Sky High Dubai
Dubai has been scooping up all the travel awards for 2022, including the best destination for city lovers. Norah Casey explores the middle eastern mecca for shopping, sunshine and sky high living.
There is a lot to love about Dubai…and a lot to fear. I had never been prior to this trip and frankly it wasn’t on the bucket list. I had survived a decade of well-meaning friends bombarding me with tales of the awesome shopping, sumptuous hotels, the hedonistic lifestyle and what I can only categorise as the crazy stuff - ski slopes in shopping malls, camel races, ginormous man-made islands and sky high buildings. I felt I had been there many times over. The gloatagrams and bragging sessions from Dubai worshipers prepared me well.
While I knew with certainty I would find pleasure in much of what Dubai had to offer I also knew that I would have to confront one of the things I fear the most - heights. Yet here I was eagerly planning a trip to a city that is home to the tallest building in the world. And that’s because as well as tall buildings, Dubai has two things I love the most. The die-hard shopper in me over the years had begun to nudge Dubai up the list of must-see places. Also there was one thing guaranteed to draw me in – the sun! Given the choice I choose heat every time. I keep promising myself that one of these years I will say yes to the constant nagging for a skiing trip, but long Irish winters take their toll and the guarantee of sun filled days and cloudless skies is way too appealing. So in the interests of finally seeing Dubai, and experiencing all that shopping and sunshine, I was willing to confront the vertigo (or at the very least ignore it).
Fearless & Fun
Nothing could have prepared us for the spectacle. Dubai is quite frankly, a bit of a show-off. As we drove through the city we squinted upwards as chrome and glass flashed in the hot June sun while outdoing each other trying to spot the weirdest gravity defying shapes, some leaning precariously to one side, others swirled and swivelled and stretched to unimaginable heights. You’d swear we’d never been out of Ireland and worse we were at some points nudging the driver to have a look – and he lived there. Dubai is futuristic and flashy but it also has something that I have only experienced in a few cities. It has a palpable energy…the same frisson is in the DNA of cities like London, New York, Hong Kong and more noticeable in Shanghai than almost anywhere else I have been. And here it was, unexpectedly, in Dubai – fast-moving, fearless, exciting and fun. We couldn’t wait to get to know it better.
The making of Dubai
Dubai lies directly within the Arabian Desert and is one of the seven Emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates – it’s the largest by population and on the south east coast of the Arabic Gulf. Its location ensured that since the 20th century it grew as an important trading port with an economy built on the oil industry.
The hub of the Arabian Gulf region Dubai has been transformed over the past two decades into a cosmopolitan city of over 3.3 million people. In 1990 it had only a single skyscraper and was on the edge of a desert. Now there are over 215 including the tallest building in the world, Burj Kahalifa, and the planet’s most luxurious hotel – the 7 star Burj Al Arab. Tourism and trade has replaced oil in economic importance so this is a city out to impress and wow visitors. It’s home to hordes of expats – in fact only 15% of the population are locals. Good education and health care, no tax on income, low crime, modern infrastructure, constant sunshine, I think you can see the appeal. Dubai unsurprisingly has been rated one of the best places to live in the Middle East. It has also been grabbing the world’s attention through ambitious construction projects – skyscrapers, man-made islands, the largest shopping malls in the world and gilded luxurious hotels.
Splendid Stay
We were staying in the Jumeirah Zabeel Saray which is located on one of the world’s largest artificial islands – the Palm Jumeirah. This was my first stay on a man made archipelago. Shaped like a palm tree with trunk and fronds the total area is the size of 800 football pitches. An artificial reef (and an attraction for divers) was created by sinking two F-100 Super Sabre fighter jets near the island. The Cunard Line sold the Queen Elizabeth 2 for $100m to be used as the first and only floating hotel, now permanently docked in the new marina at Dubai’s Port Rashid.
As the car drove up to the imposing façade of the Jumeirah Zabeel Saray- think magnificent, gilded palace from the Ottoman Empire – we tried hard to appear nonchalant at the gob-smacking splendour of the hotel. The interior is opulent with no expense spared, gold leaf pillars, enormous crystal chandeliers, gilded mirrors, marble tiles and silk brocades adorn the cavernous public spaces.
