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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask why people like Dubai so much?

524 replies

moreyoudoknow · 15/06/2022 20:16

I know loads of people who now say it's their favourite holiday destination?

What's so lovely about it? Looks too hot to me? Can go above 45 weather wise!

I like the Canary Islands because the sun burns down but it has a cool breeze... a hidden gem if you hate sweltering heat

From pictures, it looks like a city like London that just has pools?

OP posts:
Fritilleries · 15/06/2022 20:19

It's an artificial, migrant built playground for the rich and vulgar.

josil · 15/06/2022 20:19

I've been, and I completely agree with you I was disappointed - I really was.

Mainly because yes the weather is too hot (even I love hot weather it was just beyond hot).

But the main issue for me was how pretentious it was, it really was - the designer goods etc was just distasteful.

mosesbassist · 15/06/2022 20:20

Built on slavery, grotesque place. Not in the least interested in going there.

SpeckledlyHen · 15/06/2022 20:27

I cannot understand in this day and age why anyone would want to go there. Their treatment of women is appalling. And basically they rely on slavery for all the building works for this made up "city".

traintraveller · 15/06/2022 20:31

FFS. This again.

ForestFae · 15/06/2022 20:33

Fritilleries · 15/06/2022 20:19

It's an artificial, migrant built playground for the rich and vulgar.

Agreed. I can’t think of somewhere I’d like to go less.

FrancescaContini · 15/06/2022 20:34

You couldn’t pay me to go there.

YingMei · 15/06/2022 20:36

To actually answer your question, people like it because the weather is good and the hotels are luxurious - there are many people who like both of these things.

MissAmbrosia · 15/06/2022 20:37

I can't imagine why anyone would want to go there. A theme park for the rich based on money from drugs and sex trafficking and built by slaves. It's totally fake.

Darbs76 · 15/06/2022 20:40

I didn’t like it at all, had a few conversations with the staff, treated appallingly. It’s a playground for the rich, staff shipped in for elsewhere, not even allowed in the shopping centres they built. Treated like crap. We had a hotel driver and we came to a standstill with another car. The driver got out, and aggressively told our driver he had to reverse as he was ‘a service worker’. That just about summed up the whole place to me. Never even seen workers treated so badly.

Too many tourists don’t look beneath the surface, think it’s an amazing place. Once she start to see these things, it’s so apparent and you can’t unsee it or enjoy it in the same way. A google will tell you many people feel the same.

A580Hojas · 15/06/2022 20:43

I don't think I've ever met or spoken to anyone who went to Dubai on holiday. Most people would avoid it like the plague. It's only a tiny subset of people (many of whom you seem to know OP) who would touch it with a bargepole.

TabithaTittlemouse · 15/06/2022 20:44

They like it because they are wannabe influencers.

whiteroseredrose · 15/06/2022 20:45

No idea.

To me it's like Las Vegas. Fancy hotels and sand.

I hated both!

Original poster
moreyoudoknow · 15/06/2022 20:45

YingMei · 15/06/2022 20:36

To actually answer your question, people like it because the weather is good and the hotels are luxurious - there are many people who like both of these things.

But it isn't good heat wise. Too hot. You have to be careful what time of year you attempt it, otherwise being out of air on will feel awful

OP posts:
Original poster
moreyoudoknow · 15/06/2022 20:47

A580Hojas · 15/06/2022 20:43

I don't think I've ever met or spoken to anyone who went to Dubai on holiday. Most people would avoid it like the plague. It's only a tiny subset of people (many of whom you seem to know OP) who would touch it with a bargepole.

I might know more people as I am quite young, so friends in mid twenties and young families who like going

OP posts:
littlepeas · 15/06/2022 20:49

I’ve been twice on a stopover. It’s horrible - so fake and vulgar. The first time we’d just been in South Africa, where we’d seen a lot of poverty, and it just felt grotesque.

HerRoyalNotness · 15/06/2022 20:49

I haven’t been in 20yrs (WTF?) but the appeal to me is that when a country/investors has so much money they can build what ever they want and I’m interested it what is built, the fantastic ideas that come from it.

another example is the city of Neom being built along the Red Sea. The scale and dream of it are unimaginable, I not only want to see it and I want to be part of the team that builds it.

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 15/06/2022 20:51

2 reasons:
guaranteed sun- although I wouldn’t go between June- September
the hotels, you don’t get a bad hotel in Dubai. The service, the rooms are all immense and made for comfort and luxury. I’ve been in a 5 star in Dubai and 5 star in Greece and it’s not comparable at all!

YingMei · 15/06/2022 20:52

Yeah it's too hot sometimes but a lot of the year the weather is lovely. I have lived in Dubai and was happy there

ShirleyPhallus · 15/06/2022 20:54

Lots of people go because it is guaranteed amazing service and guaranteed amazing weather. So many places across Europe, the Caribbean etc call themselves 5 star and they’re just not. Dubai caters for people who want zero hassle and maximum luxury and know exactly what they’re getting.

personally I wouldn’t go for ethical / moral reasons but I perfectly understand why other people like to go

Original poster
moreyoudoknow · 15/06/2022 20:56

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 15/06/2022 20:51

2 reasons:
guaranteed sun- although I wouldn’t go between June- September
the hotels, you don’t get a bad hotel in Dubai. The service, the rooms are all immense and made for comfort and luxury. I’ve been in a 5 star in Dubai and 5 star in Greece and it’s not comparable at all!

Is 5 star Dubai not cheaper than Greece?

For example I slum it in Turkey some years when I can afford to jet off Grin and their version of 4* stars is certainly not what 4* stars is in Spain for example

OP posts:
TinaYouFatLard · 15/06/2022 20:59

I guess you are all too high-brow to enjoy something so vulgar.

I love it there 😂

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 15/06/2022 20:59

moreyoudoknow · 15/06/2022 20:56

Is 5 star Dubai not cheaper than Greece?

For example I slum it in Turkey some years when I can afford to jet off Grin and their version of 4* stars is certainly not what 4* stars is in Spain for example

Show quote history

No! Used to pay around the same but actually Dubai has rocketed in price in recent years.
Lets be honest it’s a fav place for Towie kind of people- I’m not one but I just want luxury and sun on my holidays- the people on here who claim they wouldn’t go for ethical reasons are lying it’s snobbery, which is fine. Otherwise I can’t think of many places outside of Europe you’d ever visit for “ethical” reasons.

Ladywiddio · 15/06/2022 21:01

I have been and loved it.
Hotel was amazing.
Great shopping.
Hot.

The hugest plus for me was being able to walk around safely in the early hours of the morning,no drunks.We sat on the beach with mocktails,swam in the Arabian Sea,to me it was bliss as I don’t drink Alcohol,cannot stand drunks,there aren’t many holiday destinations like Dubai.

Carpy88999 · 15/06/2022 21:02

It's the Trafford Centre with the central heating turned up to the max