Eat Drink Stay Dubai Newsletter 91/w28

Hi Dubai friends,

Welcome to Week 28, Edition 91

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

📈 UAE All-Inclusive rises in popularity (and cost!)

🍺 Is this the cheapest pint in Dubai?

🏩 How to bag ‘free’ nights in Hilton luxury brands

💸 Do you need cash in Dubai?

🛬 Emirates Premium Economy now from Dublin

🎢 Yas Waterworld expands to include 20+

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

DUBAI NEWS

UAE in the Top 5 Countries for All Inclusive Holiday Searches

According to a recent report from Travel Supermarket, the UAE is the fourth most searched destination for All Inclusive holidays. Only Spain, Greece and Turkey have more searches and Portugal comes in at number five.

On top of that, UAE has seen the highest rise, from £1,210 in Aug 2024 up around 26% to £1,525. All destinations have increased in price.

Comment

Whilst I don’t normally pay much heed to these ‘reports’, as they’re often limited (at best) or biased (at worst), there are a few things to consider.

1. First and foremost, I’m not sure it’s a fair comparison, as UAE is not a true AI market. Even Dubai only has less than a handful of ‘true’ AI resorts, and Abu Dhabi much less. (True = resort is entirely All Inclusive, Marketed = only some guests may on AI packages, which can sometimes bring variation in implementation of benefits).

2. Cost of alcohol is massively disproportionate in Dubai, which may be a factor in searching (ie to seek more value) but given many of the resorts are a ‘marketed’ AI as opposed to ‘true’ AI, again I don’t feel it’s a fair comparison. Ultimately, I’d suggest it’s not about the amount of searches but the amount of satisfied and returning customers.

3. As mentioned in previous editions, the crux of assessing value of an AI holiday in Dubai is the specification and detail of the offer. Whilst there’s a push in some resorts eg the Mina Seyahi cluster who were offering a very attractive AI package, there’s always a potential risk going via an agent, selling-off site or aggregator that may not have the matched level of detail to assess the value proposition of the package. You could get lucky, you may not.

So if more people are searching, all I can hope is they follow the usual advice - shop around, compare like for like and ‘slice and dice’ the deal. I do understand the attraction/s of All Inclusive, but it’s just a bit perilous if one doesn’t ‘dig into the detail’.

I’ve seen complaints about hotels that aren’t even regarded as good Half Board options where guests have booked what they thought was a deal for ‘All Inclusive’. In cases like that, it sometimes can be a case of ‘buyer beware’ and managing expectations I’d suggest.

FOOD AND DRINK

Cheap Drinks: Check ‘The Spoons Index’!

What a great promotion this is!

Bla Bla Dubai have launched “The Spoons Index", where they will match the price of a pint in a particular UK Wetherspoons from 1000-1200 daily each week. For instance, this week it’s 19.01 AED and matched to the Catherine Wheel in Henley.

If you drop your hometown Wetherspoons in the comments on their Instagram post (below), if they pick yours then you drink on the house all day on Wed 16 July.

HOTEL OFFERS

How to Snag ‘Free’ Nights and Discounts With Hilton for Luxury

I often mention the benefits of ‘VIP/Preferred Partner Programmes’ because they’re well, just a terrific deal, especially if you like service uplifts and additional benefits (upgrades, dining credits, late check-out/early check-in, Manager’s welcome gifts/notes etc)

Hilton’s VIP/Preferred Partner Program used to be called Hilton Impressario, but last year it renamed to Hilton For Luxury. The brands included are Conrad, Waldorf Astoria, Signia and LXR - i.e. Hilton’s top-end luxury brands.

Whilst you will often pay a little more than the wholesale rates you find on OTAs such as Agoda and the like, you will be obtaining a much-elevated rate condition with benefits that won’t be available anywhere else.

One of the big attractions to the Hilton hotels on Hilton for Luxury is they will often offer rate conditions with either a decent discount or free nights, even on stays as short as 3 or 4 nights. The Middle East hotels below appear to all be Stay 4, Pay 3 apart from Waldorf Astoria Jerusalem which is 30% discount.

Here is the current list for Middle East hotels (the same deals apply to other regions such as Europe, Asia and the Americas):-

• Conrad Abu Dhabi Etihad Towers

• Conrad Dubai

• Waldorf Astoria DIFC

• Waldorf Astoria Palm Jumeirah

• Conrad Istanbul Bosphorus

• Waldorf Astoria Jerusalem

• Signia by Hilton Amman

• Waldorf Astoria Kuwait

• Waldorf Astoria Lusail, Doha

• Waldorf Astoria Jeddah Qasr al Sharq

Note - As these are exclusive rate conditions, they are not available for the public to book directly. You generally have to make an enquiry to an agent such as QX Travel and they will communicate directly with the hotel and confirm prices.