Celebrity Spotting
Part of the appeal to the son was the star quality of some of the previous guests. Tom Cruise filmed part of Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol in Dubai. Remember the scene when Cruise - aka superspy Ethan Hunt, complete with goggles and gloves, hangs out of the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa (it has 164 floors - I could hardly watch!). He also filmed and stayed in the Zabeel Saray declaring that it had an ‘elegance and beauty on camera’. So while I had no interest in following in his footsteps in visiting the Burj Khalifa I had a definite interest in experiencing a hotel that had caught the attention of a man who’s films tend to gross over €100 million.
The hotel also has some other celebrity fans – actors John Travolta and Uma Thurman have stayed and it hosted a segment of The X Factor when judge Nicole Scherzinger and her guest judge Ne-Yo stayed at the resort (part of the judges houses element). TV presenter Dermot O’Leary was a guest and they filmed various scenes for the show. Dara was far more impressed with the news that comedian Al Murray also stayed – although the hotel is the furthest you can get from a British pub.
Luxurious
I was assured that it wasn’t big by Dubai standards but it felt pretty imposing to me. Of the 400 or so rooms some 38 of them are Royal Residences, majestic villas surrounded by a private lagoon. One was to be our home for five days. These stunning villas are beautifully appointed and fit for a sultan. Ours had four bedrooms, two terraces, access to a private beach, personal butler service, plush bathrooms…they were beyond luxurious. At the end of the first day we felt we might never leave. Dara was in heaven – PS3, Xbox, Nintendo – everything his heart desired (and unfortunately none of them involved shopping with his mother!). A favourite pastime for both of us was diving from the sitting room into the glorious waters of the lagoon at regular intervals as the temperature soared. One of the hotel’s best assets – the Talise Ottoman Spa, is almost certainly one of the largest and most opulent in the Emirates. I opted for the Royal Ottoman treatment and spent a blissful hour in the splendid Turkish Hamman.
Getting There
The big advantage of Dubai is that you can fly direct to Dubai from Dublin and I’ve done enough of the Paris/London/Schiphol stopovers to know how blissful it is to put your bags on at Dublin and settle yourself for a nonstop flight. We flew with Emirates (emirates.com) and in under eight hours we arrived in sky high Dubai.
There’s a lot to love about Dubai – it was an exhilarating few days and I wish we had stayed longer and planned more excursions. Ladies… be warned, the shopping malls here are gigantic – comfortable shoes and no time constraints required. Enjoy.
Dubai Attractions
Wild Wadi Waterpark: Located in front of the stunning Burj Al Arab, this outdoor park is themed around the tale of Juha, a well known character from Arabian Folklore. Rip roaring rides include: Tantrum Alley, the artificial surf ride Wipeout and Riptide and the ultimate Wipeout Flowrider. With 30 different water attractions, including the 32 meters high Jumeirah Sceirah slide, and the 18 meters high waterfall this is a whole day activity. jumeirah.com
Dubai Museum Al Fahidi Fort (opposite the Grand Mosque, Al Fahidi Street): Built in 1787 the Al Fahidi Fort is the oldest existing building in Dubai. Its colourful life size dioramas vividly depict everyday life in the days before the discovery of oil. Galleries recreate scenes from the Creek, traditional Arab houses, mosques, the souk, date farms and desert and marine life. One of the more spectacular exhibits portrays pearl diving, including sets of pearl merchants’ weights, scales and sieves. visitdubai.com
Kidzania (The Dubai Mall): This is an innovative play space, a 7000 square foot replica of a real city, where children between the ages of four and twelve get to mimic and role play over 70 real life jobs, like being a firefighter, police officer or doctor, in a realistic setting. This is a great respite activity for kids while mums get to shop at the mall. kidzania.com
Museum of the Future (Sheikh Zayed Road, Trade Centre): This ‘living museum’ explores futuristic and innovative ideologies and technologies and how society might evolve in areas like space travel, climate change and ecology. Well worth a visit for the immersive experiences and stunning design. museumofthefuture.ae
Dubai Creek: Dubai owes its very existence to this seawater creek which flows between Deira and Bur Dubai in the historic centre. Take one of the many abra (wooden water taxis) which ferry passengers between the old souks of Deira on the north-eastern bank and the beautiful temples and historic buildings of Bur Dubai on the southwestern bank.
