Eat Drink Stay Dubai Newsletter 98/w35

Hi Dubai friends,

Welcome to Week 35, Edition 98

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

❓Think about your WHY before booking travel.

🏩 Emirates Skywards + Marriott Bonvoy

⚠️ Entertainer 2025 warning

🥘 Hilton Dubai Jumeirah’s new F&B outlets.

⏺️ SO/ Uptown Dubai (not in Downtown!)

🚗 Hire a chauffeur to drive you home if you’ve had a tipple

📈 More Brits are going to Dubai (13%!)

🏨 Hotel Statistics worth knowing from H1 2025

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

Dubai Sees 13% Rise in UK Tourists in H1 (January to June) 2025

According to data published by the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), Dubai welcomed 9.88 million overnight visitors in H1 (January to June) 2025, a 6% Year-on-Year increase from 20204.

711,000 of these were from the UK, marking a 13% increase over the same period.

Hotel-wise, for the same H1 period :-

• average occupancy was 80.6% (a rise of 1.9%)

• average stay length was 3.71 nights

• Average Daily Rate was 584 AED (an increase of 5%)

• Revenue per Available Room (revPAR) was 471 AED (a rise of 7%)

• Total available rooms was 152,483 across 822 establishments

Reminder: it’s the last weekend of Dubai Summer Surprises, so it’s your final chance to grab discounts of up to 90% from brands such as Hugo Boss, DKNY, Armani, Balmain, Lululemon, All Saints and many, many more.

KNOW MORE ABOUT DUBAI

Dubai Delivers!

I recently suggested a few tips about food delivery in Dubai and to expand on that, proving that convenience is a commodity in Dubai, here are a few other things you can get delivered that are quite unique to Dubai.

Mobile doctors, pharmacists, IV drips on demand and even a chauffeur to drive your car home if you’ve had a few libations - Dubai delivers!

Here’s an interesting episode from The National’s Culture Bites, explaining how each of the seven Emirates got their names.

FOOD AND DRINK

Hilton Dubai Jumeirah’s New (And Renewed) F&B Outlets

Whilst it’s been closed for renovations over the Summer, Hilton Dubai Jumeirah have announced new dining concepts at three outlets :-

• Trader Vic’s will launch a new menu

• VERO Italian will reopen as Villa Verona

• In the lobby, Axis will be replaced by Taliah’s Cafe

Wavebreaker Beachside Restaurant and Oceana Kitchen are still currently closed.

This is a really good list of ‘vibey’ iconic Dubai restaurants from Time Out.

Often with these listicles, there may be 3 or 4 good entries and the majority are more middling, but with venues such as The MAINE, Maison Revka, Gaia, Zuma, Ling Ling, La Petite Maison, Mimi Kakushi and Miss Lily’s they’ve really made some superb choices.

You may or may not know this, but you can buy alcohol in Dubai and Abu Dhabi away from Duty Free, via merchants like African + Eastern (A+E) and MMI.

African + Eastern have something like 46 outlets across the UAE, including 35 in Dubai, and have recently launched a new online shopping platform.

Just be sure to :-

• be over the legal drinking age of 21.

• have your passport to hand when buying/ordering/receiving.

• ensure you only drink it in private. DO NOT drink in public.

As bonus, you can also use My Emirates Summer Pass for discounts until the end of September, and Entertainer for ‘Cheers’ (i.e. alcohol) Buy 1 Get 1 Free offers at MMI and African + Eastern.

🔗 African + Eastern

🔗 MMI Home Delivery

HOTEL TIPS

Under-the Radar Dubai Hotels: SO/ Uptown Dubai

I’ve mentioned Ennismore and their member program Dis-Loyalty a few times, as they’re ‘crushing it’ in Dubai with their lifestyle brands.

As an example, I’ll draw your attention to a hotel that you may not have heard of - SO/ Uptown Dubai. It’s an example of how you can find decent hotels away from the main touristy areas, and often for a far lower price point than you may expect.

It’s located just off First Al Khail Street, a little away from the South-East corner of Jumeirah Lakes Towers (JLT) and Jumeirah Islands.

Whilst it’s often at a competitive price point, Accor do a Best Price Guarantee that will offer 25% discount, and Dis-Loyalty have a current promotion for 35% discount for stays up to end of September.

As a bonus, here’s a lovely story about their Restaurant General Manager, Lora Gregorio, and her journey from hostess to GM in Dubai.

🔗 SO/ Uptown Dubai (Accor property page)

🔗 SO/ Uptown Dubai (Official Site)

ONE BIG DUBAI TIP

Think About Your WHY Before Booking Travel

When you’re planning travel, and booking in general, you need to know WHY you're booking a certain way, and what you may be conceding/gaining in doing so.

When anyone asks me to find or check a deal, or give advice about travel, this is often one of the first things I will ask them - as it’s pivotal in that it determines so much about what follows.

Think about a hotel or flight.

• Booking direct gives you several benefits - not least simplicity, peace of mind, communications etc.

• Booking via a third party, you're potentially sacrificing those things, because you're adding a layer (or more) to the equation.

