dubai holiday : spas and other stuff too!

[sis]

At long last, dh, ds (aged 6) and I are due to go to dubai fo a week next month and we can't wait!

We are staying at the Jumeirah Beach Hotel (but not in the premier club bit) and know about the wild wadi water park and that we will catch the tail end of the shopping festival. What i am now after - if anyone can help - is info on what we really should do and where is the best place to get it. Examples of the sort of thing we'd like help with is:

• planning a desert safari which includes sand buggying (where to book for value for money)

• a relaxing spa session - I'd like a massage with a bit of oomph rather than feather strokes type massage. Would love a traditional arabic massage but is there anywhere I can do that which won't be too daunting as i won't have a clue as to what it involves?!

• we are vegetarian and have a fussy ds to boot (pasta, pizza, not very spicy Indian food is his basic diet)- is there anywhere in particular that we ought to try or will most places cope? We are thinking of having afternoon tea at the Burj Al Arab - is this the best thing to do or is the food/service/view better elsewhere?

• If I want to have a couple of suits made, should I take material and samples with me or will they provide all this. Also, where should I go for well made clothes but that doesn't use slave labour?

• Are there any tips for the shopping festival? I am not into shopping but I understand that the festival should be visited as a tourist attraction if nothing else! Are there any bits that are particularly family friendly? any times to avoid due to overcrowding etc?

All thoughts really welcome as we have waited a year and a half for this holiday and want to make it memorable by doing stuff that we would be either unable to do or unable to afford to do elsewhere!

Hedghog, I am stalking you all the way back on the 10am flight on the 16th!

BTW, I don't know if you will get it, but I am CATing you with tips on how to spot us!

well girls, how was it ? didn't make it myself for various reasons, will prob get out there next month.

Thank you for asking and thanks to everyone who gave tips for our trip!

Ds loved it but as the weather was a bit cool for most of the days (also very windy) and it rained on the day before we left, dh and I were a bit disappointed. I really, really wanted to feel the warmth of the sun on me and enjoy the watermelon/ice lollies/water bottles/cool towels by the pool stuff but only got to do it for a few hours as it was too cold the rest of the time!

We all loved, loved, LOVED the hotel and the people who live in Dubai - they couldn't have been nicer. I would love to go back when the weather is good, so if you have space in your suitcase MABS...

I had a hammam at the Al Qsar hotel and it was wonderful - thoroughly recommended.

Hi MABS (and sis), thanks for asking. We also loved the Jumeirah Beach. The views from the room were breathtaking (we were on the 17th floor). I loved the full width floor to ceiling windows. What a shame though that, as sis said, the skies were very rarely clear. It was frequently overcast, misty and just generally grey. We were gutted! dh and I are real sun lovers and I couldn't believe we were so unlucky with the unseasonal weather. I really hadn't packed stuff to keep us warm during the day! With the srong winds it was really quite cold on occasion.

Apart from the rubbish weather my only other mini gripes concern poor service from Room Service on our first night (an hours wait and incomplete oder when it did arrive) and the Premium Leisure Club facilities. The PLC lounge was a great idea but it was heaving with kids and adults (virtually all English!) many of whom I suspect should not have been there. There was absolutely no eligibility check by staff on entry - so anyone could benefit from the facilities, free drinks, afternoon tea etc and, TBH, it was simply overcrowded. That said, I would pay again for a Premium Leisure Club room as we definitely considered it value for money.

If we return (and we would LOVE to) I think we would try and stay at the Mina a Salam. It looked gorgeous. Our children (aged 10 and 7)were certainly among the older kids at the Jumeirah Beach and I wonder if there might be older children at the Mina a Salam. The boys did enjoy the Kids Club and the spectacular Adventure Playground. I wish we had found this hotel when they were younger ... MABS have you stayed at the Mina a Salam with kids or just on your own? Do you happen to know if the hotel has its own Kids Club and Adventure Playground or would one need to use the childrens facilities at the Jumeirah Beach?

Outside of the hotel we did take the Big Bus City Tour which was excellent and very informative. We spent some time at the Gold Souk, the Old Souk, Jumeirah Madinat Souk, City Centre and Wafi City shopping malls. dh and I also visited the Burj (ground and first floor only).

I wouldn't hesitate to recommend the Jumeirah Beach, particularly to families. The rooms are spotless, the staff attentive, the facilities and location wonderful. Shame about the weather but at least it was warmer than here