Eat Drink Stay Dubai Newsletter 79/w16

Hi Dubai friends,

Welcome to Week 16, Edition 79

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

🛂 FCDO (finally) confirms Visa On Arrival changes for UK citizens.

💸 Is All Inclusive a good deal in Dubai, or not?

📛 Another Metro station is renamed

🚅 Etihad Rail

🛍️ Mall of Emirates to expand into a wellness, cultural and events centre?

🤠 Win Cowboy Carter tickets with Marriott Bonvoy

👨‍✈️ Last Chance to get 30% off Etihad

Oh and Happy Easter if you celebrate it. BTW, if you value this newsletter and would like to kindly donate to my Easter Egg fund, please check out my Tip Jar.

Thanks for reading 👏 

Shaun

PS. You can always email me here also.

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

KNOW MORE ABOUT DUBAI

FCDO confirm UK Visa on Arrival changes for UAE

It’s taken a while for this to be officially confirmed, but the FCDO finally updated its Entry Requirements page for the UAE to state:-

I’m not sure why FCDO didn’t update their advice sooner, as this change has been effective on entry for a few months now - and I’ve referenced it a few times in previous editions 🤷‍♂️

I’m glad the author of this article seems to have realised Ras al Khaimah is not a “lesser-known UAE country” as earlier versions of it said just that. It’s actually more common than one may think for people to not understand that the UAE is the country, made up of seven emirates.

A quick intro to Dubai laws you need to know before travelling, according to The Independent. Hopefully, you’ll be reading FCDO also and my ‘3 golden rules’.

🔗 Foreign Travel Advice: United Arab Emirates

With the news GGICO Metro Station will be renamed Al Garhoud, it’s a timely reminder to double-check Dubai Metro station names as some sources online are not always up-to-date.

Metro station names are sometimes sponsored or company names, so there isn’t always an obvious reference to their area or location, and they do change now and again.

What’s even more confusing is there are a lot of ‘copycat’ websites for Dubai Metro, and not all will be updated.

ONE BIG DUBAI TIP

Is That All Inclusive Deal Truly Worth It?

This week’s tip is a simple one.

If you’re looking for an All Inclusive (AI) package in Dubai, manage expectations.

Dubai isn’t as ‘mature’ a destination for All Inclusive compared to say, Caribbean or Mediterranean. Abu Dhabi and Ras al-Khaimah are even less so than Dubai.

However, whilst AI is becoming more popular, and Dubai is always quick to develop to serve a niche, be aware there are effectively two types of AI locally.

‘True’ AI

A true AI resort is one which is intended to be ‘fully’ AI, ie all the guests are on a form of an AI package. This is always a safer bet for consistency of delivery, thus it’s easier to evaluate.

The ‘true’ AI resorts in Dubai I would consider to be :-

• Rixos The Palm

• Jebel Ali (JA) Resort (inc Palm Tree Court, Lakeview and JA Beach Hotel)

• Centrara Mirage Beach Resort Dubai

• Hotel Riu Dubai

Marketed AI

A marketed AI package is where a hotel offers an AI package, either directly or indirectly via agents, although at the hotel not all guests will be on AI.

Whilst at first glance these may seem the same, they’re actually not - and some of the differences are not always obvious, but can be biggies.

The most obvious difference is implementation. If a true AI resort offers one package, it’s consistent, simple and everyone understands the offering. It’s easier for staff as they know all the rules, and guests have clarity.

Just like Half Board, a hotel can have different packages sold by different sales channels, which can then bring confusion and variance. It’s not unusual for one group of guests to be on a different package than another group, and this brings complexity, especially when you add into the mix staff training and knowledge. This in turn brings a greater onus on scouring the small print to understand the rules, restrictions and the value proposition.

Then there is the case that different agents may not always be ‘up to speed’ on the latest offerings. For instance, Tui are relatively new to the UAE market so they’re not often as well informed as other agents may be.

To add further levels of complexity, some hotels such as JA may offer upsells for a more premium AI offering (e.g. “Ultra”), which may gives things like increased allowances, wider access or other benefits. At one point, one AI resort was offering three different AI packages for their property, so imagine how this may multiply out once you add in third party sales channels or agents!

Last but not least, things change. Especially from the hotel’s side. The reason they want to bring in AI is to widen their appeal to different niches and guest needs. It could be when they run the numbers, they then start ‘nickel and diming’ ie cutbacks and clawbacks to the packages if they’re losing money, so it’s the old ‘perceived vs received value’ situation.

Tips for AI in Dubai

Firstly, consider what your driver is in considering an AI package. Is it you’re trying to ‘drink back your value’ given the increased cost of alcohol in Dubai? Or are you a ‘foodie’ that just wants the widest options for dining? Or perhaps you don’t want to spend any local expenses on dining and drinking?

I mention this because some hotels are better than others for certain things. Riu for example, is a very mature brand in the Mediterranean and one could say, they’re a bit more ‘midscale’ than luxury by Dubai standards.

There’s a general feeling that the quality of food offering in Dubai resorts is higher than Caribbean or Mediterranean. Also, as the cost of alcohol is comparatively far more expensive, resorts are more likely to not to be as ‘free flowing’ as they may be in Mexico or similar. There’s often a reason why they bring some bottles out in buckets and make others less visible 🤣 

Any AI package, or any dining package for that matter, is always going to be a function of how well you understand the offering, and how well it is delivered. If you purchase a package without knowing what it offers, it could be the drinks package may only be ‘house’ (ie cheaper) drinks and then you have to pay an uplift for the premium drinks or cocktails. So then the received value is somewhat diminished.