• Someone booking a hotel via a wholesale/package travel agent should not expect the same benefits and experience, even in the same hotel, as a VIP/preferred partner programme such as Virtuoso. The latter will likely have paid a Best Available Rate on an elevated condition.

Prices may be higher or lower, but they may not be the only factor to note, and it may not even be a ‘like for like’ comparison.

If your ‘why’ for instance, is that you want to book a hotel package with flight, and have Half Board or a dining package, then you may not always be getting the best ‘pound for pound’ deal.

If your why is you want to get the absolute best price for every part of your travel plans, you may find better value ‘doing it yourself’, trying various tactics such as price drops and Best Rate Guarantees, but then it may cost you in time, research, learning etc.

Do Your ‘Due Diligence’ and Understand What You’re Buying

This is often why, sometimes, customers have a responsibility for the position they put themselves in, e.g. not doing due diligence on a travel provider, or not digging into the terms/conditions, because if they did, they may see why an operator works a certain way.

Travel agents often rely on external/third-party suppliers via a variety of business practices, and these may not always be as rigid, reliable, or trustworthy as others.

Price Point Alone Doesn’t Mean It’s a Great Deal

Some agents, to put it simply, offer a price and then hope suppliers can match to that to provide accommodation. Needless to say, if a hotel is getting 100 USD per room and then has a bulk inventory dump to a third-party supplier to boost occupancy, and they let rooms go for 50 USD, it's not reasonable nor realistic for guests on those bookings to expect the same as the ones paying 100 USD.

The thing is in this situation though :-

• Does the customer know they’re underpaying - and why - for that hotel room?

• If they are not aware of the price differential, should they temper expectations?

• If they don’t know all the details (e.g. room category, rate conditions, dining package restrictions and supplements etc.), how do they know what they’re buying?

As a real-life example, I once found a ‘mistake rate’ for Burj al Arab and when I offered it someone, I told them - manage your expectations accordingly, as there must be a reason it’s so cheap. Their viewpoint was, well it’s still the Burj al Arab, so they expect it to be the same as someone paying 1,000+ USD per night - when the rate was around $150.

My point is, if you’re paying something like 85% less than normal, is it reasonable and realistic to expect things to be not quite the same?

It’s the same as booking a Dubai hotel in the summer, during off-season. If you book a Half Board package offering 12 restaurants, and the price is 30% cheaper, would you be disappointed if 4 of those restaurants were closed and other operations e.g. pools and facilities were similarly reduced?

Sometimes Lower Than Normal Prices Don’t Mean It’s a Bad Deal

The converse is also true - I’ve booked hotels and travel packages, and the price point made me wary, so I managed my expectations and was pleasantly surprised when it all worked out swimmingly.

All we can do, after all, is to ‘prepare for the worst and hope for the best’.

Sometimes pricing glitches happen, and everything works out fine and normal, whereas other times, there may be reasons why pricing is so low. That’s why my point is - it’s still a gamble, hence managing expectations.

In the scheme of things, this may or may not be an issue - those paying cheap may not even notice their room allocation or service levels may be different. But if they do, you can be sure they expect service levels reflective of what the 'advertised' price point is rather than the amount paid. The bookings may be the same hotel, but the rate conditions and supply/provision may not be.

This can manifest itself in different ways :-

• If there’s an issue, they may push you to deal with your third-party provider rather than ‘in house’.

• When it comes to room allocations, they may save the better rooms for direct bookings, loyalty programme members or VIP/Preferred partner programmes or elevated rate conditions.

Bear This in Mind When It Comes to Online Reviews and Low Pricing

The reason for this ramble is that sometimes, the negative reviews and complaints one may see online is down to this.

People pay cut-price, or use cheap providers, and want the savings offered but don't want to accept their culpability and still expect full price service.

To be clear, there is a difference between a ‘good price’ or ‘good deal’ and a cut-price deal. Good price should equate to good value against a quantifiable metric (e.g. a ‘gettable’ price for a hotel or flight with clear rate/fare conditions), whereas cut-price is significantly lower than the ‘gettable’ or ‘going’ rates.

If you look at a hotel on Google Maps, you can search for your dates and it will list many providers. Look at the prices for the direct, big and reputable providers like HotelsCom, Agoda and BookingCom, and they will often be around the same amount.

Then there will be others, less well known providers, often underpricing and sometimes it may be they don't offer live confirmation, or are 'on request' - and then say they can't do that price. Many may call that a 'bait and switch'. This would be ‘cut price’ - i.e. you think you’re getting it lower price or a great deal, but in reality, it could cost you in other ways.

Why It Pays to Be Objective in Your Buying Decisions

Look at this from the hotel’s point of view - if a customer is paying more for a room, and someone via a third party booking is paying a super low price, who do you think they will be minded to look after better? There is just more goodwill on direct bookings, and less on under-priced third-party or wholesale bookings.

This is why I regularly comment about checking rate conditions, understanding the different business models and sales channels, and why perception can matter if you value service or benefits, such as with VIP/preferred partner programmes.

Because, it may not be the main reason why travel agents sometimes get pelters in online reviews, but there’s certainly a case that some customers don’t do their due diligence or understand the different booking models out there.

