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A hyperkinetic city with sprawling highways, towering glass clad buildings vying to compete with the Burj Khalifa, a torus shaped Museum of Future, the Dubai Frame , the expansive Dubai Mall which is paradise to shopaholics — Dubai is anything but dull.
Even if Dubai is an oft-visited place for you, this rapidly changing city would still surprise you with several new elements each time you set foot here. The idea is to show the world that numerous options of hospitality, entertainment, and shopping are constantly cropping up here. Here is how to spend 48 hours in this bustling city.
Friday noon: The Market
Check-in to the Al Habtoor City Hotel Collections positioned in the heart of the city and walk in to The Market restaurant. With an open kitchen, the buffet provides some of the best hits from several cuisines be it curries, biryanis, Arabic delights, European, Asian or Japanese fares. Desserts do not disappoint too and there is everything from kheer to cake.
3pm: Souk Madinat Jumeirah
Hop onto a cab and head straight to the Souk Madinat Jumeirah at King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Street. The place has the hint of on old historic West Asian city infused with a touch of the new vibrant Dubai. With a myriad shops selling perfume, souvenirs and jewellery, the souk gives you a wholesome shopping experience. Also get a taste of camel milk ice cream at one of the many cafes.
5pm: Luxury cruise
If you wish to grab a sight of the shimmering bluish green waters of the Dubai Marina, and glittering skyscrapers, then you should set off on a cruise. Xclusive Yachts at Dubai Marina has several yachts of varying sizes that would take you on a tour. Sail along, get a view of the Atlantis and Burj Al Arab while savouring a drink and freshly made burgers.
9pm: World Cut Steak House
It is not just the ambience that looks lavish. Set in Al Habtoor City Hotel Collections, the finest cuts from the United States and Australia mark their presence here. The menu opens up to a generous variety of beef, ribs, and tenderloin. There is grilled black pepper octopus, yellowfin tuna tartare, wagyu beef tataki and wagyu beef burger. And if you are vegetarian, you could try their mushroom risotto and black truffle fritters.
Saturday noon: Zenon
Amidst a zillion typical options in fine dining in this city, Zenon, an AI-driven restaurant at Kempinski Central Avenue transports you into a different world. As you step in, the huge walls that have been turned into a canvas with AI-generated content and digital art projections, get your attention. Be it the Hokkaido scallops with garlic butter, the wild seasonal mushroom risotto with truffle, rigatoni and caviar pasta or the traditional sabayon and Marsala ice cream, there is some remarkable attention to detail here.
3pm: AYA Universe
A bioluminescent magical light garden, an infinite mirror and infinity pool, a real waterfall which flows in reverse direction and much more. If you wish to step out of the routine of sightseeing and shopping, AYA Universe at Wafi City Mall provides an immersive experience that pairs art with technology. Sprawling over 40,000 square feet the AYA Universe houses 12 rooms that take you through different striking realms which include Drift, Flora, Luna, Celestia and Pool.
6pm: Top Golf
Roll up your sleeve and pick up a golf club. With the backdrop of a skyline glowing in myriad hues of pink and orange, Top Golf at Emirates Hills could be the perfect place to unwind with a good game, snacks, and drink. The huge golf course has 96 hitting bays and two restaurants and bars. Top Golf’s balls have microchips to measure every shot, and the screen in your bay displays how far and accurate your shot was.
9pm: La Perle Show
When you stay at Al Habtoor City Hotel Collections, one of the best experiences you get is witnessing a performance of La Perle show in an aqua theatre that blends art and technology. It is a visual spectacle to watch over a million litres of water flooding the stage and draining out in a jiffy, plus acrobatic feat of the artists, incisive and graceful movements of dancers, motorcycle rides within spherical cages, the performances and the aerial displays.
Where to stay
While picking a hotel, some of the probable questions that pop up are how luxurious is the hotel, how centrally is it located and how would the view from the room be. The Al Habtoor City Hotel Collections ticks all these boxes.
In the heart of the city, overlooking the Dubai Water Canal, the Al Habtoor City Hotel Collections has over 1,600 rooms spread across its three signature hotels — Al Habtoor Palace, V Dubai Hotel and Hilton Dubai at Al Habtoor City. If you have limited time on your hands and want to hop around to some touristy spots, then this location is ideal.
While the Hilton is a 44-storey tower that rolls out a sweeping view of the Dubai Water Canal, the V Dubai Hotel boasts retro-futuristic rooms bearing floor-to-ceiling windows to give a spectacular view of the city’s skyline. The Al Habtoor Palace is designed like a castle wearing the beaux-arts architecture and houses some of the finest rooms including two magnificent suites — Bentley Suite and Sir Winston Churchill Suite — drawing VIPs from across the world.
Curated menus of the restaurants significantly elevates the experience of the stay here. The complex also has the Silk Spa offering an array of signature treatments which could be a perfect way to end your getaway.
The writer was in Dubai on the invitation of Dubai Department of Economy & Tourism (DET), Al Habtoor City Hotel Collections Dubai & Red Dot Representations
Published – November 22, 2024 03:49 pm IST
