Dubai: Five-star hotel rooms in Dubai are asking – and getting – rates of well over Dh2,500 a night for the final days of 2021, with some even quoting Dh16,000. But are there hotel stays still available that are easy on the wallet?
A quick glance at booking websites shows that hotel rooms are still available for Dh600 or less in parts of the city. Oaks Ibn Battuta Gate – easily recognisable by its unique architecture and proximity to the Ibn Battuta Mall – has listed rooms for Dh574 next week.
There are plenty of other affordable options as well, one of them is at the Hyatt Regency in Deira, which is offering stays at Dh690, while the Golden Sands Hotel Creek in the same area will cost around Dh540 for a night’s stay.
Pricier options
For those not shy to splurge, Dubai does have plenty of options. The Hyatt Regency Dubai Creek Heights in Bur Dubai is charging about Dh1,300 a night. Meydan Hotel - the world’s first 5-star trackside hotel – is also a great choice for anyone looking for a slightly different experience and rates start from about Dh1,600.
No trip to Dubai is complete without a beach stay - even if it is just for one night. The Habtoor Grand Resort in JBR (Jumeirah Beach Residence) offers pristine views of the ocean and charges about Dh5,000 – a reasonable rate considering the area and the time of the year.
If an ultra-luxury stay is on the cards, look no further than the Burj Al Arab, where rates are seen starting from Dh7,000.
Budget stays
If the idea is to stay on a budget and explore Dubai’s landmarks, some of the city’s welter of 3- and 4-star hotels may just offer some of the best rates. The Riviera in Deira charges around Dh400 for a night’s stay, while the Metropolitan Hotel on Al Thanya street is an equally inexpensive option at between Dh300-Dh400. The Millennium Airport Hotel is another economical choice starting from Dh400.
Hotels return to form
As hotels await their busiest week of the year, it is worth noting that Dubai’s hospitality sector has undergone a significant recovery over the last few months. Hotels in Dubai and Sharjah experienced the highest growth in occupancy levels in the third quarter when compared year-on-year, according to Colliers International.
“This can be attributed to continued demand for staycations during the school holidays and demand from the re-starting of face-to-face conferences and events,” said the consultancy in a recent report.
The branded hospitality market in UAE reached 109,500 keys by the end of the third quarter, with Dubai being the largest contributor to the new supply followed by Abu Dhabi. Around 1,300 keys opened in Dubai market during the last quarter in time for Expo 2020.
Tourists pour in
Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) recently revealed that the emirate welcomed 4.88 million visitors between January to October, with international visitation during October alone reaching over one million. The government data showed that the return of tourists resulted in 9.4 million room nights being booked between January to end October in comparison to 7 million room nights sold in the same period in 2019.
“Our multi-pronged strategy to combat the pandemic and deployment of wide-ranging initiatives to increase our global competitiveness is a hallmark of Dubai’s highly progressive public-private partnership model,” said Helal Saeed Al Marri, Director-General, Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism, in a statement. This “has been a cornerstone of not only what was achieved in 2021 but what will be achieved in the next critical 12 to 24-month period.
“Expo 2020 also provides us a unique platform to engage with the global community as all hotels and tourism partners work closely to facilitate visits for their guests to maximise this opportunity.”
