With a unique blend of modernity and Arabian heritage, Dubai is a dynamic oasis of extravagant skyscrapers, sandy beaches, luxury shopping, and top-notch hotels, making it one of the hottest luxury travel destinations in the world. This “City of Gold” offers an enchanting array of opulent experiences and extravagant amenities that are hard to find anywhere else.
Luxury hotels are central to Dubai’s appeal, and the city boasts an astounding range of hotels that are truly unique. Built on a 170-acre man-made island in the shape of a palm tree, the aptly named Atlantis, The Palm is one of Dubai’s most ambitious hotels. The world-renowned Burj Al Arab, the sail-shaped icon of Dubai’s skyline, redefines luxury with its extravagant suites and unmatched hospitality. Both hotels offer extravagant underwater suites complete with a personal butler, and grand lobby aquariums. Most hotels in Dubai feature private beaches, which guests can enjoy while soaking in views of the city’s skyline in the front. Numerous beach clubs also offer stunning sunset views with luxurious amenities and extravagant dining options. Luxury shopping is a large aspect of Dubai’s tourism appeal, and an extravagant shopping experience is guaranteed by the city’s numerous world-class malls housing designer flagship stores (Al Neyadi, 2002). The Dubai Mall, the world’s largest shopping mall by area, is home to more than 1,200 stores, the world’s largest suspended aquarium, and indoor ice-skating. It is also the perfect place to witness the spectacular choreographed dance of the Dubai Fountain. Another glamorous mall is the Mall of the Emirates, famous for its indoor ski arena Snow Park and the lavish international red-carpeted VOX Cinemas (S. Al Kassim, 2016). Although all malls typically take a day to explore, it is recommended to visit at least one or two of them.
Luxury Accommodation Options
Luxury accommodation is a defining feature of Dubai as on top of the list of desirable tourist destinations, offering an extensive selection of high-end lodging options that appeal to various preferences and lifestyles. Luxury accommodation is categorized into two main types: 5-star hotels and resorts and luxury villas and apartments. Below are insights into both categories of luxury accommodation options.
5-Star Hotels and Resorts
Dubai is renowned for its opulent lifestyle and extravagant hotels. The city boasts some of the most luxurious 5-star accommodations, offering guests a taste of extravagance. The majestic Burj Al Arab, shaped like a dhow sail, is an iconic 5-star hotel, providing top-notch provisions such as a pillow menu, a cigar club, helicopter transfers, and luxurious beach bathtubs. Other well-known 5-star hotels in Dubai include the Raffles, Atlantis the Palm Hotel, and the Jumeirah group of hotels.
Shopping malls in Dubai are replete with lavish hotels, hostile to the economic reality of the world today. Despite the average economic situation, extravagant hotels such as the Armani Hotel, dressed out in products from the fashion house of Mr. Armani, opened in Dubai Mall. High-end malls contain world-famous retail names such as Cartier, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, and Versace, to name just a few. These retail outlets are flush with glamour, suitably dressed in walls of exquisitely elaborate and expensive tiles and mosaics.
Hotels in Dubai are like the retail outlets – extravagant in size and pompous in architecture. They come in all shapes and all rates, can be on the sea, and on the artificial islands, in the malls or in the old part of the town. They have it all – luxurious pools surrounded by palm trees, elegant indoor swimming pools with a skylight, spas with every imaginable treatment, private stretches of sand, exclusive sunbeds enhanced with personal tent shade, and, of course, their own luxury yachts that are either parked behind the hotel or docked at the nearby marina. The most famous hotel in Dubai, a symbol of this shining oasis in the Arab desert, is undoubtedly the Burj Al Arab, a 5-star hotel shaped like a fallen dhow sail. It has become a remarkable example of the seriousness with which Dubai embarked on its luxury travel ambitions.
Luxury Villas and Apartments
Dubai is known for its extravagant hotels, opulent resorts, and luxurious villas. Stays in Dubai holiday villas and apartments range from the modest to the outrageous, with some costing upwards of US$8 million per night. Dubai is one of several locations where tiny luxury hotels called “palaces” can be found. Luxury villas are privately operated by firms whose main business is hotel management and leasing.
