Eat Drink Stay Dubai Newsletter: Wk 44

The news worth knowing this week about Dubai

❤️‍🔥 My Emirates Pass is back! Discounts at many top Dubai & UAE venues

My Emirates Pass is back, from 01 Nov 23 to 31 Mar 24, for all Emirates passengers. Simply keep your boarding pass (paper) or a screenshot of it (recommended rather than relying on wallet/phone/app) along with your ID, and you’ll get discounts from 10-30% across heaps of venues around Dubai and UAE.

Basically, don’t book anywhere to visit unless you check this list first, as a lot of the ‘tourist traps’ and popular/good places are on it. Not least, MMI and Le Clos for the drinkers out there (did you know tourists can top up their Duty Free drinks by buying locally?)

Here’s a quick teaser list:

At The Top, Aquaventure, Arabian Adventures, Burj al Arab (Tour), City Sightseeing, IMG World of Adventures, Dubai Parks & Resorts, The View at The Palm, Wild Wadi, Xclusive Yachts.

156 bars and restaurants at Marriott properties (107 in Dubai), along with pools, bars and restaurants at other chains such as SLS, Grand Hyatt, Palazzo Versace and much more besides.

Click here for more info, inc list of the venues I’d recommend checking out 👇

My Emirates Pass: Emirates Boarding Pass Discounts around Dubai

🛬 Virgin Atlantic adds more flights to Dubai

As Virgin Atlantic are dropping Austin, they will reallocate Boeing 787-9s to 3 existing routes. One of which is the LHR-DXB route, which means they will increase from 4 times a week to daily from 26 Oct 24 through through to March 2025.

Here’s a bit of fluff about Dnata ‘welcoming’ Virgin Atlantic back to Dubai and more about the current service.

🏨 Limited Time Special Offer: Raffles Dubai

Following on from last week’s Special Offer for Marriott Palm Jumeirah, there’s another great deal cropped up, this time for Raffles Dubai (ie the pyramid near Wafi, not Raffles Palm Jumeirah).

Click here to get the offer 👉️ Raffles Dubai Special Offer

• Up to 55% discount

• Lounge access

• 20% food & beverage credit

• Spa credit

• Low season (Mar - Sep) bonus of nightly set menu dinner

• Hotel only or hotel & flights

• Early check-in or late check-out

• Up to 2 children stay free

• 3 to 15 nights, from £499

• Free cancellation

• Pay now, choose dates later

• Best Price Guarantee

Want more deals like this?

Would you be interested in a separate newsletter for Dubai Deals (eg flights, hotels, dining out, drinks etc.)?

Just click 👉 [email protected] to send an 📧 

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If so, would you consider buying me a ☕ (or other drink!)?

Click here 👉 Buy Me a Coffee with Ko-Fi

Cheers! 🍻

🚨 FCDO ‘Safety and Security’ Update for UAE

Last Sunday, the the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office sent an update for the UAE. Just to be clear - they’re not saying, don’t go to the UAE.

I don’t want to go too OTT on things like this, because … well, people tend to panic and lose their proverbial sheets, but it’s a balance between ‘knowing’ information and being able to handle information. This is why I’ve not mentioned the content directly… because sometimes people skim and skip ‘read’ & sometimes jump to the wrong conclusion.

Nobody has a 🔮 for these things, and there’s enough negativity on our timelines these days without me adding to it. With that said though, it’s good to keep aware of these things providing you understand the methodology behind the information and why it’s being put ‘out there’.

All I’d say is if you’re interested either read the official announcement or my comments on Trip Advisor’s UAE Forum here. It’s important to note though, this is an update on an existing security alert so do understand the point I’m making on the TA thread on the update rather than just reading the update in isolation.

PS. Even if you’re not 🇬🇧 it’s still worth signing up for FCDO foreign travel advice alerts for anywhere you’re interested in. Basically, when they warn against travel it’s important to know your travel insurance could be invalid.

❓️ Something to Ask You:

My aim with this newsletter is to make it the go-to weekly ‘quick hit’ for the best news worth knowing about Dubai.

To that end, how was this newsletter and the info it contained? What was good, not so good, or what would you like to see more of?

Or, have you any ideas what you’d like to know about Dubai that future issues that I could cover in future issues?

Or, what’s the one thing about Dubai that you could do with help with?

Do let me know please, I’m open too all advice, suggestions, complaints or whatever - just drop me an email on [email protected]

If this digest was of interest to you, or you’d like to show your support, please consider buying a coffee via the link below… cheers!