Pinch me – I am going to Dubai in January!
I have nothing planned at all, so I really do need your help. Where should I go? Where should I stay? tips? suggestions? warnings? Help me please!!
First hotels. Two Nights. I have status. Hyatt Diamond, Hilton Gold, Club Carlson Gold. I don’t want to spend a fortune, But, as I’m traveling alone, I want a hotel I’ll feel safe and comfortable at. There are three Hyatts – a Park Hyatt, a Grand Hyatt and a Hyatt Regency. Also, there are some Club Carlsons. What do you suggest?
Tours, sightseeing, getting around?
Food and restaurants?
What must I splurge for, what can I miss?
Public transportation?
Safety?
Solo Female Travel?
Recreation? (I will be arriving in Dubai, just as the Dubai Marathon ends. But I couldn’t fit it in my schedule and I’m running the Louisiana Marathon 6 days prior to the Dubai Marathon).
Honestly, I had not in a million years dreamed I’d be visiting Dubai. It just wasn’t in my realm of thought. But then, I’ve heard talk from so many travelers, and then, there it was in front of me, at a special price, thanks to Wideroe Airlines. Well, I couldn’t resist. Life’s such a trip!!
A New York frequent flyer who elegantly combines her passions for worldwide travel, running a gazillion marathons all over the globe and staying fit ... without sacrificing her fancy for good wine and food.
I was there just about a month ago!
Solo female traveler – you’ll be fine.
Public transportation is pretty great. Super clean, nice, fast. Won’t get you everywhere but will probably get you close enough to anywhere you’ll want to go.
The Sheraton Diera was pretty nice, really good for plane spotting. Cash & points was pretty good value.
I’d definitely say go to the top of the Burj. Obviously the “touristy” thing to do, but it is the tallest building in the world!
are there any areas of dubai that are better to stay in than others?
Well I was only there for 2 nights and we stayed at the Sheraton Diera both nights. It was maybe 20 minutes to the city center including walking and subway, so not too bad, and there were a lot of markets and stuff nearby the hotel. If you stayed closer to the city center (for example I believe there is a hotel attached to both the Dubai Mall and the Mall of the Emirates) you would be a lot closer to all of the “big city” stuff, but I rather enjoyed being a bit on the outskirts.
Last year, I stayed at the Four Points Sheraton Sheikh Zayed Road (due to availability). It was a decent hotel at a good value but there are definitely nicer places to stay. For the value, probably not going to get better than a Radisson Blu since you will be there for two nights (I am at the Radisson Blu Downtown – right near the mall and the marathon start/finish). The JW Marquis Dubai is a fantastic looking hotel – also the world’s tallest hotel. Taxis aren’t bad and the metro line is pretty efficient.
If you want to check out the incredible water show at the Dubai Mall, you may want to stay someplace near there (it is at 8PM and 10PM if memory serves). Enjoy!
Park Hyatt is fantastic – no brainer decision there. Otherwise DXB is basically a glorified mall! 🙂 The gold and spice Souks are worth visiting, but other than that there is a lot of Western influence around DXB. Grab a car or driver and head to Abu Dhabi!
Charlie, what day are you checking out of the radisson?
We stayed at Park Hyatt very nice but pricey; stay at one of other hyatts with loung. Diamonds treated very well in UAE. Go to Burn Khalifa but get time reservation, also cheaper. To get there you go through Dubai Mall largest in world. We went to Burn before sunset then after stayed for free fountain show. A must do is dune bashing great fun and they pickup at hotel. It includes dinner and it is a big group so easy to mingle.
I’m checking out on the 25th.
I spent a few months in Dubai last year and loved it. Here are some recommendations:
– Abra ride: Take an Abra (small boat) across the creek. It’s cheap (1 AED?) and a unique experience with some beautiful views.
– Burj Kalifa/Dubai Mall/Dubai Fountain: Visit the mall and the Burj, the fountain runs periodically on a schedule. If you so choose to go up the Burj, you can save time and a few AED by reserving online. The tea service is also very nice and not a bad deal, but I believe you have to call for reservations. Try to arrive just before sunset to see day and night views of the city. Also, if you feel like watching the fountain for a few shows, the TGI Friday’s at the mall has a balcony vieacing the fountain.
Souls: The souks can be a little overwhelming and tourist oriented (“copy watches, copy bags!”) but are probably worth a visit. I personally enjoyed the spice souk and the gold soul more than the textile souk, but if you have extra time it’s worth a bus or taxi ride to the Sharjah Central Soul. Not as crazy and not as big, but you will get a good sense for a soul and see some crazy gold. Sharjah neighbors Dubai but is also more conservative, so it is paramount to be considerate of local modesty standards, etc.
I have to jet but will try to write more later!
Sorry, fat fingers on a tablet mean that “soul” = soul 🙂
Oh man… It’s actually autocorrecting “souk” to “soul” lol