Dubai or Abu Dhabi for a long weekend

[fanny paddery]

Have just moved back from Aus and have enough Qantas points left for first class return flights for the wife and I to Dubai. Wanting to go for a couple of nights next Feb and stay in a nice 5 star hotel. Don't need to go out and see too much as long as there is a nice pool/beach, spa for the wife and some nice places to eat or drink nearby.

was looking at staying in Dubai at maybe raffles, Versace, Anantara or Le Meridien. also wondering whether a club room is worth it? Can get a good deal on a club room at intercontinental festival city.

however, someone has suggested you can get a nicer 5 star hotel for a much better price in Abu Dhabi than Dubai. Looking at maybe the rosewood? Does anyone have any experience of either place, and any recommendations for hotels in either place?

 

thanks

fanny

[Mark Connolly]

If you have kids, you might be better in Abu Dhabi.

Kids TV in Dubai doesn't show the Flintstones, but Abu Dhabi do

[fanny paddery]

Christ I have missed posting on pie and bovril

[Mark Connolly]

I'd love to say I'm sorry, but I'm really not

[doulikefish]

Ritz Carlton in Abu Dhabi is pretty good stayed there a few times and it wasn't bank busting 

There's only 45 mins between them and  you will get a better deal in Abu Dhabi.  Taxis/Uber  are cheap so I would say just go for the best deal that suits and if the wife wants to be a tourist just grab an Uber anywhere but you can easily spend a day on Yas island with everything on offer there 

Edited May 13, 2021 by doulikefish

[Elixir]

Do wanna go to Dubai at some point - seems there's more to see/do there than Abu Dhabi? Also, surely need to go for like five nights rather than just two or three?

[Ekhibee88]

17 hours ago, Elixir said:

Do wanna go to Dubai at some point - seems there's more to see/do there than Abu Dhabi? Also, surely need to go for like five nights rather than just two or three?

I went in 2013 as a stopover on way back from China. Wasnt really my cup of tea, manmade and shopping. Good if you like shopping and luxury hotels.

[Hawk89]

Wondering if anyone has been out to Dubai recently? I'm travelling over to Nepal with work for a week or two early next year (Feb/Mar) and was looking at options for a stopover on the way home. Weighing up two very different options:  3 nights in Dubai with my feet up or 3 nights in Jordan (the country) with a trip down to Petra. Will be on my own and my wife has zero interest in Petra so it feels like a good opportunity to bounce in on the way back.

The main questions are: Is Dubai eye wateringly expensive or can it be done in a budget friendly way? I've had a look at hotels and they are very much on par price wise, just not sure about "living" costs whilst there. 

[arab_joe]

47 minutes ago, Hawk89 said:

Wondering if anyone has been out to Dubai recently?

I'm travelling over to Nepal with work for a week or two early next year (Feb/Mar) and was looking at options for a stopover on the way home. Weighing up two very different options:  3 nights in Dubai with my feet up or 3 nights in Jordan (the country) with a trip down to Petra. Will be on my own and my wife has zero interest in Petra so it feels like a good opportunity to bounce in on the way back.

The main questions are: Is Dubai eye wateringly expensive or can it be done in a budget friendly way? I've had a look at hotels and they are very much on par price wise, just not sure about "living" costs whilst there. 

You're right that Dubai and Petra are very different options - if you want actual culture etc. then Petra is by far the better option; if you want to sunbathe by the pool or go shopping (and not much else), then Dubai it is. 

There are now so many hotels in Dubai that there are always some offering a decent price, but the best ones on at the Madinat, Jumeirah Beach Residences, Palm Jumeirah etc. are still very expensive, as is eating out (unless you fancy food courts in the malls).

Abra rides at the Creek remain 1 Dirham per person per leg, the only bargain in the city.

[Mallo_Madrid]

On 23/11/2023 at 09:53, Hawk89 said:

Wondering if anyone has been out to Dubai recently? I'm travelling over to Nepal with work for a week or two early next year (Feb/Mar) and was looking at options for a stopover on the way home. Weighing up two very different options:  3 nights in Dubai with my feet up or 3 nights in Jordan (the country) with a trip down to Petra. Will be on my own and my wife has zero interest in Petra so it feels like a good opportunity to bounce in on the way back.

The main questions are: Is Dubai eye wateringly expensive or can it be done in a budget friendly way? I've had a look at hotels and they are very much on par price wise, just not sure about "living" costs whilst there. 

With Dubai it really depends what you're planning on doing. If its just a case of putting your feet up for three days, then of course it doesn't need to be expensive. There's plenty of activities that won't break the bank tough. 

23 hours ago, arab_joe said:

You're right that Dubai and Petra are very different options - if you want actual culture etc. then Petra is by far the better option; if you want to sunbathe by the pool or go shopping (and not much else), then Dubai it is. 

 

If by this you mean there's little to do in Dubai,  then your miles off the mark. There's endless activities.

[MONKMAN]

On 23/11/2023 at 09:53, Hawk89 said:

Wondering if anyone has been out to Dubai recently? I'm travelling over to Nepal with work for a week or two early next year (Feb/Mar) and was looking at options for a stopover on the way home. Weighing up two very different options:  3 nights in Dubai with my feet up or 3 nights in Jordan (the country) with a trip down to Petra. Will be on my own and my wife has zero interest in Petra so it feels like a good opportunity to bounce in on the way back.

The main questions are: Is Dubai eye wateringly expensive or can it be done in a budget friendly way? I've had a look at hotels and they are very much on par price wise, just not sure about "living" costs whilst there. 

I can't even describe how strongly I feel about this, go to Jordan. Petra and the Wadi Rum are incredible and literally bucket list destinations, whereas Dubai is full of wankers and is generally a rip off.  There's a strip of your usual 5 star hotels on the dead sea coast, Marriot, Hilton Kimpton etc that are perfect for a few days chill out as well as handy for getting to Petra.  

[arab_joe]

1 hour ago, Mallo_Madrid said:

If by this you mean there's little to do in Dubai,  then your miles off the mark. There's endless activities.

That is exactly what I was meaning - or at least, that there are relatively few things to do that are actually worth doing.

To each his own, clearly, but having lived in the region for 10+ years I would disagree that there are endless worthwhile things to do in Dubai.

26 minutes ago, MONKMAN said:

I can't even describe how strongly I feel about this, go to Jordan.

Petra and the Wadi Rum are incredible and literally bucket list destinations, whereas Dubai is full of wankers and is generally a rip off.  There's a strip of your usual 5 star hotels on the dead sea coast, Marriot, Hilton Kimpton etc that are perfect for a few days chill out as well as handy for getting to Petra.  

I couldn't have put it any better, to be honest.  And the bold bit is 100% true (myself excluded...).

[Hawk89]

Cheers for the steers above, when looking at dates for coming home it appears Emirates still do the layover option at no extra fee. Looks like Jordan would probably be the best fit then for being able to see something whilst also recharging the batteries. 

[2426255]

They aren't really very far apart so I stayed in Abu Dhabi when I went there as although not much to do it's relaxed and not 'put on' like Dubai and if for any reason I wanted to go to Dubai which there mostly wasn't then I'd just drive there. Dubai just isn't really my kind of place, it's hollow.