United Arab Emirates advice please.

Fruity1

Hi I'm searching for a holiday departing January 1st 2013 just for one week for 3 adults and 2 children. A friend has suggested we try UAE. We've never been before.
I've just had a little search on the net. Can anyone suggest companies they've used before and hotels they've enjoyed. Also I notice there don't seem to be many All inclusive. What kind of prices are drinks and meals out.

Many thanks for any advice.

Mr_Wang

Never flown there from the UK, but have stayed at the Raddison and Ibis, if you want exact hotels let me know I'm on the go at moment and would have to check.

Food drink is cheap/expensive as you wish. I.e depending on where you eat. Generally though not more expensive than the UK except alcohol which is around £7 a pint of lager.

My kids love the Emirates, we have been in August and September where daily highs were around fifty degrees and managed just fine.

Best piece of advice would be to ignore anyone who hasnt been. I saw a British woman get her boobs out on the beach to scare off a load of guys gawping at her (it worked) and have had to eat chicken behind ATMs on the sly in Ramadan. The Emirates is a welcoming country full of stunning Arab women and typical of Islam outside of the UK. I.e nothing like its in the UK.

Fab place, will be back there in July and September this year.

joaniemerc

I can recommend the Travel Forum on Dubai on Trip Advisor for all questions relating to Dubai. They are really friendly and helpful.

Going back for New Year on Boxing Day and can't wait. We've only been once before but so much we didn't get to see.

If you've got children (and even if you haven't) make sure you get yourself an Entertainer Book (Google it) - it's full of buy-one-get-one-free vouchers for restaurants/excursions/cafes/ice creams/childrens activities/waterparks. Costs about £50 but you will easily get your money back the first time you use it.

PS: we used Qatar Airways when we last went but via Doha (it was a good price and as we don't travel with our children any more indirect wasn't a problem) and stayed at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Sheikh Zayed Road - excellent location and 5 mins walk from a Metro shop (the Metro is brill and saves you a lot of money, although cabs are cheap, it all adds up). This year we've booked direct flights with Royal Brunei. They fly to Brunei but stop off in Dubai.

tdawber

It all depends on your budget!

UAE is great for family holidays there is so much to do, and Dubai is very family friendly. We went to Dubai last year and we are going again on Sunday. We will probably make it our summer holiday destination every year now.

I use booking.com to book a self catering apartment and skyscanner to book flights. We stayed in Bur Dubai area but be aware that Dubai is a large sprawling city and there are lots of areas.

I would recommend booking an apartment and going self catering as to buy food in supermarkets (Carrefour) is very cheap, we dont have many sit down meals as it is too expensive for us. We usually get takeaways from Carrefour and eat in our apartment.

I would reitterate buying an entertainer voucher book specially when there are 5 of you (bogof's tickets x3), you can sometimes get these off ebay for a good price, and reselling them is always worth it to recoup some money back.

I would recommend Wild Wadi Water Park for a family day out, Dubai Aquarium (in dubai mall) Ice Skating and a city coach tour.

Alcohol and drinking out is very expensive, if you want to buy alcohol i would recommend it be bought in the airport.

richardw

Fruity1 wrote: »

Hi I'm searching for a holiday departing January 1st 2013 just for one week for 3 adults and 2 children.

Perhaps compare any trip to the UAE with a trip to Sharm El Sheikh.

Doshwaster

UAE certainly isn't a budget destination (although there are ways to do it save some money - Apart from cutting down on the alcohol. taxis are very cheap and the huge shopping malls have extensive, and good value, food options) but if you can afford it then it's a fantastic place to visit with so much to see and do and to treat yourselves to a little luxury.

If you are looking at Dubai then Emirates often have some very good flight + hotel deals. Because of the building boom and recession, Dubai has an excess of 4* and 5* hotels and it's Emirates job to fly people in.

mancini601

We've been to Dubai several times now (5) and are going again in August. We use Virgin Holidays and fly Virgin Atlantic. We always stay in Jumeirah beach which isn't cheap but we like the area. Lots of restaurants from KFC to finer cuisine's.

We love it there. Yes it's hot (up to late forties/50 degrees sometimes) but when you are charging round the water parks etc it's fine and there is air conditioning everywhere.

If you want cheap meals, you can eat in the food courts in the malls such as Dubai Mall or Mall of the Emirates.

I really can't recommend Dubai enough. It is our summer destination every year. We went once for Christmas. Very bizarre....sitting on the beach in 30 degree heat on Christmas day! Still loved it though.

Taxi's are very cheap too. For us to go by Taxi from Jumeirah to The Mall of the Emirates etc is about £5 - £6.

Voyager2002

Personally, I would not choose to go on holiday in a region with very few signs of the past such as UAE. If you want comfortable accommodation and sunshine, check out Cape Verde (where your money would be far more appreciated) or the Canaries: alcohol would cost less while air fares and flight times would be a bit lower.

apples1

I would very much recommend Dubai. I have been to many places on holiday and Dubai is my favourite especially for a family holiday. Personally I wouldn't go in summer (too humid) but have been in Feb & Oct and it's heaven!

Let us know the sort of things you are after in a holiday and we could steer you to lovely hotels or fully serviced apartments (5 star standard with all the facilities of hotel but you get kitchen, sitting area, separate bedrooms etc). How old are the children and what you like or don't like in a holiday. If you are investigating Dubai I would also add another vote for the Dubai forum on trip advisor.

dickydonkin

Voyager2002 wrote: »

Personally, I would not choose to go on holiday in a region with very few signs of the past such as UAE. If you want comfortable accommodation and sunshine, check out Cape Verde (where your money would be far more appreciated) or the Canaries: alcohol would cost less while air fares and flight times would be a bit lower.

I agree that it is 'Westernised' with very little Arabian culture

Cheap it isn't - although fake and tacky items are in abundance.

I have been a few times before the crash and stayed in many of the hotels - but I certainly have no desire to visit anytime soon.

Yes - you can eat in the food courts in the malls to save a bit of cash - but again, I can do that in the Metro Centre in Gateshead!

I prefer to go where you can mingle with the locals, eat like and with the locals and enjoy the culture.

That's my preference - and I respect those who stay for longer -even a couple of weeks - but 3 or 4 days in Dubai is more that enough IMO.

Fruity1

Thank you all for your opinions we have already done Sharm and Cape Verde so we're looking at the possibility at somewhere different. I'm still searching at the minute but thank you all for your tips.