Dubai at Easter

[3peassuit]

I’m thinking of Dubai for an Easter break. It will be me and DH who are both in our 70s plus DGD age 9. We normally go to Malaysia and Singapore in the spring but I’m not up to such a long flight time. Is 7 days about right for Dubai ?I’m looking at the zGrand Hyatt but if anyone has any other recommendations that would be great.

Le Royal Meridien is fab

One and Only on the Palm or in Jumeirah. Both lovely

Just as an alternative..have you considered Oman? Much quieter than Dubai and far more politically stable yet the same flight time with Oman air. We went in Feb and were blown away by the country - lovely, hospitable people.
We stayed at the Kempenski in Muscat. Great food, no sunbed wars and far more 'natural' and relaxing than Dubai.

Le Royal Meridian - stayed in lots of hotels but will only stay here now. Great location, pools, beach, restaurants. Best hotel in Dubai.
However, be careful booking due to insurance and the war

I’d pick Oman for 7 days as there’s much more variety and culture and nicer beaches.

Dubai is a trafficky city and the beaches are a bit grotty, I wouldn’t want to spend 7 days there. 3 days is ok.

If you want purely fly and flop you could also look at Ras Al Khaimah or Abu Dhabi

I’d also say Oman, it’s a fantastic country but not the glitz and glamour of Dubai. You can do multi centre very easily for a desert and fort experience. We went out on boats too and saw turtles and dolphins. The food is also amazing.

Why are you choosing Dubai? Is there anywhere else you’d consider to avoid an area rife with human rights abuses? Not being goady just ensuring you’re aware of the issues.

LOL at not being goady. Of course you are. There are hundreds (if not the vast majority) of countries that are less than perfect on human rights, animal rights, environmental or social issues or whatever the case may be but it’s only ever Dubai that people on here feel the need to comment on and guilt trip anyone who dares to holiday there. I don’t even personally like Dubai but the hypocrisy is irritating.

Abu Dhabi is lovely and quieter

Another vote for Oman. I lived there for years, I’d never go back to Dubai.

OP, if you tell me what you’d normally do on holiday with your DGD I could suggest possibilities in Oman.

I live in the the region, have holidayed in both places and while I love Oman it’s ludicrous to suggest it as a replacement to someone who wants to go to Dubai. They are very different places!

What do you want to do whilst there, OP? My suggestion would be to do 3/4 days in Dubai and 3/4 days in Abu Dhabi (or another Emirate). It’s just over an hour’s drive and if you stay in Saadiyat it’s one of the best beaches in the Middle East. Also more cultural options and a more laid back vibe than Dubai.

I wouldn’t say it’s ludicrous but it would be a very different kind of holiday.

And I think that the point. It is different, but you get the weather, which is about all Dubai (IMO) has going for it.

Yes it seemed like OP just wanted somewhere warm but closer than Asia so Oman fits that bill.

What would be of interest to a child of 9 in Dubai?

By asking that you’re showing you don’t know Dubai/The Emirates. There’s loads of things for a child in Dubai. Way more than there is in Oman. Which is why so many people living in Oman head to Dubai for children specific things to do.

Oman is very different to Dubai but it’s never stopped me having fun days out with any of my 8 grandchildren aged between 4 and 21 though we also enjoy our times in the Emirates. In fact we’re not long home from 5 days in Abu Dhabi over the summer with the 4 youngest. Other times we go to Dubai. We’re always glad to get home home to Oman though.

ETA - next weekend we’re going on our usual whale shark boat trip before heading to the Damaniyat Islands to snorkel but we have equally as much fun (in a different way) when we go to Abu Dhabi for the water park which is outstanding. We have nothing like it in Oman and I’m not sure I’d want it.

I have lived in Dubai for 15 years and have young kids - I would suggest 4 days in Dubai and 2 in Abu Dhabi. Check out Team Labs in AD - it’s amazing! In AD I would stay in one of the Yas Island hotels and then you get access to the theme parks/water park - perfect for a 9 year old!

At the risk of stating the bleeding obvious, of course I don't know. That's why I asked.

You say there's "loads of things for a child in Dubai". Like what?

Google is your friend.

I am in no way interested enough to do that. It isn't somewhere I'm ever going to visit.

Since this thread is about taking a child to Dubai, I just thought 'WTF is there for a kid of 9 to do there?' and wondered if people might actually enlarge on that as part of the discussion.

There’s plenty to do there for adults and children alike but be aware that everything is payable, my neighbour reckoned Dubai with her primary aged dc cost twice what they were expecting. Oman has a lot more cultural and historic type things to see but not everyone is interested in that (I am and it was lovely imho). All depends what you want from a holiday.

Many thanks for the replies, including the goady ones. I was looking at Dubai for the weather and for DGC who would, given the chance, spend all her waking hours in and around a pool so it seemed a good choice. I hadn’t considered Abu Dhabi but that sounds like a good fit too. Oman sounds interesting and one for just DH and I at a later date.

Have you out of interest researched what other countries’ travel advice is for Dubai right now? You might be surprised that not everyone is as permissive as our own FCDO. For example, residents of UAE had a shelfer in place alert only just today. Many hotels remain closed for “maintenance”.
if you aren’t a regular Middle East visitor I will say it seems a funny time to start.

UAE is 7th most slavery prevalent country on the Global Slavery Index which should give people pause that it's a bit worse than "less than perfect." But you are right it gets more scrutiny than the only other big tourist destination country to appear in the top ten, which is Turkey (it's 5th so worse than UAE). I was never considering UAE but won't consider Turkey now either after learning that.