5 days in Dubai, no DC

[dailyfix]

Where would you stay if you like the beach? Where's the best place to find a good hotel deal?
Happy to do a bit of shopping but it's not very important. Any hot tips?
This is a snatched break with DH in November.

Any Dubai fans out there? TripAdvisor is a minefield, everyone loves everywhere! Jumeirah beach keeps cropping up.

Stayed at jumeriah beach in March for family holiday had amazing time. Although if going without kids would stay round at the medinat, hotels are mina a Salam or Al Qasr. Much more grown up, lots of bars & restaurants, just next door to the jumeriah beach so still can use water park. Amazing Mexican at the mina a Salam, great beach in front of all. Al Qasr has much better pool than mina. HTH!

Royal Mirage is lovely and pool is fantastic. Moroccan style restaurant was beautiful. We did a desert trip in 4x4 but shopping is the big thing there. We went for a week and found it rather boring!

Lovely thanks, Al Qasr and Royal Mirage both look great.
We're not big shoppers & like a quiet beach so might not be the ideal destination but for complicated reasons it's a cheap winter sun break.

We have just got back last night. Its our second visit.

We stayed at Le Meridien Mina Seyahi. Its near the Marina. Its got its own private beach as well.

There is also a tram stop literally outside the hotel which connects to the Metro so you can either get that or Taxi's really easily.

We picked this hotel again over the other bigger hotels as its smaller and really friendly.

for a bit of a feel of old Dubai take a taxi to the Dubai Museum, have a wonder round and then get an abra (you can share a public one or hire one just for yourselves) across the creek to the gold souk - which is amazing, you can also wander round the spice souk which smells delicious and the colours are incredible. There are 'gold souks' (newly built in the touristy/hotel parts of Dubai) but nothing beats the original.

The museum is interesting as it shows the remarkable growth of Dubai since the 1950's.

And if you are feeling a bit more adventurous you could get a taxi to the Blue Souk in Sharjah - you have to not mind people wanting to constantly drag you into their shop to buy a carpet but it's an interesting place.

Ravi's is a bit of an ex-pat institution - fabulous curries at ridiculously cheap prices but no booze as not licensed.

Weather will be fab in November so if you just want to sit on the beach it's a good time to go. Enjoy.

Loads of stuff to do. Shopping is not cheap and do not be persuaded otherwise. The malls are stunning to look at, the decoration, sculptures etc, if you ignore the shops. If you stay at the marina end you can take a water taxi up to the creek, cross the creek by abra and wander the ultra tacky gold souq. If you stay at JBH, Jumeriah Beach Hotel(over priced, small rooms) you can't walk anywhere really. If you stay in the Marina, the Walk, you can step out the hotel via the beach or the actual Walk. Loads of restaurants, shops, hotels, bars are in hotels. Deffo take a trip to Satwa and Karama.