DESTINATIONS DUBAI | MIDDLE EAST & NORTH AFRICA
WHERE TO STAY
the spice shop will stay in my mind, proffering samples of saffron and cherry juice – but we escaped the heat by way of an abra (wooden water taxi) across the creek. We took refuge in the atmospheric Arabian Tea House, set in the Al Fahidi district. It’s a cool, stone-walled space that feels almost Mediterranean, with crisp blue-and-white furniture and a palapa (thatched) roof, where shafts of light streamed through as staff brought plates of samosas and saffron-infused rice.
FUTURE FOCUS After that, it was time to head beyond the present. The Museum of the Future is a refreshing architectural landmark among a city of skyscrapers, its distinctive silver oval structure adorned with Arabic calligraphy. As impressive inside as out, sensory exhibits
BOOK IT
Mercury Holidays offers a six-night stay at Th8 Palm Dubai Beach Resort in a Standard Deluxe Room, with breakfast, from £1,013 per person, based on two sharing, including flights from Heathrow departing December 5.
mercuryholidays.co.uk
Kuoni offers a five-night stay at the Grand Hyatt Dubai, with breakfast, from £1,379 per person based on two sharing, with flights from Gatwick departing November 3.
kuoni.co.uk
travelweekly.co.uk
transport visitors to the year 2071, including a digitally recreated Amazon rainforest. For impressive architecture, the jaw-dropping Burj Khalifa can’t fail to wow even the most blasé of visitors. Thousands of workers built this engineering marvel, currently the world’s tallest building at 828 metres. We sped our way up to the observation decks on the 124th and 148th floors at a heady 22mph.
Our last stop led us to Gerbou, a beautiful
restaurant with an LED-lit entrance located in the sleepy Nad Al Sheba suburb. Inside, wood and weavings keep things authentic, but the creations by Michelin-starred chef Ionel Catau are pushing the boundaries for modern Emirati cuisine. His finale was a dessert shaped like the restaurant, which provided a fitting end to our time in such an architecturally striking destination – and something for any age to enjoy.
TW
Grand Hyatt Dubai Overlooking Dubai Creek, the Grand Hyatt is notable for its 37-acre, grassy landscaped grounds. Later this year the space will transform into the Grand Hyatt Dubai Resort Waterpark, where 20,000sq m of fun-filled waterslides and the city’s largest urban beach will mean guests can enjoy the on-site attractions within 15 minutes of Dubai International airport. I loved the lower-ground-floor shopping and restaurant area, where giant palms and bridges over rivers create a nature-themed respite from the intense heat.
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Th8 Palm Dubai Beach Resort, Vignette Collection Th8 Palm Dubai Beach Resort sits on the Palm Jumeirah, with fashion-forward five-star nods to Miami and the art deco era, including shiny chevron monochrome floors, clean lines, curves and soft pastel shades. My suite had an open-plan, kitchen-dining-living space and balcony facing the Persian Gulf. The sophisticated look belies the hotel’s family-friendly elements – although the pizza oven shaped like a disco ball combines both – with a basketball court, kids’ play area, two infinity pools, sandy beach and cabana-clad beach club.
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