoy diverse cuisine, and connect with locals. Attending an Iftar allows visitors to witness the spirit of Ramadan firsthand, making it a memorable part of any Dubai visit. Whether in a luxurious setting or a traditional tent, Iftars in Dubai are a must-try for anyone interested in exploring the city's rich cultural heritage.

Choosing which iftar to try can seem a little overwhelming due to so much choice, and the PRs are busy bees getting articles in local media. Asateer at Atlantis The Palm is perhaps one of the most popular. Ninive, Tagine, Majilis at Four Seasons Resort, Amassi at One&Only One Za’abeel, Jumeirah Beach Hotel’s Ramadan Garden are also good picks, but do check the below links for more.

🔗 Time Out’s Best Iftars for 2025

🔗 Visit Dubai’s best iftars and suhoor deals for Ramadan 2025

Revolver Dubai sounds an intriguing setup (“fire” & “high energy”) plus The Opus at Omniyat is a stunning piece of architecture worth a look. They do an Iftar too.

🔗 Revolver Dubai

Caviar Bars are available at the Plaza Premium Lounge in Dubai International Airport Terminal 3 and the Pearl Lounge at Zayed International Airport Terminal A.

DRINK

Where to Go for a Hooley on St Patrick’s Day/Weekend in Dubai

Quick answer is - the Irish Village. Hard to see past IV as it’s such a great venue and has terrific line-ups, especially on St Patrick’s Day.

Next up, check your nearest McGettigans - and not just on the 17th. They are doing a range of events and special offers, including brunches. The JLT branch even has a couple of ex-members of Westlife along for the ‘craic’.

Failing the above, check out these drinks offers and these cheapest pints.

Or, just check out Entertainer Cheers (click the link or

banner below and don’t forget the discount code EDSD25 for 10% off). Below is a screengrab from the app of all the ‘Pubs and Bars’ with two for one offers around Dubai Marina, or you can filter by ‘Cheers’ for the drinks-only offers.

🔗 Entertainer Promo Code EDSD25 for 10% off all products

STAY

Atlantis The Royal has a new General Manager and Senior Vice President, Olivier Bonard.

Dubai is the fourth-highest in the world for projected hotel room openings in 2025. Shanghai, New York and London are the top 3, with Dubai planning to open 5,344 new hotel rooms during 2025.

Jumeirah Mina Al Salam’s General Manager, Jaime Simpson, on seven lessons she’s learned about leadership and hospitality.

DUBAI

Comedy may not be the first thing on anyone’s mind when they visit Dubai, but there’s a superb local comedy scene that’s well worth checking out.

You don’t need to see the big stadium comedians all the time, do you?

A handy tip for those on layovers is storing luggage, and here’s how to do it at Abu Dhabi or Dubai airports. Or if you’re at Dubai Mall, check out their luggage concierge.

A new standalone Disney Store will open in Dubai Mall on 28 March, followed by one in Abu Dhabi’s Yas Mall.

Delano Dubai has launched a day pass for pool and beach access. Prices are 400/600 AED (weekday/weekend) with 50% of the fee redeemable for food and/or drink.

Ever wondered which Dubai beach clubs tend to be frequented by which celebrities?

If you’re ever in Wafi Mall, why try out Aya Universe? It’s not often on most people’s ‘to do’ list, but it is quite arty, unique and could be worth an hour of your time.

🔗 Aya Universe

This video on Instagram trailing Hans Zimmer’s Diamond in the Desert movie looks awesome. Interstellar + Expo City; what’s not to love?

The movie is Hans Zimmer and his friends recreating his movie soundtracks at different locations around Dubai, including Burj al Arab, the desert, Expo City, Coca Cola Arena etc.

hanszimmer

2M followers

View more on Instagram

🔗 Hans Zimmer: Diamond in the Desert

EMIRATES

Emirates have announced their retrofitted 777s will serve Stansted from May, with their “refreshed cabin and onboard experience”.

Emirates will spend around 5 billion dollars refitting 220 of its aircraft in order to sustain its network. Part of this is down to the airline not being optimistic about Boeing 777X deliveries in October of 2025, and doubts about future production deliveries.

Emirates and Etihad mark Ramadan with special service in lounges and onboard.

Hattam Mattar, the locally reknowned pitmaster, has struck a deal to serve his smoked meats in Emirates First and Business Class.

Save 25% on partner flights when using Emirates Skywards Miles.

ABU DHABI

Etihad Airways and Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) launched the new Abu Dhabi Pass at the recent ITB Berlin.

Benefits include:-

• free tourist SIM with 10GB data

• 24-hour unlimited access to hop on-hop off tourist bus

• unlimited access to public buses

• 15% discount at Qasr al Watan and Louvre Abu Dhabi

• special rates at Yas Island attractions

• deals at over 200 restaurants

• discounts on tours such as desert safaris