Hotels and Short Breaks in Dubai
Why not break up the year and treat yourself to a Short Break to Dubai; book as little or as many days for your Short Break as you want! So don't just wait for your yearly holiday, when you can have lots of Short Breaks year round. Take a look at some fantastic deals and things to do on a Short Break in Dubai.
 Search live availability |  |    Quick LinksDubai: Visit the wonderous jewel in the crown of the United Arab Emirates and the Middle East's 'city of merchants' |
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Why choose Dubai for a Short Break?
Top ten things to do in Dubai
- A true shopper's paradise, where tax free goods cater for locals and foreigners alike
- Get a glimps of 'Old Dubai' in Bastakia
- Wild Wadi is Dubai's premier water park offering fun and excitement for the whole family
- The one experience you can't miss when in Dubai is a Desert Safari
- The Souks (markets) of Dubai are one of the most traditional and atmospheric experiences, selling everything from rugs to spices, perfumes and even gold
- Dubai is home to some of the most stunning beaches in the world with pure white sands and water the deepest of blues
- The Creek is the natural sea-water inlet which cuts through the centre of the city and is the historic focal point of life in Dubai
- Visit the luxurious waterfront resort of Madinat Jumeirah, the self-contained Arabian resort of Dubai
- Ski Dubai is the first indoor ski resort in the Middle East
- For everything you need to know about Dubai's history, visit the Dubai Museum
Because Dubai offers an exceptional blend of modern city and timeless dessert. This city welcomes tourists and business travellers alike and boasts facilities of the highest international standards. Dubai is friendly, safe and virtually crime free with a superb winter climate, top class hotels, superb sports and leisure facilities and excellent shopping.
Dubai is the jewel in the crown and most populous city of the United Arab Emirates (Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Dubai, Fujairah, Ras al-Khaimah, Sharjah and al-Qaiwain). It is located along the southern coast of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula between Europe and Asia. The city of Dubai is sometimes called "Dubai city" to distinguish it from the emirate.
The first settlement in the area was thought to have been around 2500-2000BC and then again from AD700, when Muslim nomads settled in the area to take advantage of the emerging trade routes between the Mediterranean Sea and the Indian Ocean. European traders however arrived in the 1600s and drove the current occupants away. The modern history of Dubai really began in 1833, when the Bani Yas tribe moved from Abu Dhabi to Dubai and established an independent city, the leader of this tribe was Maktoum Bin Butti and the Maktoum family continues to run Dubai today.
By the 1800s, Britannia was ruling the waves of the gulf to secure British trade routes to India, and treaties in the 1870s made Dubai the main British port in the Gulf. In 1894 Dubai declaired itself a free port with tax exemptions for foreign traders, and the city flourished. After being the controlling and protective force in the Gulf for 150 years, the British withdrew in 1971, after helping the sheikdoms in the area form the United Arab Emirates, with Dubai as it's second largest state.
The lifestyle of Dubai is tolerant, with foreigners free to follow their own religions, drink alcohol in designated locations and dress as they would at home, albeit with discretion. Rooted in Islamic and Arabian tradition, the people of Dubai are warm and hospitable and the city remains close to its traditions and expects that foreigners will be respectful of this. For example, during Ramadan, foreigners are expected to respect the 29-30 day tradition of not eating, drinking or smoking during the day by not doing so in public places.
Useful links for a short break in Dubai
Photos of Dubai - taken by visitors to Dubai
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Where to go in Dubai
When to Go Dubai has a hot and sometimes humid climate with temperatures over 40°C for many months of the year. Rainfall is generally light with about 150mm per year and usually around January, February and March. However heavy rain is not uncommon during the winter months. Humidity averages about 60%, but is higher in the cooler months. October to April is the best time to visit when the sun is less intense and temperatures are between 20-30°C.
Shopping Dubai is the shopping capital of the Middle East with numerous shopping malls and souks (markets). Being duty free, this truly is a shopper's paradise where you will get more for your money, and Dubai caters for every possible consumer need. To mention but a few; the Mall of Emirates is the largest mall outside of North America, with 200+ shops, cinemas and a ski centre, many restaurants and cafés, the Ibn Battuta Mall is themed around six countries, Souk Madinat Jumeirah is more expensive and targeted at tourists, the Burjaman Centre focuses on premium brand stores and luxury boutiques and the Deira City Centre mall is the most popular and a 'must' to visit.
Eating Out Dubai offers the opportunity to experience local and ethnic cuisine from almost every region in the world, with top class restaurants in the city's hotels offering Arabian, French, Italian, Spanish, Greek, Mexican, Russian, British, German, Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Indian, Filipino and Korean amongst others. Standards are high and the choice is diverse. Outside the hotels, small eating places can be found in all parts of the city including Deira, Bur Dubai, Satwa, Jumeirah and Dubai Marina. International themed restaurants are also popular and there are several other American and Mexican restaurants in the city as well as fast food chains.
Nightlife and Entertainment Nightlife is a major feature of the Dubai lifestyle. Hotels have trendy wine bars, pubs and nightclubs, each with their own ambience, and there are several excellent Middle Eastern nightclubs which feature Arab singers and dancers. Talented acts, including singers and entertainers, from all over the world provide international entertainment at many venues and stage plays from London tour regularly, as do major dance groups form Europe and Asia and Ballet and Opera companies from around the world. Alcohol is not generally served outside of hotels as drinking alcohol is a priveledge primarily of foreigners and the driving limit is zero with tough repercussions if you ignore it. Smoking is also banned in public places.
Getting About The easiest way to get around Dubai is by taxi or private car. The public bus system is improving, but is not to the standard of most European capitals. Dubai transport has a large fleet of metered taxis but charges are higher between 22.00-06.00 and it's best to avoid unmetered taxis. There is also the option of a traditional abra (water taxi) to get between Deira and Bur Dubai or a luxury air-conditioned waterbus, Dubai's modern alternative to the abra, at only a few more dirham more, from one of its five stations along the Creek. A metro is on its way, but will not be complete until 2012.
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