Holiday villas consist of separate homes on the beach, with a kitchen, pool, spa, and gym. Most villas have butler service. Luxury apartments usually have expansive living areas, large balconies, and an extravagant design. Multi-story penthouses and duplexes with direct lift access also exist. A few hotel operators manage both hotels and luxury villas.
An ultra-luxury, serviced apartment hotel is a property that provides amenities and services similar to those found in expensive hotels while still being categorized as apartments. A budget apartment hotel, typically found in less expensive Miami Beach hotels, is a facility that offers studio apartments containing a little kitchenette. Although they are less luxurious, they do have cooking facilities.
Most of these accommodation options are located outside of the Dubai Marina area, such as in the Palm Jumeirah area. In Palm Jumeirah villas and apartments, a 5-bedroom Deluxe villa with a pool, beach access, and kitchen costs $2,000 per night and AED 2000. The cost of living in penthouses at luxury facilities in Palm Jumeirah, such as the Atlantis or the Rixos, is usually AED 10,000–15,000. In Nakheel’s Dubai Marina, private yacht docks in residential towers allow yachts and boats to be moored near their owners’ apartments; prices start at around AED 100,000 for a yacht on the 20-meter quay.
These rental options offer home-from-home advantages with Dubai’s unique elements. Due to their proximity to the large shopping malls, restaurants, beaches, and also the Burj Al Arab, they are popular with expats. The Palm Jumeirah Island area is well connected to the city and nightlife. Dubai Marina apartments are more affordable, with 1 and 2-bedroom furnished apartments and studio apartments with unrestricted views of the coastal and sea promenade. Other suitable areas for living outside the city center are Jumeirah Lake Towers, Jumeirah Beach Residence, and Discovery Gardens.
Fine Dining and Culinary Experiences
Dubai is renowned for its culinary diversity and boasts a mouth-watering range of dining options, from gourmet restaurants to casual eateries, ensuring that everyone’s tastes are catered for. Some of the world’s greatest chefs have set up their kitchens in Dubai, which is packed with five-star dining establishments and quirky alternatives. There are exotic sushi counters set against magnificent sunsets, fine-dining pavilions surrounded by desert dunes, and themed spots where secret chambers and dark passages heighten the appetite for adventure.
Dubai’s restaurants can be visited several times a week and one still would not have tasted all the flavors the city has to offer. Classy and cosmopolitan, elegant and exotic, the dining options are practically limitless. There is elegant Mediterranean dining high above the city, palatial restaurants serving delectable Asian fusion cuisines where food is prepared and served by acrobatic chefs, and quaint eateries nestled in local souks.
Dubai’s culinary scene is exhilarating, combining age-old traditions with contemporary concepts. Many restaurants are set in beautiful surroundings, whether it’s the ocean, a rooftop terrace or a lavish hotel ballroom. Most restaurants and cafes offer outdoor dining, and, during cool evenings, dining on a terrace under the stars is the best place to be.
From extravagant buffets to intimate eateries, foodies are spoilt for choice when it comes to dining out in Dubai. The emirate is home to everything from luxury Michelin-starred restaurants to modest local cafes offering authentic Emirati fare for a few dirhams. Fast food and chain restaurants may be convenient, but they are best left for a late-night snack. Instead, venture off the beaten path to uncover gastronomic gems in every corner of the city.
Culinary experiences range from simple dishes served at food stalls to fancy Michelin-starred institutions. Exotic cuisine from all over the Middle East and Asia awaits discovery in Dubai’s dining scene, and each dish comes with a remarkable story behind it. Top of the list is the Emirati shawarma, which is famous worldwide. This must-try delicacy is made with marinated meat which is then wrapped around pita bread and served with hummus, pickles, garlic paste, and spicy sauces. Dine inside an air-conditioned caravanserai courtyard and try lamb, chicken or vegetarian shawarma.