I’m afraid it has to be said, that occasionally, customers put too much trust in travel agents and don’t always understand things like terms and conditions, the business model that agent operates or (in the worst case) the restrictions of the package they book - until it’s too late and there are issues.

It could be something as simple as assuming all Half Board and dining packages are equal - they’re not - or there may be some operational shortfalls the agent didn’t tell them about (spoiler alert: it’s not always the agent’s job to check these things!).

Conclusion: How to Avoid Disappointment if You’re Wary About the Agent

There’s a reason I often will say things like ‘shop around’, know the ‘gettable price’, know how you want to book and similar.

The more your trust your agent to do your thinking for you, or if that deal seems too good to be true, the more potential you have for an issue.

Don’t let the agent tell you it’s a good deal, use data to know if it is or isn’t.

If the offer - be it a flight, hotel, package or whatever - lacks specificity and details (e.g. for a dining package, what restrictions there may be, how the package works etc. or if it’s a flight, what the fare basis is and what restrictions this may offer, then how do you know if that’s comparable and ‘worth it’?

Don’t rush into any booking, as if they have to rush you to book it, again - ask yourselves why. Once you’ve booked, if you do manage to find a better deal, is your money tied up, or will you lose a deposit, because then that deal may suddenly be a worse deal if you’ve lost money. Far better to not rush, and find the better deal in the first place. Agents, especially the wholesale and call centres, will often rely on ‘sell fast, sell many’ rather than taking time to ensure you’re totally happy and knowledgeable about your booking.

Just don’t forget, to get back to the original point, sometimes it’s not always the agents that are the bad guys, as sometimes it can be customers that either don’t know what they’ve booked, or have unreasonable expectations.

And this, dear reader, is why you should you exactly what you want, how you’re looking to book, and why, before even getting to choosing a travel agent or provider. IF you have data to support a ‘gettable’ price for your needs, you’re less likely to be ‘sold to’.

If in doubt, always come back to this :-

1. If this price that’s been offered seems lower than I’d expect, how can I ‘validate the offer’ to determine and compare it ‘like for like’?

2. If the provider hasn’t offered all information to compare and check, then maybe it’s not a deal after all?

3. Have I done all I reasonably can to check on my side - i.e. research the ‘gettable prices’, understand all the ‘small print and objectively measure what I’m booking?

When something seems too good to be true, it usually is.

LOYALTY PROGRAMMES

Explaining the Emirates/Marriott Bonvoy Preferred Partnership

I mentioned this in a previous edition, and was asked to expand on it, so here we are.

Marriott Bonvoy and Emirates, via their Skywards loyalty programme, have a “Preferred Partnership”, which allows members of one programme to earn and receive benefits via a reciprocal partnership with the other.

You need to be a member of both programmes, then link them via the appropriate pages (see links below).

• Marriott Bonvoy Ambassador Elite, Titanium Elite, Platinum Elite and Gold Elite members will earn 3 Marriott Bonvoy points for every $1 spent when flying Emirates along with their usual Skywards Miles.

• Marriott Bonvoy Ambassador Elite, Titanium Elite and Platinum Elite members will enjoy Priority Airport check in and boarding when flying with Emirates

• Emirates Skywards Platinum, Gold and Silver members will earn 1 Skywards Mile for every $1 spent on eligible stays at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy programme along with their usual Marriott Bonvoy points.

• Emirates Skywards Platinum and Gold members will enjoy late checkout, access to Elite check in and complimentary in room Wi‑Fi when staying at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy programme.

For example, if you’re spending $800 on an Emirates flight, you will receive 2,400 (3 x $800) Marriott Bonvoy points. For reference, you can pick up Marriott hotels from around 14,000 Bonvoy points - Aloft Palm Jumeirah can be around 22,000 per night.

Whilst it’s not a massive earning opportunity (in terms of points/miles) in and of itself, coupled with the right promotions and other strategies (e.g. dining out) it can all add up. Plus the in-airport benefits of priority check-in can be an advantage.

BTW, Buying Marriott Bonvoy points are on promotion (until 17 September) with up to a 40% bonus.

🔗 Marriott Bonvoy and Emirates partnership (Head for Points)

🔗 Emirates partners: Marriott Bonvoy (Emirates)

🔗 Marriott Bonvoy Preferred Partner: Emirates (Marriott Bonvoy)

DUBAI DEALS

Entertainer Promo Code: Use It or Lose it!

If you're planning to buy Entertainer 2025 this year, here are a few tips:

• The promo code EDSD25 still works and gives 10% off any Entertainer product (Dubai, Abu Dhabi, GCC, Singapore, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia).

• However, promo codes can stop working at any time, so don't wait too long to purchase.

• Around October each year, the next year's "Entertainer" book is usually launched with an "Early Bird" promotion - you get the last couple months of the current year "free" when you buy the new version in advance.

• There are often other limited-time promo codes available, but EDSD25 is the most reliable.

Let me know if you have any other questions!

🔗 Entertainer Promo Code 

🔗 Entertainer UAE Official Site