To not get why people hate Dubai so much?

[Cutitup]

What is there to hate?

I think it's a great place to have a holiday. Great restaurants, great service, fab shopping and spa treatments.

I do understand the problems of domestic and construction staff being exploited but this is not a problem unique to Dubai. I just don't get the vitriol, the 'it has no culture' etc.. I say get out of the bitter farm and play with the hay!

And I also paid shitloads of tax as well.

If you genuinely think that then fair enough.

I disagree, I think it is hugely hypocritical.

You either have principles or you don't or at least you don't spout the principles that suit you to others, whilst disregarding those principles which don't fit your lifestyle.

Ah that's nice for you, best hope you don't have a disabled child like I did then, that can scupper things somewhat.

How do you know I don't? Because I don't live the same lifestyle that you do? Maybe access to safe and timely healthcare is more of an issue than you think. Just because I am rich doesn't mean I was born lucky.

You do have a disabled child then?

My child was born disabled, safe and timely healthcare wouldn't make any difference unless someone pioneers brain transplants.

I am truly sympathetic and I suppose it brings this down to how we all want to do what we believe is best for our families.
But I do want to add that writing off an entire country of people and thinking it is ok to slag them off is rascist and snobby. The only unpleasant and greedy people I ever met in Dubai were the leather faced alcoholic Brits.

Theodora, I have reported your posts as you seem to be making a very personal attack on amber leaf, who is entitled to her opinion. You on the other hand seem very defensive and desperate to justify stuff.

Bear, amber gets no choice at all in where the UK market sources it's cheap,clothing. NO CHOICE. Going to Dubai on the other hand involves plenty of free choice. I doubt anyone is forced there at gun point.

And you cannot compare Dubai with Bangladesh FFS.

Oh dear, another Dubai thread... If you have ever been to Dubai as a tourist at a so-called five star hotel, defending the place is utterly pointless, ladies (and gentlemen). As a tourist visiting Dubai for a week or two and not living here for more than a year, I would find this place abhorrent.
For the posters that got their opinions from ridiculous articles written in Vanity Fair, The Times or even BBC that sensationalise the whole place - please come and visit before you state your "I have read all these terrible things about Dubai so it must be true" opinions. You are no better than someone who has read a few articles from "The Week" and think they know what goes on in the Middle East.
I would not want to come to Dubai as a tourist unless you stay with someone who has not sold their soul to the devil named brunches and shopping and maids. They can show you real Dubai. Slave labour, you say? Have a look at Hong Kong, China, India not to name others. I cringe every time I fly Emirates into Dubai and that awful promotional advert appears and it's all apparently about five star hotels, cringe worthy desert trips, luxury shopping and yachts. I wish my life was like that (don't we all!) but, sadly it is not. Most us expats are hardworking people that budget every day for groceries (they are expensive here), electricity and water bills (about 400 pounds a month), rent and schooling (no wonderful local comprehensive for us as it does not exist).
If you come to Dubai as a tourist in the summer and then complain about the temperature, well, you are just silly. You should get your Lonely Planet out and read it. Between October and May it's lovely by the way. On another note, it's a lot cheaper flying from the UK to Dubai than other way around and we have to save all year to get to the UK For a few weeks in the summer to escape the heat (or anywhere else for that matter). That's why the OP can afford the spa treatments. I certainly could not.
Yes, Dubai has its drawbacks, but accusing the place you have never been to in such a vehement way is just ridiculous. Don't come here on holiday, but also do not express your opinions from reading a few articles.
Yes, it is crazy. Yes, it looks like it has been built on steroids. But to say that Dubai has no culture or identity... How many of you have been to a play, an art exhibition or a concert in the last month? I do it pretty much twice a week. In the UK, I did not.
And for those who will say, "why do you live there then? Come back here!" Well it's all about personal choice, isn't it. The same way that the OP likes coming to Dubai for holidays and the same way that I choose to live here so that my children know what a mosque is, learn bit of Arabic and meet so many wonderful people and cultures that choose to settle here which will make their lives more enriched than some Daily Mail readers on here.

Teapig has summarized the debate excellently.

Dubai is singled out for slating because it promotes itself aggressively as the perfect luxury tourist destination, blame-free bling shopping and spas, Sex and the City meets on-trend a la carte Islam-lite.

Bangladesh does not do this.

Spot on. Bear, I don't know what you think 'irony' means, but there is no irony in Amber stating her opinions about Dubai's tourist economy. As Portofino says, Amber gets no choice in how budget items are sourced and there is plenty of free choice in going to Dubai on holiday.

This thread has degenerated into Dubai-fans mocking someone for living on a low income. Which tells you a lot about them, and holidays in Dubai.

Not at all, just defending myself and others from unpleasant accusations. I am not in anyway attacking anyone, simply responding to hatred and vitriol. I don't care enough about this to attack anyone. MNers attack anyone who doesn't agree with the extreme views if the harpies. I will not be bullied. The way that an entire nation (indeed race) can be spoken about in such derogatory tones just because they are rich is completely unacceptable. If this were a thread about anywhere else you wouldn't have said some of the things on here.

Not mocking, simply reacting with equal tone. If you give it, learn to take it.

You are mocking her about her circumstances.

And care to point out what exactly Amber has said that is hate-filled or racist?

I can't see anything.

Haven't read whole thread but it's somewhere I'd like to visit, along with Maldives as my husband is a water engineer and seems to think that neither place will be around for many years to come!

All the terrible stuff aside it is a mean feat of engineering to build on what is essentially sand dunes, I especially fancy the 7 star hotel (being of the hospitality persuasion) but only for a one night stop over as I hate shopping!

I doubt I'll visit tho as husband is dead set against not from a moral stand point but more of a health and safety one!

I can't see anything hate filled from Amber. I can see other posts saying she is not allowed principles, or to dislike what Dubai stands for because she buys her pants in Primark, how very dare she? She should only be buying pants crotched from hair of ethically reared llamas within a 20 mile radius of her home before she allowed an actual opinion don't ya know?

I personally would live off the state rather than live in Dubai. At least the UK "mostly" treats its employees in a humane manner.

Babydubai - the China/India argument doesn't stand up because many of the local populace in these countries are very poor. The point people are making is that the local population in Dubai is seen to be rich but is reported to treat it's immigrant workers poorly when it could treat them much better. This shows a disdain for those workers from Asia they bring in to do the dirty work. People have every right to point the out and talk about it.

Would probably rather live in Dubai with a nice lifestyle and private education for my kids than off the state. Am not a martyr. I suspect many would as well if they actually had the chance.

Yes, just go to any hospital or hotel, the cleaners are all so happy, all are legal and have work permits and are treated to wonderful housing and pay. In Dorset where I worked, the cleaners used to sleep in the mortuary store in the basement.

So a bit like Dubai then?

Acceptable is it?

I have not seen workers treated that way here actually. But I actually do live in the Middle East so what would I know better than a lot of people who get their knowledge from reading the good old British newspapers

Well the link I posted earlier was from the Emirati Human Rights people. Presumably they know what they are talking about? I have not based my personal opinion on articles in the Daily Mail. You know nothing about me or any other person who has posted their opinion, but you we only have an opinion because we read a sad newspaper report one time. How patronising.

Yes, it's amazing what one can learn from Googling a subject. Getting a but bullish yourself now, shall I report you?