Dubai - why?

Having spent 4 days in Dubai last week I don't understand why anyone would go there through choice. It was not at all what I was expecting. It was hot (did expect that), humid and choking due to the fog/smog of dust that hung around. On the last day visibility was down to under a 1k. Couldn't see the Burg Al Arab from Sheik Zayeed Rd. The traffic is abysmal and driving standards are well... The shopping was no cheaper than here in Oz. And the airport, or should I say hostel dormitory - surely this can only get better when Emirates move terminals next month.

Chatting to people at work since I have been back and of those who have been no one would recommend it.

I was wondering what the attraction is for those who have been. What am I missing?

Rob I have not been. Your post though has confirmed all my fears and concerns about going. Have also heard the place is just full of WAGS and Z listers which turns me off immediately. Seems to me to be a bit like VEgas, the sort of place I could only personally go for 2 or 3 nights.

I guess it takes all sorts, some V-Flyers have loved their time in Dubai, I fly through 20 times a year and not once have I thought about staying for more than 2 hrs at the airport.

Speaking of the airport, why anyone thinks DXB is a good airport is beyond me, the mess, the chaos, the lack of organization, the heat (air conditioning working well anyone?), the EK lounges, the lack of gates (OK, to be dealt with but now months beyond schedule) are all dire! There are reasons why I use EK, but DXB is not one of them.

Hence Rob, I am 100% with you [y].

[quote]Originally posted by RobL
Having spent 4 days in Dubai last week I don't understand why anyone would go there through choice. It was not at all what I was expecting. It was hot (did expect that), humid and choking due to the fog/smog of dust that hung around. On the last day visibility was down to under a 1k. Couldn't see the Burg Al Arab from Sheik Zayeed Rd. The traffic is abysmal and driving standards are well... The shopping was no cheaper than here in Oz. And the airport, or should I say hostel dormitory - surely this can only get better when Emirates move terminals next month.

Chatting to people at work since I have been back and of those who have been no one would recommend it.

I was wondering what the attraction is for those who have been. What am I missing?


I think thats a little harsh in general, Dubai does have bad traffic but for most of us not working, waking up after rush hour[|)] is order of the day.
It is expensive and definately not for budgets but then thats common knowledge, if people consider that only rich live there, hotels like nowhere else on earth, the Palm, the Earth, Burj al arab, 32 malls in one city worlds largest snow dome, michelin 5 star restuarants on every corner, need i carry on.
Why would it be cheap!
Its an Urban legend about cheap products.
I think the confusement comes, because people talk about the gold and diamonds being cheap but thats only if you like that indian gold stuff 22cts, most northern europeans dont like it because its way too yellow.
Like anything work related your there to work and things look a lot different when not on holiday. But then every ones entitled to there opinion[y][y][y]

Another vote for why would you......
I have been both for lesuire and more recently for business (regional office is there). I came back and told Mrs F If I ever have a moment of weakness and say maybe it would be nice to live/work in Dubai just mention the word TRAFFIC to me.

But I have some expat colleagues who love it so.......

Iain

Personaly, I thought it was great.

But then again, we went from Airport to hotel and only ventured out of the hotel once, and that was to go to the Emirates Mall.

The break did what it said on the tin - great beach and pool holiday (Le Royal Meridien Beach and Spa). Service was first class - I believe that that is the case at all the hotels from what I have read.

Wouldn't want to travel about though - one huge building site.

[quote]Originally posted by spiceke
Personaly, I thought it was great.

The break did what it said on the tin - great beach and pool holiday (Le Royal Meridien Beach and Spa). Service was first class - I believe that that is the case at all the hotels from what I have read.

Ooh ooh[^] this hotel is great absolutely fantastic service, and it has to be said that the mexican restaurant onsite makes the best margaritas in the world, even better than when we are in Mexice![y]

cheers
alex

For a different opinion, I start a 3 year contract in Dubai from January.

