Where to stay in United Arab Emirates

The seasons are the whole story

• November to March is the season. Perfect weather, and rates two to three times the summer level.
• June to September is brutally hot and hotels are cheap. A five-star room in August costs less than a three-star room in January.
• If you can tolerate spending the middle of the day indoors, summer is extraordinary value. If you came for the beach, it is not.
• Book far ahead for New Year, the Dubai Shopping Festival in January and any major conference.
• Rates drop sharply during Ramadan in most years, and the atmosphere is different rather than worse.

Unmarried couples

• Cohabitation was decriminalised in 2020 and hotels no longer ask about marital status. In practice an unmarried couple sharing a room is entirely routine.
• Extramarital relations can still be prosecuted on a complaint, typically from a spouse. The realistic risk to a visiting couple is very low, and it is not zero.
• Same-sex sexual activity remains illegal, and same-sex couples should be aware of that when booking a shared room.

Where to stay

• Dubai Marina and JBR for beach and restaurants, with a Metro and tram connection.
• Downtown and Business Bay for the Burj Khalifa and the mall, and heavy traffic.
• Deira and Bur Dubai are the old city, much cheaper, more interesting, and where the souks and the abras are.
• Jumeirah for resorts and quiet.
• Abu Dhabi is calmer, greener and cheaper, with the Grand Mosque and Louvre Abu Dhabi.
• Sharjah is dry. No alcohol anywhere, including hotels. Book it knowingly.

Practical

• The Tourism Dirham is paid at checkout, per room per night, and is not in the booking price.
• A deposit is taken at check-in, usually AED 500 to AED 1,000 on a card.
• Hotel apartments are good value for families and have kitchens, which matters when eating out costs what it does here.
• Ask about pool shade and cooled pools in summer. Uncooled pool water reaches bath temperature in August, which is not refreshing.