Remember - some agents and sales channels rely on the fact that not everybody reads the small print or does their due diligence, and may try to appeal to those who just see ‘AI’ in the headline, assume it is a good value and then book.

Next, think about whether you want an easy time of things. If so, go for a ‘true’ AI property, simply because you will likely have more clarity on what the offerings are likely to be. What restaurants, what drinks, what supplements etc. - it’s just far clearer, as you have a baseline to work from. You don’t really want to be wandering around on holiday with scans of the package small print just in case you need to have a debate every time you’re ordering, do you?

This doesn’t mean marketed AI packages are not worth it - they can be. It’s just there could potentially be more hurdles.

When you have non-AI resorts such as the Mina Seyahi resorts turning to AI, then it’s all about the details AND if they are current, and if they stick to them when you stay there. I mention this because I recently saw someone who was booked to go on AI at Mina Seyahi, and the package brochure (linked here) seems comprehensive - but it was dated October 2023. Now it could be, that’s still the product they will be delivering on - but what if it’s not? Then there’s the W Mina Seyahi Marriott-sold “All Access” AI package, which may or may not be different in some ways (for example, if it’s only for W as opposed to all 3 properties).

Think of it as a multiplication - hotel x product x amount of different levels of AI package (ie uplifts) x sales channels x all the other variables, such as staff knowledge and training - and then think about the simpler choice of going to a ‘true’ AI hotel resorts which has a far more streamlined, uniform product and implementation.

Last but not least, there are more and more hotels now offering a ‘form’ of AI. It’s a good thing because it brings healthy competition, but just as some have misappropriated the term ‘Dine Around’, just be aware it puts far more onus on digging into the details of the offer to compare. As with Half Board, I would always recommend double-checking the specifics of any offer by CALLING the hotel and saying who you’re looking to book with, and ask any follow-on questions you may have, rather than just trusting whatever the agent may say

Comment

Hopefully, this doesn’t come across as being anti-AI. I’m not - all I’m trying to say is to know what you’re buying, put the legwork in and understand not all AI packages and resorts are equal in Dubai.

Whilst you may think that offer of not needing to spend your beer tokens in Dubai for a few drinks is a good one, how does the price compare? Generally speaking, with agents you’re not always getting the best price on the hotel element, so if you can get a feel for the uplift you may be paying to add Half Board, AI or any other package, you can then evaluate against the alternatives.

For instance, if all you’re after is chasing drinking premium brands all day, you may find somewhere like Atlantis Club Lounge is a more viable proposition, especially on the costs of the drinks. Or even, doing the old ‘Duty Free’ on arrival then buying your own locally to top up afterwards, which will almost always be cheaper (though perhaps less exciting).

The ‘elephant in the room’ with Dubai AI is that alcohol skews the costings, both from the value proposition to the guest and the costs to the hotel’s operations. This is why it’s almost a game for guests to seek value against what could be diminishing returns when hotels try to cut back, and just like any game, those that know the rules and the ‘gaps around the edges’ are the ones who win.

DUBAI NEWS

RTA have announced plans for a 1.4km bridge to connect World Islands to Bur Dubai.

Whilst Dubai does major projects brilliantly, it’s going to be interesting to see how this develops.

Majid al Futtaim have announced a $1.4 billion investment to develop Mall of Emirates.

In addition to retail space and 100 new stores, there’s also a plan to develop MOE as a wellness, events and cultural hub, given Dubai’s focus on tripling the contribution to GDP from the event/exhibitions management sector to $14.7 billion by 2033.

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This is a great first glimpse of what’s to come with the Etihad Rail project. This is a really ambitious project to develop rail connections throughout the UAE, and this journey was from Fujairah to Abu Dhabi.

At present, commercial and cargo trains are running and full passenger travel is still some way off, but it’s an exciting prospect, not least because the ambition could also see further development into other GCC countries.

🔗 Ethad Rail

Adidas have launched another local collaboration, following on from their Ravis trainers a few years ago. This time it’s to honour local tailors, with the Loomhood Collection.

FLIGHT DEALS

Last Chance for 30% Off Etihad Flights

Reminder than Etihad’s Summer Sale ends on 18 April, so be quick if you’re looking for a discount of up to 30%.

You may need to click about and change the Departure point, destination class etc., as some airports are far, far cheaper comparatively. Italy for instance, is often super-low pricing on Etihad. Don’t overlook using AUH as a hub for connecting onward either.

🔗 Etihad Summer Sale

DUBAI DEALS

My Picks from My Emirates Pass Summer 2025

Reminder to check out my explainer video on My Emirates Pass for Summer 2025 on YouTube.

If there’s a particular sort of content you’d like to see on there, do let me know.

LOYALTY PROGRAMS

Win Cowboy Carter Tour Packages With Marriott Bonvoy

If you’re a fan of Beyonce, you can enter Marriott Bonvoy’s sweepstakes to win tickets and packages for her Cowboy Carter tour in Atlanta, New York, London and Paris.

Whilst this isn’t exactly Dubai-centric, when I posted about Bonvoy offering similar sweepstakes for Taylor Swift it seemed popular, so this one may be too.

Marriott Bonvoy Moments are also worth checking out too, as you can use points to bid for special events - I tried for a recent one with Stanley Tucci but sadly, no dice.