Going to Dubai & Abu Dhabi
Jan 22, 2011 | 09:49 PM
#12
Teamspeed Rookie
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 4
Great
Definately try to get out in the desert in a Land Cruiser. Dont know if you ride r not, but dirtbiking in the dunes is fabulous. Find the little kid in yourself and check out the waterparks in Atlantis on the Palm and Wild Wadi. Seeing Ski Dubai is cool. And even checking out the mosques in Abu Dhabi. When in Abu Dhabi, find a Lebanese Flower to dine at. Have fun in the sun.
Cheers
Cheers
Feb 15, 2011 | 07:38 AM
#13
Teamspeed Pro
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 3,214
From: Where the Grass is Greener
Is there an update to this thread?
I would love to hear about Abu Dhabi and your experience there as going to an event at the YAS marina/circuit is on my wishlist for 2011-2012......with a stop in Dubai of course
Thank you.
I would love to hear about Abu Dhabi and your experience there as going to an event at the YAS marina/circuit is on my wishlist for 2011-2012......with a stop in Dubai of course
Thank you.
Feb 15, 2011 | 09:57 AM
#15
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Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 1,355
From: Long Island, New York
What are some of the better hotels to stay at that aren't overly expensive? There's some good info in this thread so far. I'm interested in taking a trip to Dubai as well in the future. Is there anything to watch out for?
Feb 15, 2011 | 10:06 AM
#16
AMGFanatic
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 15,965
From: MonteCarlo
Depends which season you want to go, I like the Hotels along Jumeira for the beach.
Feb 15, 2011 | 03:47 PM
#17
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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 3,214
From: Where the Grass is Greener
nothing specific at this time Mo....more just curious to see the details of the trip someone took - where they went - what they liked - see some pics - hear some feedback on what theyd do differently if they were to do it again. Did i mention see some pics?! 
Feb 15, 2011 | 05:24 PM
#18
Thread Starter
| Teamspeed Pro
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 2,120
From: Europe
Hey,
I went for a week in January. It was fun, but a lot colder than I had expected. Met two TS'ers, which was more than memorable! Landed in Abu Dhabi from Brussels (direct flight, no stopovers = bliss) with Etihad. They have their own limousine service which brought us to our hotel in a bit more than an hour's drive. Stayed at the Madinat Jumeirah - Dar al Masyaf hotel.
Can't beat the hotel in terms of location and service. Great, giant rooms with wicked beds, bathrooms the size of your room and a personal butler service. Nonetheless it is a GIANT complex with two hotels, an infinite number of restaurants, its own souk and countless staff. This did make the hotel feel a bit impersonal, especially at the restaurants. Some nights we had about 10 different waiters/waitresses come to our table which became really annoying. Also, the place didn't feel really authentic. This may be personal and it's not just the hotel (actually most of Dubai feels 'new'), but it felt like I was in an adult Disneyland or Arabian Las Vegas - without the Casinos. It may also have been the crappy weather that made me notice these things as it just wasn't warm enough to go swimming or hang out on the beach.
Outside of the hotel I went and visited the Dubai Mall, Burj Khalifa, the Mall of the Emirates, Burj al Arab and the "old" Dubai, near all the souks. These are great places for car watching. The sheer amount of SUV's, sports cars and Toyota's... on the road, near the malls and at the hotels is mind blowing. I only took 2 pictures of the cars because I didn't want to be or look like "that tourist."
The Malls are HUGE. The Dubai mall is spotless, immaculate and full of shops, albeit very quiet. It's a very open place where you can spend a couple of hours either shopping, eating, ice-skating, watching fish in a giant aquarium or meeting fellow TS'ers! In comparison, the Mall of the Emirates feels much older and more enclosed. With lower ceilings and a more confusing layout, it felt like a typical "mall." I did notice however that this place was bustling with expats, tourists and locals alike. The Dubai Ski area was like the focal point of the mall, and it's very odd to see people skiing in a place like Dubai. If you like skiing, don't miss the opportunity!
The old souks near the creek felt a lot more authentic than the one in the hotel complex. It's fun seeing a bit of the old Dubai, but as I wasn't really interested in gold, I didn't spend a lot of time there.
The Burj al Arab is very kitch. It's great for afternoon tea, but I wouldn't spend that much money on a hotel with a questionable interior and an invite-only policy. Fun to experience, but not my thing.
Sadly I didn't get to visit Ferrari World in Abu Dhabi or go dune bashing through the desert. It's still on my to-do-list.
The rest of my time was spent chilling out, catching up on some much needed rest.
Here are some pictures:
I went for a week in January. It was fun, but a lot colder than I had expected. Met two TS'ers, which was more than memorable! Landed in Abu Dhabi from Brussels (direct flight, no stopovers = bliss) with Etihad. They have their own limousine service which brought us to our hotel in a bit more than an hour's drive. Stayed at the Madinat Jumeirah - Dar al Masyaf hotel.
Can't beat the hotel in terms of location and service. Great, giant rooms with wicked beds, bathrooms the size of your room and a personal butler service. Nonetheless it is a GIANT complex with two hotels, an infinite number of restaurants, its own souk and countless staff. This did make the hotel feel a bit impersonal, especially at the restaurants. Some nights we had about 10 different waiters/waitresses come to our table which became really annoying. Also, the place didn't feel really authentic. This may be personal and it's not just the hotel (actually most of Dubai feels 'new'), but it felt like I was in an adult Disneyland or Arabian Las Vegas - without the Casinos. It may also have been the crappy weather that made me notice these things as it just wasn't warm enough to go swimming or hang out on the beach.
Outside of the hotel I went and visited the Dubai Mall, Burj Khalifa, the Mall of the Emirates, Burj al Arab and the "old" Dubai, near all the souks. These are great places for car watching. The sheer amount of SUV's, sports cars and Toyota's... on the road, near the malls and at the hotels is mind blowing. I only took 2 pictures of the cars because I didn't want to be or look like "that tourist."
The Malls are HUGE. The Dubai mall is spotless, immaculate and full of shops, albeit very quiet. It's a very open place where you can spend a couple of hours either shopping, eating, ice-skating, watching fish in a giant aquarium or meeting fellow TS'ers! In comparison, the Mall of the Emirates feels much older and more enclosed. With lower ceilings and a more confusing layout, it felt like a typical "mall." I did notice however that this place was bustling with expats, tourists and locals alike. The Dubai Ski area was like the focal point of the mall, and it's very odd to see people skiing in a place like Dubai. If you like skiing, don't miss the opportunity!
The old souks near the creek felt a lot more authentic than the one in the hotel complex. It's fun seeing a bit of the old Dubai, but as I wasn't really interested in gold, I didn't spend a lot of time there.
The Burj al Arab is very kitch. It's great for afternoon tea, but I wouldn't spend that much money on a hotel with a questionable interior and an invite-only policy. Fun to experience, but not my thing.
Sadly I didn't get to visit Ferrari World in Abu Dhabi or go dune bashing through the desert. It's still on my to-do-list.
The rest of my time was spent chilling out, catching up on some much needed rest.
Here are some pictures:
