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Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Original poster

Dubai or Abu Dhabi

117 replies

HalfasleepChrisintheMorning · 09/05/2023 07:38

Anyone been? Any hotel recommendations?
Thinking of a week from Manchester in October.
( I’m hoping not to have to discuss the politics!)

OP posts:
PerryMenno · 10/05/2023 19:57

BillyNoM8s · 10/05/2023 19:41

You'd have to ask the people of Palestine if Israel is an ethical alternative. I think I'd land on the "no" side, personally.

Yes! I can't believe it was suggested in a conversation about ethical travel.

RedFloweringGum · 10/05/2023 19:57

Dubai is the new Blackpool. HTH

Crikeyalmighty · 10/05/2023 20:00

@wistfullyfocused I think I went to their bar- gorgeous place with amazing ceiling and lots of beaded sparkly cushions if I remember correctly quite near the square

PieMashLiquor · 10/05/2023 20:41

I was in Dubai yesterday - we stayed at w mina seyahi

loved it! Happy to answer questions.

already booked for next year

TwigTheWonderKid · 10/05/2023 20:42

TaLooLaBell · 10/05/2023 18:36

You don't need to understand. She is going on holiday and asking for recommendations, that's all

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No, I don't "need" to understand but I do want to understand. Why is that so terrible?

StColumbofNavron · 10/05/2023 20:54

I wasn’t going to comment on this thread but see we can say no to Dubai but it’s ok to go to Israel!

OP, go wherever you want, no one needs to approve of your choice. Personally, I found Dubai a bit bland and bling which isn’t to my taste but friends love it. I also have friends that regularly visit Israel and love it (with the exception of the person who went twice for work and was detained and searched and interrogated extensively even though she was sent as part of her work against antisemitism). That said, she did say it was beautiful and food was great.

Really though, if you want to go to the Gulf, then do.

ummWTH · 10/05/2023 20:57

coxesorangepippin · 10/05/2023 19:39

Oh but op needs a week in the sun

Yes in between her trips to Florida and Spain 😁

TaLooLaBell · 10/05/2023 21:05

@TwigTheWonderKid I didn't say it was terrible, it's not for you to understand, she's going on holiday , that's it

TwigTheWonderKid · 10/05/2023 21:44

TaLooLaBell · 10/05/2023 21:05

@TwigTheWonderKid I didn't say it was terrible, it's not for you to understand, she's going on holiday , that's it

Why is it "not for me to understand"? How do we learn and grow as people if we shut ourselves off from trying to understand differing opinions?

Mookie81 · 10/05/2023 22:05

HalfasleepChrisintheMorning · 10/05/2023 17:09

No direct flights to Jordan from Manchester- I looked there and Egypt first as they were my no 1 option. No direct flights to Luxor either. Israel May be an option- we want a luxury beach hotel and then a few interesting days out- is this doable from Tel Aviv? I don’t know anything about Israel. I thought it was considered dodgy too…

LA, Cancun, Singapore- I have been to all of these and it’s too far for a week. Dubai is 7 hours and that’s about as far as I want to go. If I wanted a long flight or indirect I would go to the Maldives!

Turkey is cold in October.

I actually had the idea of the UAE because I looked through the list of destinations from Manchester and there are loads of flights a day. I knew nothing at all about any slavery! but I was aware their women’s rights were dubious. I teach loads of students from UAE and they are all lovely and speak excellent English.

I know lots of people who have been to Dubai on holiday- even ethical vegetarian Labour voting types 😂- and loved it. These opinions only seem to reside on MN. But I tend to agree with MN on lots of things, eg sex matters, so I will look wider.

I was hoping for more specific than just a list of countries though.

Why are you changing your mind on the say so of a bunch of strangers?
Go where you want to, if it's UAE then so be it.

Marchintospring · 11/05/2023 00:13

PieMashLiquor · 10/05/2023 20:41

I was in Dubai yesterday - we stayed at w mina seyahi

loved it! Happy to answer questions.

already booked for next year

Yeah well you’re supposed to love it.
On the other hand people lower than cattle class are being abused so you can have that. My DH felt compelled to give a sorry hotel worker he saw everyday an umbrella because apparently it was fine by the production company that he was out there for 15 hours a day in 40 degree plus sunshine, every single day . It’s not because thousands die. But since thousands more come it makes no odds.
And yes lots of places in the travel industry have poor workers, who work longer and harder than we would. But the Middle East is one of the few places that work people to death whilst having more than enough money floating about that it could enable all it workers to live and work comfortably . They choose not to.