Alternatively, if you register your email address for free via Classic Travel* you will be able to see the pricing direct on their website.

🔗 Classic Travel*

ONE BIG DUBAI TIP

Cash in Dubai: Is It Needed? Where Best to Exchange?

Dubai plans to be one of the top cashless cities in the world by 2033, by way of the “Dubai Cashless Strategy”.

One of the initial aims of said strategy is an ambitious 90% of transactions to be made by cashless means by the end of 2026.

Dubai has a very strong fintech industry, along with big ambitions in the world of digital payments - such as Emirates recently announcing they are considering non-traditional methods of payments (I try to avoid using that C word).

Why I Still Carry Cash When Travelling

Since the pandemic, non-cash payments have stayed as the norm, although I’d argue there will always be a call for cash in Dubai - for certain things at least.

It’s only a personal view, but I never travel without some local currency as ‘walking around money’ on me for two main reasons :-

• whilst it may be unlikely, there’s always a chance digital payments may not work (either security breaches, technical issues, coverage etc.)

• tips and other small-scale payments. When making digital payments, the full tip amount doesn’t always make its way to those who you may intend it for, eg restaurant or hotel staff. At least if you give cash to a worker in Dubai, they will almost always get the full value of that note.

Dubai is underpinned by the tremendous hard work of people at relatively low levels and in very challenging conditions, where many make massive sacrificies. In many cases, their primary motivation is sending remittances home, so cash really does help them rather than card.

Whilst Dubai is still very card-friendly, even if I never end up touching the cash, it’s either there for another time or I can donate it as tips or to charity. Cash will always be king for those situations, whatever Dubai may think.

Exchange Rates: Why I Think They’re Often Pointless Comparing

There’s often a debate about if it’s best to exchange money at the airport, before you travel or on arrival - but I don’t think it’s a simple question to answer.

I’d go so far as to say, it may not even be worth answering especially if you are like me and favour convenience above many things 😁 

Let’s start with the obvious - if you try to change money at airports, you’ll hardly ever get competitive rates.

You can change money in three general ways - before you travel, at exchange houses around Dubai, or take your chance ‘on the streets’ in places like Deira. What the debate often doesn’t take into consideration though is time, convenience and hassle.

When you have established reputable exchange houses like Al Ansari all over Dubai, including most malls, the chances are you will have minimal time and transport costs should you need to exchange money. They will openly list on their websites and social media what the exchange rates are, and it will be a convenient, hassle-free transaction.

Similarly, in the UK and most other countries, you can order travel money and can get it delivered to your door via courier or to places like supermarkets or Post Offices.

Personally, I don’t bother comparing the rates from one supplier to the next, other than a very cursory look for a few moments. The gains are relatively small, plus there are often all sorts of add-ons and considerations to ponder such as minimum amounts, differing rates depending on the amount, postage/collection costs and the like.

And this is why I definitely don’t recommend the old “but if I go down to Deira, will I get a better rate” approach. For one, you may not need to even do that (more on this later) but even if you do need cash, the hassle and ‘all in costs’ may make it non-value-add.

You will likely need transport to get to Deira. You will spend time knocking around, haggling, wasting effort and the upside is negligible compared to risk and inconvenience.

Cards Can Bring Charges

If you’re intending using a card (credit, debit or otherwise) abroad, it’s not just the exchange rate you need to think about.

Depending on the type of card and the provider, there can often be fees attached on transactions, such as :-

• ATM fees - often levied by the bank providing the machine

• Card Overseas Use Fee - American Express, for instance, can add up to 3% on top of the transaction

• Foreign Exchange Fees - if you draw cash in local currency, you may face an ‘FX Fee’

• Interest - you may be charged interest on cash withdrawals from ATMs

• Weekend charges - some cards may charge higher amounts or additional fees at weekends

Should You Need Cash Locally, ATMs Can Be Your Friend

Dubai has a very good network of banks, but two things to bear in mind - your card provider and the ATM network.

Cards from certain financial providers work better with certain networks, so your card or bank may have an arrangement in place with certain local banks which may offer free or low charges. It’s worth checking this with your bank or provider before travel.