Dining in Dubai is best done at a buffet where guests can take their pick from Arabic mezze like tabouleh, fatayer and falafel to international dishes like pasta, pizza, Indian curries, sushi and desserts galore. Buffets are usually extravagant affairs with plenty of live cooking stations and freshly baked bread. Consequently, Dubai is home to some of the best buffets in the world, many set in lavish five-star hotels with huge ballrooms and perks like airport shuttle services and pool access. Most hotel buffets can accommodate up to 300 guests, and Grand Friday Brunch is no different, bringing in another 300 patrons on top of the already busy restaurant.
The spread is humongous, offering around 120 dishes plus desserts inspired by culinary galas from around the world. The buffet location is Dubai’s top beachfront hotel, and guests dining outside will have sweeping views of the turquoise waters of the Arabian Gulf. Buffet offer is only valid on Fridays, and reservations are highly recommended. Carnivores will love the selection of meats roasted for hours on end before being slowly carved at the tableside. Everything from melt-in-your-mouth beef tenderloin, succulent duck leg with ginger-soy sauce to perfectly seasoned whole lamb shanks are dished out.
Exclusive Shopping and High-End Retail
Dubai is celebrated globally as a superior shopping oasis, drawing millions of visitors annually in pursuit of purchase. Renowned as an infectious amalgamation of established civilization and capitalist pulsation, the city offers unparalleled shopping pleasures with lavish shopping centers, idyllic malls, and picturesque souks, swaying almost all established labels in the world. Shopping in Dubai is a comprehensive mesmerizing experience, and on every visit, one can explore something new regardless of repeat visits. The short and catchy phrase “shop till you drop” fits admirably on shoppers in Dubai.
Dive into the incredible world of shopping as this ultimate guide unfolds the luxuries on, where one can splurge, enjoy, indulge, and generate fabulous memories in the incredible city of Dubai. Shopping in Dubai stimulates imagination regarding luxury shopping in an extravagant environment with multi-storey mall, dazzling displays, plush interiors, and personal shopper service. Shopping in this marvelous city provides diverse luxurious retail experiences – belle-city malls, traditional souks, high-end small specialty boutiques, market style bazaars, designer flagship boutiques, and luxury fashion outlets (S. Al Kassim, 2016). Each shopping destination has a unique way of indulging customers and splurging their wealth.
Opulent Experiences and Activities
Private Yacht Charters
Dubai’s private yacht charters are exceptionally luxurious. Onboard, guests can enjoy a complete state-of-the-art entertainment system, an impressive selection of water sports equipment, and options for stays, ranging from a few hours to long weekends. Crew services are customized according to the guests’ preferences and yacht types. Chef services curate gourmet menus, with food sourcing options varying from local markets to high-end international suppliers. Deckhands ensure the guests’ experience is comfortable and enjoyable, while mechanics and engineers supervise the prediction and fixing of issues that might arise during the trip. Apart from crew services, yacht rental companies also provide rental of luxury amenities such as sport toys, DJ equipment, and on-boat film production services.
Dubai’s private yacht charters also have customized sightseeing possibilities. Onboard guests can view Dubai’s architectural masterpieces from the sea and enjoy unique pyrotechnic shows during the Dubai Shopping Festival and New Year’s Eve. Yacht rental companies also organize a variety of leisure guest experiences, such as water activities (like jet skis, kayaking, parasailing, and diving), yacht BBQ parties, and beach picnics. For water sports, rent a yacht with a specialized tender and equipment. Additional services, such as a DJ setup or spa treatment, add to the luxurious experience. Additionally, renting two or more yachts allows for organized entertaining Regattas, races composed of yachts of the same brands or classes with customized challenges.
Dubai’s yacht rental companies have custom navigation itineraries that cruise Dubai’s iconic locations in 1, 2, and 3-hour time frames. Other special routes include a Grand Dubai yacht cruise around Palm Jumeirah and Dubai Marina. Before renting a yacht, guests are advised to contact the rental company to clarify the conditions of special requests or questions. To ensure safety and comfort, guests must abide by the yacht occupancy rules, which are determined by the yacht’s type. Generally, the maximum number of guests permitted onboard is quadrupled to the number of bunks. To comply with the requirements of the Coast Guard and Dubai Marine Authority, a fine might be imposed if the number of guests exceeds the limit.
