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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

April Family Holiday - Dubai

64 replies

BagGreen24 · 31/10/2025 15:58

We are a family of 5 looking for a 10 day holiday during the Easter holiday break April 2026. For the past few years we've been to the Canary Islands so would like to try something new. I don't think Spain or Greece will be warm enough for the type of beach holiday we want, and I don't want the swimming pools to be too cold to use.
DH suggested Dubai. It's never appealled to me for lots of reasons. Am I unreaonable to totally rule it out? Could anyone recommend a good hotel there or suggest any others suitable for a family of 5. We don't want two sepearte rooms.
Am I being unreasonable to totally rule Dubai out of a hotel search?

OP posts:
OhDear111 · 31/10/2025 17:59

No - not imaginative but it’s like a theme park! I’d rather see the world that’s not built in a desert. Most people just flop there.

@nixon1976 Morocco is a hive of modern slavery. No one looks at this assist of Morocco and LGBQ? No pda between anyone! It’s not the safest place to travel according to our government.

HalfasleepChrisintheMorning · 31/10/2025 18:04

Absolutely loved Le Royal Meridien in Dubai. 7 hours direct from Manchester and a fabulous hotel with great half board offering.
Alcohol is expensive.
There’s enough to do for a week- we did sunrise desert trip, Burj Khalifa, Museum of the Future, Aquaventure and a look at the Mall.

Office365Error · 31/10/2025 18:10

Ras al khaimah has some smashing hotels, mountains, beaches, desert. Very calm and like an hour and half from dubai for day trip. Also bit cheaper

Skyflyinghigh · 31/10/2025 18:41

I lived in UAE for a number of years. Abu Dhabi is quieter and nicer than Dubai. Weather is nice in April. Lots to do with the kids. Don’t dismiss it

Faith77 · 31/10/2025 19:12

If you want to make it more affordable, join one of the travel programmes everyone's raving about! That's what I did - saves a fortune!

Wellyoudidaskaboutit · 31/10/2025 19:19

If people are recommending Seaworld, you know it’s dire.

Deathinvegas · 31/10/2025 19:20

BagGreen24 · 31/10/2025 15:58

We are a family of 5 looking for a 10 day holiday during the Easter holiday break April 2026. For the past few years we've been to the Canary Islands so would like to try something new. I don't think Spain or Greece will be warm enough for the type of beach holiday we want, and I don't want the swimming pools to be too cold to use.
DH suggested Dubai. It's never appealled to me for lots of reasons. Am I unreaonable to totally rule it out? Could anyone recommend a good hotel there or suggest any others suitable for a family of 5. We don't want two sepearte rooms.
Am I being unreasonable to totally rule Dubai out of a hotel search?

I voted you were being unreasonable but I meant to vote your not being unreasonable. It’s a lot of money to spend on somewhere you don’t really want to go.

morbidd · 31/10/2025 19:22

Jesus haven’t you seen what is going on in Sudan? Do you not have any morals?

sugarandcyanide · 31/10/2025 19:45

I think 10 days is too long in Dubai. It's going to be expensive for 5 of you!

There is lots of stuff to do there with kids if you're willing to spend a lot but we felt that a lot of the free things to do are shopping related.

The marina is nice and the area around the Burj with the fountains.

I found it strange that apart from the beach it's very indoors focussed. It wasn't that hot when we went but parks were deserted and the streets were very quiet. No-one seems to do anything outside! I suppose it has to be that way because of the summer temperatures but it just felt odd to me.

SteakBakesAndHotTakes · 31/10/2025 20:08

Tacky tourist attractions built and maintained through slave labour, and rich men who pay to abuse women from poorer countries, to the point their behaviour is common slang. I wouldn't go there for anything.

MOMR1988 · 31/10/2025 20:16

I lived in Abu Dhabi for 7 years and would recommend going there over Dubai. Much more family orientated, closer together and loads to do. With the advantage of day tripping to Dubai with just an hours taxi ride. Beaches, boat trips, the grand mosque, emirates palace, the Louvre, water parks, Ferrari world, Warner Brothers theme park, yas marina, desert safaris, the corniche. Just so much to do.

Or as others have suggested, explore Oman as an option. Beautiful country, lovely locals and lots of culture, but on the quieter side.

PloddingAlong21 · 31/10/2025 20:18

All these people saying it’s awful and tacky, have you been? Or just judging from afar? Scratch the surface of most countries and you’ll see corruption and questionable morals. I imagine many of you wouldn’t travel to the US for moral reasons too.