Just by going to the wrong bank or ATM, you could be adding on charges. If you have the right card, it can sometimes work out cheaper drawing cash on a card via an ATM rather than exchanging cash at an exchange house.

The Work of the Devil: Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC)

When it comes to paying by card abroad, have you ever been asked if you’d like to pay in your home currency (eg GBP if you’re from the UK)?

Hopefully, you know to say - NO. The reason is, if a merchant can use what they call ‘Dynamic Currency Conversion’ you could effectively be opening yourself up to being stiffed twice on the transaction :-

1. The card provider you use will have a set exchange rate between home and local currency, and it will always be tilted a little higher to benefit the card provider (compared to market rates).

2. If you take the transaction in local currency, you will only be charge that rate. Should you want the figure to be processed in your home currency, it will ADD another exchange/conversion rate ON TOP of the initial transaction, thereby giving two ‘bites of the cherry’ to the merchant and costing you even more.

So always ensure the currency transaction is shown in local currency, not your home currency, to avoid DCC and costing you a bit more.

How to Save on Exchange Rates

Banks set ‘interbank exchange rates’ which are currency exchange rates they work on when converting between themselves and another bank (ie the local bank/ATM and your home bank). However, when you approach an ATM or foreign exchange service in a bank, the rate they use will be less favourable than the interbank rate. And that’s before they add commissions or card-related charges.

One good way to try to beat exchange rates is to use cards that will use both no/low cost charges and interbank rates, such as Revolut, Monzo, Curve etc that are often known as ‘neo’ or ‘challenger’ bank cards. Chase is another option, in that they’re a US bank developing services in the UK including cash and savings accounts, and soon to launch a credit card.

I’ll cover these cards in more detail in a future edition, but essentially these are pre-paid cards, often Mastercard or Visa, that are often linked via an app as a ‘virtual’ bank. These are not traditional banks and don’t offer counter services, but you load a card with funds and then work via the app to spend or exchange.

They will often offer a tiered level of service, from free to paid, and the paid tiers will often offer higher amounts of withdrawals along with other benefits (insurance, collaborations with brands, less fees, discounts on lounge access etc).

The main advantage of these cards is that the exchange rate you use will be the interbank rate and thus far more favourable than your traditional bank or an exchange house. Providing you follow their preferred providers, you can also withdraw cash from ATMs for preferable fees, or even fee-free.

Conclusion

Whilst it’s a personal choice of course, I don’t think there’s ever a case for going 100% cash-free. There will always be a balance between if it’s needed, or possible to go cash-free, and whether it’s a good idea to.

I know people who go to Dubai or travel in general and never take local currency. Good for them.

They say ‘but we don’t need cash’ - and they may be right, but equally, they can’t say with 100% certainty they won’t ever need local cash; as that’s why there are rubbers on the end of pencils, right?

Conversely, our need for cash is reducing as time goes on, and it’s also not a great idea to have wallets stuffed full of notes when travelling, but it’s really a personal view and depends on things like convenience, how analytical you may be with rates, how much time you’re looking to spend comparing and most of all, what you would use that cash for.

Workers in Dubai don’t expect tips, but you can make a world of difference should you donate a little to them. Especially if it’s cash, and directly, because should you pay by centrally by card to the merchant, the amount the worker receives may be somewhat less than a direct cash tip.

EMIRATES

Have a guess which Emirates flight is its longest direct flight?

Flying 8,810 miles (14,180 km) daily on the four-class ‘Ultra Long Range’ 484-seater A380, it takes 15 hours and 45 minutes on the outbound leg and a whopping 17 hours on return to DXB.

It’s also the longest A380 route of any carrier in the world, and it’s also one of the ten longest direct commercial routes worldwide.

Find out here, along with the other four longest routes Emirates flies.

ICYMI: You can now fly Premium Economy on Emirates from Dublin (DUB) to Dubai International (DXB).

Flights started on 25 Jun using the retrofitted Boeing 777, with prices are approximately double the cost of Economy, going around €1350 or so return.

PS. I mention Dublin because it’s a departure point that can be attractive, as fares are often lower than ex-UK (e.g. no Air Passenger Duty) and ‘positioning’ flights are relatively cheap. On top of being an awesome city too of course!

ABU DHABI

Yas Waterworld, Yas Island has expanded to include an additional 20 rides, experiences and slides along with “Lost City”, which brings to the total to over 60.

🔗 Yas Waterworld