Helicopter Tours
One of the best ways to explore the glitzy skyline and the coastline of Dubai is by taking a helicopter tour. With panoramic views alive over the man-made islands, natural spectacles, and architectural wonders, these tours really can’t be missed. Helicopter views of this affluent city promise breathtaking shots of the iconic Burj Al Arab, the towering Burj Khalifa, and the overwhelming Palm Islands.
All helicopter tours are exclusive and come with professional pilots, luxury vehicles, and a safety briefing before departure. Those wishing to take off close to the ground can board at Dubai Police Academy helipad, where a high-end waiting room offers refreshments and restrooms. This large hangar is home to a fleet of modern helicopters that promise air-conditioned enjoyment during the ride. Taking the chopper tour from this location allows seeing new luxury properties on the Palm Jumeirah islands being built and spotting it at shadow hour ensures taking mesmerizing photos of nude-structured architecture against the leading rays of the retreated sun. This flight lasts about 30-35 minutes and promises bird’s eye views of the international marina with hundreds of yachts not smaller than 70 feet. This helicopter tour landscaping completes with spotlights illuminating gold and white domes of hotels in the Arabian desert and golden desert dunes to experience a breathtaking sunset.
Longer routes guide you south of the emirate, providing aerial views of the full coastline. Those opting for the 45-minute flight can imagine being propelled 800 years back while hovering over the historic Bastakiya district or 2500 years ago while spotting the newly restored ancient forts. The A380 showcase shouldn’t be missed – in a Dubai helicopter view, 15 A380s look like 15 stickers on a giant Palm Island postcard. A 60-minute flight is the ultimate experience and has the most iconic helicopter views of the Dubai Marina and the tallest building in the world – the Burj Khalifa. Each tour is recorded and available for complimentary download with the option to save the shot previews touched during the ride.
Luxury Spa and Wellness Retreats
In the realm of extravagant accommodations and experiences, luxury spa and wellness retreats focus on the uninhibited indulgence of relaxation. At the desert resorts and hotels mingling with the city’s skyline, visitors will find a fateful partnership to leave behind the hustle and enjoy some well-celebrated beauty treatments. Luxury spas pamper with serene surroundings and sumptuous offerings in addition to the luxurious treatments expected at any spa (I Thal, 2015). As one of the most lavish destinations, Dubai emerges as a luxury oasis with extravagant resorts and cities taking over the desert, along with the wellness immersion that has always accompanied opulent surrounding.
Rooftop, plunge, or infinity pools – luxury spas never miss a beat when it comes to opulence. Typically situated within hoteliers, these glam accommodations serve sparkling views of the desert, the skyline, and serene mangroves, on top of idyllic surroundings and grand designs. Many luxurious spa and wellness sanctuaries also feature lavish relaxation rooms with oversized daybeds, selection of health-infused refreshments, and snazzy fineries, including the likes of gold and marble.
Cultural Immersion and Heritage Sites
With all the opulence and extravagance Dubai offers, luxury travelers may overlook the UAE’s cultural richness, the heartbeat of any great city. Cultural immersion means experiencing and understanding everything about a place—people, traditions, customs, festivals, rituals, and more—beyond just food and architecture (Al Neyadi, 2002). From its souks and dhow boats to Islamic art and traditional attire, Dubai has a wealth of cultural and heritage sites waiting to be discovered.
Dubai may be more popularly associated with its skyline of progressive structures like the Burj Khalifa, but the city has preserved low-rise, traditional neighborhoods that exhibit its fishing and pearl diving past. Deira’s gold, spice, and textile souks evoke the trading atmosphere prior to the arrival of oil-Phoenix projects. Other fascinating traditional attractions include the Al Fahidi Historical District, Dubai Museum, Sheikh Saeed Al Maktoum House, House of Sheikh Majid Bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, and many more (S. Al Kassim, 2016). Not only do these heritage sites speak of Dubai’s history, but they are also all important in establishing the city’s identity. Seeing the other side of Dubai indulges the mind and soul beyond sumptuousness, opening doors to enriching and enlightening experiences.