Having said that it doesn’t appeal to me for various reasons but given Easter, we too have been considering it. We almost booked but just couldn’t justify the price. We are back to the drawing board and considering Cyprus instead. I used to live there as a small child so been there a number of times since, and it’s lovely.

Moveoverdarlin · 31/10/2025 20:20

Mumsnetters seem to hate Dubai. But for a family holiday in April it’s ideal. Not cheap though.

Zanatdy · 31/10/2025 20:22

I’d never return to Dubai, but plenty of people seem to enjoy it. For me, I couldn’t unsee the poor treatment of the staff who worked there, and it became more and more apparent each day.

minipie · 31/10/2025 20:26

How old are your kids?

If they are older primary or above then I’d suggest taking them to Vietnam, Costa Rica, South Africa… all good weather in April. Plenty of other options too.

If they are small I can understand wanting a fly and flop. Would echo the Muscat/Oman suggestion (although direct flights are thin on the ground) or Marrakech, there are some lovely hotels in the countryside near Marrakech and you can do day trips into the Medina, new town or Atlas mountains. Madeira is also usually good weather in April I believe.

Nothingfallingdowntoday · 31/10/2025 20:34

Hilton Doubletree at Jumeriah Beach is ideal. Apartment within a hotel with a 3 bedrooms and a living area was ideal for us 5.

Dubai is not my fav place but worth a visit and if you scrape under the surface of many places there are less desirable attributes so imho ignore the judgement

ElleEmDee · 31/10/2025 20:36

A friend just got back and loved it but said eating out was ridiculously expensive. She recommends getting half board if you can.

Themagicfarawaytreeismyfav · 31/10/2025 20:40

PloddingAlong21 · 31/10/2025 20:18

All these people saying it’s awful and tacky, have you been? Or just judging from afar? Scratch the surface of most countries and you’ll see corruption and questionable morals. I imagine many of you wouldn’t travel to the US for moral reasons too.

Having said that it doesn’t appeal to me for various reasons but given Easter, we too have been considering it. We almost booked but just couldn’t justify the price. We are back to the drawing board and considering Cyprus instead. I used to live there as a small child so been there a number of times since, and it’s lovely.

Edited

I go regularly for work and its every bit as awful and tacky as people are saying! It has a very “off” kind of vibe about it. People are polite and nice but its all very superficial and fake! The flights out there are full of rude chavs with money! OP think the sort of people who frequent Marbella…the only way is Essex type of people, drug dealers and their big lipped, big boobed, botoxed to within an inch of their lives girlfriends. Rude Russians and even ruder arabs! All treating the imported workforce like shit!

arcticpandas · 31/10/2025 20:42

PloddingAlong21 · 31/10/2025 20:18

All these people saying it’s awful and tacky, have you been? Or just judging from afar? Scratch the surface of most countries and you’ll see corruption and questionable morals. I imagine many of you wouldn’t travel to the US for moral reasons too.

Having said that it doesn’t appeal to me for various reasons but given Easter, we too have been considering it. We almost booked but just couldn’t justify the price. We are back to the drawing board and considering Cyprus instead. I used to live there as a small child so been there a number of times since, and it’s lovely.

Edited

Well, atleast in Dubai you don't have to scratch the surface to know it's dodgy, grim, misogynistic etc..

BCBird · 31/10/2025 20:45

I remember a work colleague telling me the weather was good and his kids could eat as much icecream as they liked. I remember thinking it was a long way to travel for that perk

OhDear111 · 31/10/2025 23:02

@PloddingAlong21 Yes. We’ve been. We did a few of the off site things recommended but I’ve done it once and I’ve no need to go back. We have done far more exciting holidays since that mean a lot more. Dubai is somewhat superficial. A bit like Disney. Neither suit us. There’s more to see and experience in the world.

Pippa12 · 31/10/2025 23:12

Have you considered Egypt? April will be lovely weather. You could stay in one of the (many!) large and luxurious hotels and ‘flop’, or travel and see the historical sights. We love it.

Do not go less than 4* tho and read the reviews very carefully. Many of them are written by staff themselves, if you read between the lines you can work out which are genuine.

Unexpectedlysinglemum · 31/10/2025 23:42

It’s great place for families - so so safe, clean, so much to do at different budgets

pumpkinscake · 31/10/2025 23:45

I can't imagine why anyone would ever go to Dubai. Regardless of weather or lovely hotels.

pumpkinscake · 31/10/2025 23:47

Moveoverdarlin · 31/10/2025 20:20

Mumsnetters seem to hate Dubai. But for a family holiday in April it’s ideal. Not cheap though.

They hate it for a reason