Dubai from the sky: Enjoy a birds eye view of Dubai’s stunning skyline from a seaplane with the added bonus of a water take-off and landing. This vista of this unique city of incredible man-made structures is something to behold from the air. seawings.ae
Ski Dubai (Mall of the Emirates): Yes this is a ski slope in a shopping mall, complete with 6,000 tons of snow. So Dubai delivers sunshine and snow. Guests can learn how to ski or improve their skills with qualified instructors. or just practice jumps and ramps in the freestyle zone. You can even visit the resident colony of Gentoo and King Penguins with a ‘March of the Penguins’ several times a day. skidxb.com
Eating Out
Al Muntaha Burj Al Arab: One of the highlights was eating in Al Muntaha, the restaurant at the top of the iconic 7 star Burj Al Arab. The hotel is not open to the public and even with a dinner reservation access is only granted 30 minutes before your appointed dining time. This was a big splash out for the two of us and one off experience. Was it worth it? Yes – without a doubt. The view was incredible – inside and out – it had a big wow factor. The food was great but really played second fiddle to the vista of Dubai lit up at night. Try the Hand Cut Wagyu Beef Tartare or Cote de Boeuf - both spectacular but not cheap! There is a strict dress code - men must wear a jacket and collared shirt (no trainers), women - dresses or trousers. jumeirah.com
Bu Qtair: No frills, hole in the wall fish shack at Fishing Harbour 2, famous in Dubai for the best fish – be prepared to queue for a table. Bu Qtair specialises in pomfret, snapper and shrimps, in colder months KingFish is included on the menu. House favourites include fried shrimps marinated in salt, turmeric and a ‘secret’ ingredient which Moosa, the owner, is hesitant to share. Try the spicy Fish Curry prepared in Malabari (Keralite) style with fresh sardines and Coconut Milk.
Baker & Spice (Dubai Mall): This popular restaurant serves Modern European food with Middle Eastern influences at three locations in Dubai, Marina Promenade, Souk Al Bahar and Dukkan Al Manzil (Downtown Dubai). The food is local, organic, home-made and delicious. Best for fish, poultry and vegetarian. bakerandspiceme.com
Dining at Jumeirah Zabeel Saray: We enjoyed beautiful Lebanese dishes at Al Nafoorah – a real first for us and we both loved it. Try the traditional shawarma and mixed meat grills. Mornings were regal in the gilded column setting of Imperium with stunning sea views. I had dinner with a friend one evening at Vôi, a fusion of French and Vietnamese cuisine which was a totally different dining experience – if you only have one meal here then have it at Vôi. jumeirah.com
McGettigans (Jumeriah Lake Towers): There’s no getting away from an Irish themed gastro pub and this one serves some nice traditional Irish with a modern twist. If you want a taste of home try the Irish stew, boiled bacon or Atlantic salmon. mcgettigansdubai.com
La Petite Maison (Dubai International Financial Centre): Marinated beetroot, Carpaccio de Coquille St. Jacques and many other French favourites are served up at La Petite Maison. Definitely worth a visit. lpmdubai.ae
Comptoir 102 (Jumeirah Road): Sustainable and healthy food served up in a boho café within a concept lifestyle store selling home and fashion accessories. Deliciously wholesome and great for browsing. comptoir102.com
Buddha-Bar (Grosvenor House Dubai Marina): One of the largest Buddha-Bars worldwide, this two-storied restaurant serves up Asian cuisine including superb Japanese sushi, try the Seventh Heaven Brunch for daytime dining. The interior is dominated by a giant-sized gold buddha overseeing a sumptuous dining room with red and gold chandeliers. The top-floor panorama views, guest DJs and great cocktails make it a great night time spot for drinks. buddhabar.com
For Drinks: Try chic and buzy Cin Cin at Fairmont Dubai for a great wine list with over 350 international labels and 35 wines available by the glass (fairmont.com). Rooftop Bar at the Royal Mirage Dubai is a great spot for pre-dinner drinks with dramatic views (oneandonlyresorts.com). The cool contemporary Voda Bar at the Jemeirah Zareeb Saray is perfect for cocktails at any hour - with some great mixologists ready to perform (jumeirah.com).