We have visited twice this year and are aware of the pitfalls, but feel that our lives will improve from North London.

As a quick breakdown:

North London Dubai
Terrace house Beach apartment
High tax Tax free
Bad drivers/traffic Bad drivers/traffic

There is also a lot more to the UAE than just Dubai. I have many friends who are very happy out there.

JC

Originally posted by av_norw792

I think the confusement comes, because people talk about the gold and diamonds being cheap

Confusement? Is that from the George W Bush Dictionary? [;)]

I have friends who went last year for 10 days and are returning again this November. Not sure why. The lady in question likes oversize hotels and acres of shopping, so that might be part of it.

It's a certainment that it's not for me, that's for sure...

[mitchja]

I like Dubai, but it will be much much better in a few years when all the building work finishes (hasn't it all got to be finished by something like 2015 [:?])

I agree though about DXB - horrible airport and not a very nice welcome to Dubai.

Regards

Originally posted by mdvipond

Originally posted by av_norw792

I think the confusement comes, because people talk about the gold and diamonds being cheap

Confusement? Is that from the George W Bush Dictionary? [;)]

I just cut and pasted what scrooge said about Dubai![:o)][:o)]
I tend to use the telly tubbies edition[:p]

cheers
alex

Most building work should come online around 2012. I also think the new airport (Dubai World Central), which will be larger that LHR and ORD combined is scheduled to open in 2015.

[HighFlyer]

I think Dubai has a lot to offer for a short break for many people and that is part of the success. There is the whole Vegas element of over-the-topness and luxury hotels and lots of shopping, and the beaches, skiing and wild wadi parks provide a lot for families, and its all 6/7 hours away. However, there is also a great artificial feel which starts to strip away any sparkle. especially if you enjoy the culture of other countries. For a cheap break with guaranteed sun, i guess its a winner. Having been there a couple of times now, I'll happily not go back for a good while.

Thanks,
Sarah

I agree with a lot of the comments on here and still go because it's a relatively short trip for instant sunshine (except in the summer months) when it's instant smog.

The aiport is horrendous and the lounges are not much better but if transitting I usually pick a very short transit time minimising the time spent at DXB. I use Emirates as living in the Midlands it's easy to get to Birmingham airport and have the chauffeur drive option regardless of fare class in business which beats Virgin.

It's getting very WAGish at the moment and we tend to avoid the high end beach hotels and look at the high end city hotels instead which tends not to be full of football shirted brits.

I will still go for the convenient short break - finish work on Fri at 5 and on a plane at BHX at 9pm works very well, only having to take 1 working day off helps a lot.

I don't like yellow gold jewellery but have some great deals purchasing white gold and diamonds and will now not buy jewellery anywhere else, even though we live close to the jewellery quarter in Birmingham. The white gold and diamond bangle I bought has not gone dull at all in the 2 1/2 years I've had it and wear it regularly whereas white gold I've purchased in this country seems to lose its colour very quickly.

My advice just avoid the mainstream beach areas and things won't seem quite so quite like Disneyland which seems to be the way it's going from Jumeirah Beach to Jebel Ali.

I took my mother there 2 years ago. Good bits were the weather(very hot),service level and the Creek area. So so bits were the shopping (lots of malls but all in all pretty mainstream.)The bad bits were the traffic (abysmal), the beach (a glorified building site),my mother being propositioned by a gigolo(honestly),and the goldware is neither better crafted or cheaper IMHO.Throw in a mediocre meal at Verre and you'll see why I'm not desperate to return.

I am afraid that we have had two really good, short holidays there: firstly for our 10th wedding anniversary (Aug 2007), then again this year (Aug 2008). Don't know what that says about me... [:#]

Gauranteed heat and sunshine (even if sometimes it is hazy), very good hotels, excellent service (without people having their hands out all of the time, like the USA) and excellent food.