Irritatedcashier · 11/05/2023 00:19

Have you considered Afghanistan? 🙄 Seen as though we're ignoring politics and ethics.......

thisisasurvivor · 11/05/2023 00:22

orangeflags · 09/05/2023 16:38

Love Dubai. Hilton at Juremah Beach is perfect.

Did not like Dubai

However
This Hilton is just perfect

PollyThePixie · 11/05/2023 00:28

Oman looks amazing but really want direct flights from Manchester

Oman Air we’re doing daily flights to and from Manchester until not so long ago. Have a look on the website and see if they have anything scheduled to start again in October which is when they quite often add new routes.

And I know you want direct from Manchester but Dubai and other Gulf countries are only a very short flight away from Muscat. you could fly into Qatar or Dubai forces then connect to muscat.

Smallyellowbird · 11/05/2023 00:44

Yemen would be an exciting alternative.

StrawberriesSW1 · 11/05/2023 00:47

TwigTheWonderKid · 10/05/2023 12:58

Yes, it was but we know better now. What a ridiculous argument. So by your "logic" should we also continue to encourage men to abuse and take advantage of women because that's how the film industry works? Should we just give up trying to improve the world and vulnerable people's lives?

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"Know better now"? Apologized and paid reparations? Or still mostly kept within the RF recently celebrated?

StrawberriesSW1 · 11/05/2023 00:53

Marchintospring · 11/05/2023 00:13

Yeah well you’re supposed to love it.
On the other hand people lower than cattle class are being abused so you can have that. My DH felt compelled to give a sorry hotel worker he saw everyday an umbrella because apparently it was fine by the production company that he was out there for 15 hours a day in 40 degree plus sunshine, every single day . It’s not because thousands die. But since thousands more come it makes no odds.
And yes lots of places in the travel industry have poor workers, who work longer and harder than we would. But the Middle East is one of the few places that work people to death whilst having more than enough money floating about that it could enable all it workers to live and work comfortably . They choose not to.

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The UK should do the decent thing and let them work here.

Wavescrashingonthebeach · 11/05/2023 00:55

What about Malta, Corsica or Sardinia?
Or even Greece?
These should all be pleasantly sunny in October and beautiful countries with plenty to do, and no ethical issues that I can think of.
You couldn't pay me to visit the Emirates.

Fifi00 · 11/05/2023 00:58

I've unfortunately gone for work its such an unbelievably racist sexist place. Emirati men are the top of the pecking order everyone is a slave there to serve. Horrible attitude its not somewhere I would feel comfortable taking my DD.

Fifi00 · 11/05/2023 01:05

I've only ever seen chavs go to dubai the Towie types.

KPops22 · 11/05/2023 01:28

I'm surprised at the love I am seeing here for the older hotels in Dubai.

bert3400 · 11/05/2023 01:33

Went to both in April. Yas Island is good and we enjoyed it ..I couldn't of stayed for more than a couple of days. We only went for Ferrari world and to see the F1 Track . We Stayed at the W . Great hotel. Dubai was amazing and loved it. stayed at Dubai Marina and getting about was so easy. Just jumped on Scooters and we were off. Loads to do or just lay by the pool . We hired an Airbnb for Dubai which was perfect as there for a week.

GADDay · 11/05/2023 06:55

GADDay · 10/05/2023 19:06

All the hysterical - it's a hideous place full of slaves folks...

Did anybody bother with the fact that laws have changed?

I suppose not. That wouldn't fit into the narrative...

TroubleOverBridgedWater · 11/05/2023 07:30

Because the UK is such a brilliant place for workers and entirely free of misogyny and the harassment of women.🙄

It's really interesting because so many of these anti UAE posters harp on about the lack of rights and poor working conditions of migrant workers whilst burying their heads in the sand about the state of the UK.
Our government is screwed, I don't feel safe (knife crimes and robberies are at an all time high) and I haven't had a pay increase in over 5 years despite rising costs. We are a third world country in comparison to lots of these places!

IMO, Dubai has lots more to do and you can easily do a day trip to Abu Dhabi. Enjoy!

Half of UK gig economy workers earn below minimum wage, study reveals

Poor pay, risky work, anxiety and job insecurity reported by delivery, transport and data workers tied to digital platforms

https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2023/may/11/half-of-uk-gig-economy-workers-earn-below-minimum-wage-study-reveals

TwigTheWonderKid · 11/05/2023 07:37

GADDay · 11/05/2023 06:55

All the hysterical - it's a hideous place full of slaves folks...

Did anybody bother with the fact that laws have changed?

I suppose not. That wouldn't fit into the narrative...

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Cool. So you'd have no concerns about your daughter going there to work in a hotel, or as a maid?