Stayed at the Ritz Carlton in 2007 - lovely hotel, but in the middle of the construction (doesn't really affect you in the hotel, but a pain getting in and out of the hotel). Stayed at the Dar Al Masyaf this year and that was even better: easy access to so many facilities and restaurants and away from the construction.

I am not into shopping, I just like luxury and good food - which Dubai delivers, although not cheaply... and their prices are going up too... [:0]

I think that Dubai is like everywhere else - not everywhere can suit everyone... BUT it would be a boring world if we all liked the same things... [;)]

Boo

I love Dubai but I expect it depends on your budget and thus where you stay. I did Barbados & Carriubean etc when it was fashionable (ie before it bacame naff) and hated it. Not for us.


I truly believe it depends on what you want - cheap shpping ? NoI can get every ingthing I need in London and can afford it, top hotels, winter sun and excellent food - yes DXB has it for me and at only a short flight. I stick to flying BA FIRST like others on here to avaid the Z'elebs and stay in a small hotel not pandering to there wants.

Each to their own but for a few long weekends in UK winter it suits us fine.

Enjoy,

Hackneyguy

[honey lamb]

I went to Dubai a couple of years ago and loved it, mainly, I think because it was so different. We stayed in Deira but at one stage I went to the building site - ooops, sorry the beach. However I am not really a beach person. We tried the skiing and poked around the Mall of the Emirates for those so-called bargains to be had only to find it was, as some one said, an urban myth. We loved the desert safari and the Gold Souk and Aer John golfed to his hearts content.

We went back again this year because Aer John needed a break and wanted guaranteed sunshine and golf. My impression this time round? If you are into sun-worshipping, are a beach person, a golfer or a shopper with the wherewithal to shop, it's great but after that....

I'm not sure I will be back again

Well all this has put my mind at rest...[:)]

Rather a split it would appear.

I wasn't trying to knock it per se but just trying to understand why people head there.
Before I went I hadn't heard any negatives so I was surprised that when I was asked what I thought of it no one disagreed with my opinions.

I wasn't in the market for shopping but had a walk around the Mall of the Emirates while a colleague went skiing - very bizarre concept (skiing in Dubai rather then skiing itself) - and whilst I wasn't expecting bargains in that environment I was still surprised about the prices. I do recall people saying Dubai was a good place to shop. But then with a huge ex-pat population being paid tax free, and rather well off nationals, I can understand it.

I can see they want to have a draw with the tourist market and yes they do have the weather and distance from the UK on their side - but then so did Benidorm a few years back[}:)]. Too many developments all competing to be bigger and brasher than the next. And all in a country where the national's lifestyle is at the opposite end of the spectrum to the lifestyle of those it is trying to attract.

And maybe because I was working, didn't see the touristy side to it - beaches. Although I did have a look around the Souks, Deira and Bur Dubai.

Having said all of the above - if we didn't travel, good or bad, we wouldn't gain the experiences with which our horizons are broadened.

It is somewhere I have always wanted to visit and will be going there for 5 days next week so i'll let you know what I think. For me the attraction is the shorter flight and the weather. All I am really interested in is doing very little in the sun so it seems perfect for me!

The overall feeling I had about Dubai was ambivalence. Probably because it's not anywhere near finished and, I'm sad to say, I can't get that excited about building sites. Sure, the weather was good, service levels were high and the area round the creek not quite as bad as further up the coast. But it is all rather tacky and some of it not very tastefully done. Traffic didn't seem any worse than some areas of London but what got me, and persuaded em to spend the last day firmly beside the hotel pool, was the queues to get a taxi to get anywhere.

Overall, what strikes me about all these so called 'shopping paradises' is how similar they are to our own high street (with the odd exception of names that have disappeared over here). I'm sure there are bargains to be had there but I couldn't immediately see where they were, it all seemed rather expensive to me. Having said that, I did get a bargain on vanilla and saffron so it wasn't a total loss.

I think I'll wait until they've finished most of the building (and the light railway system) before going back. In the meantime I'll stick to Barbados. [:)]