A glittering, man-made metropolis on the edge of a desert; a luxury Dubai holiday with Kuoni is experiencing the glamour of Arabia.

Step into a sleek, air-conditioned lobby of a hotel where there are lavish chandeliers above you, a fleet of Ferraris and Lamborghinis parked outside, and the world’s tallest building and the most expensive hotel just down the road. This is Dubai – the Arabian city of superlatives where extravagance is the norm. 

Every inch of this ambitious city is engineered to be glamorous and newsworthy. There are few places where you could be drinking tea in a desert tent, eating in gold-filled Michelin-starred restaurants and picking up trendsetting pieces at a futuristic shopping centre all in the same day. Dubai is made for luxury holidays, where you can take your pick between palatial resorts on affluent manmade islands like Palm Jumeirah or city hotels with views of the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest tower.

While it might seem like authenticity is harder to come by in a city that is always moving forward, there are experiences that instantly give you a taste of Arabia as it’s always been. Brilliant mosques and spice-filled souks sit beside the glimmer of high rises so you can browse the regal-style jewellery casually on sale in the Gold Souk (where haggling is a normal part of the purchasing process), or stop by the desert just beyond the city to drink tea in a Bedouin tent and ride sunburnt dunes in a 4x4.

Our Personal Travel Experts have been to Dubai and can share their insider knowledge with you. Chat to one of our experts today to craft your dream Dubai holiday.

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Dubai Hotels

Our recommendations for the best places to stay in Dubai

JA Ocean View Hotel

A great value beach hotel with a superb location on ‘The Walk’.

Atlantis The Palm, Dubai

An iconic marine-themed resort on the tip of world-famous Palm Island.

Jumeirah Zabeel Saray

On the iconic Palm Jumeirah, this hotel exudes a luxury inspired by opulent Ottoman palaces.

JA Lake View Resort

A mover-and-shaker on Dubai’s hotel scene, with a fantastic all-inclusive option.

JA Palm Tree Court

An all-suite, all-inclusive beachfront paradise packed with family-friendly activities.

JA Beach Hotel

This fantastic all-inclusive hotel is set on the golden sands of Jebel Ali Beach, with great fun...

Arabian Court at One&Only Royal Mirage

Stylish, romantic and sharing a feast of facilities a part of the One&Only Royal Mirage complex.

Conrad Dubai

A prime city-centre location and an impressive choice of restaurants.

Grand Hyatt Dubai

This lively resort overlooks historic Dubai Creek with views of the city skyline.

Jumeirah Al Naseem

The newest hotel at Madinat Jumeirah, set on a private beach overlooking the iconic Burj Al Arab.

Jumeirah Beach Hotel

A luxurious resort on the golden sands of Jumeirah Beach, perfect for all the family.

Jumeirah Dar Al Masyaf

Intimate Arabic-style summer houses with butler service, hidden away in a maze of waterways.

Jumeirah Mina A' Salam

In a stunning beachfront setting, this luxurious boutique hotel exudes Arabian ambience.

Le Meridien Mina Seyahi Beach Resort & Marina

Set on a private stretch of Jumeirah Beach, this family-friendly hotel has excellent facilities s...

One&Only The Palm

Switch off in style on the golden sands of exclusive Palm Jumeirah Island.

Residence & Spa at One&Only Royal Mirage

Surrounded by secluded gardens, pools and a private beach, this intimate sanctuary excels at pamp...

Sofitel Dubai The Palm Resort & Spa

Stylish Polynesian interiors, impeccable service and picture-perfect views over the Arabian Gulf.

Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah

An opulent beach resort with epic dining on the Palm Jumeirah archipelago.

The Palace at One&Only Royal Mirage

An elegant beach resort, offering an exceptional range of facilities in a traditional Arabic styl...

Jumeirah Al Qasr

The jewel of Madinat Jumeirah, designed to resemble a Sheikh’s opulent summer residence.

Amwaj Rotana

Generously sized guestrooms, a prime location on The Walk, and six restaurants make this a top ch...

Anantara Downtown Dubai

Whisk away to a city oasis in the heart of Dubai’s downtown area.

Anantara The Palm Dubai Resort

Stay in the folds of Thai-style luxury in a prime position on Dubai’s The Palm.

Atlantis The Royal, Dubai

This shiny new hotel is the sister of iconic Atlantis, The Palm and is bringing next-level luxury...

Centara Mirage Beach Resort Dubai

Step into a candy-coloured haven designed with families in mind.

JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Dubai

Two striking towers of the JW Marriott Marquis dominate the Dubai skyline.

Millennium Place Marina

Stay among the twinkling lights of Dubai’s marina.

Raffles The Palm Dubai

Step into palatial surroundings in an enviable address on The Palm

W Dubai - Mina Seyahi

Opulence is the name of the game in this adults-only resort.

W Dubai – The Palm

A design hotel and lively beach retreat on Dubai’s world-famous Palm Jumeirah.

Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi Beach Resort & Marina

A Neo-classical retreat on the edge of the ever-growing Dubai Marina with a waterpark, great dini...

Get to know Dubai and those important practicalities when planning your perfect holiday.

Capital
TIME DIFFERENCE

GMT +4 hours

CURRENCY

United Arab Emirates Dirham

FLYING TIME TO DESTINATION

7 hours

RELIGION

Islam

LANGUAGE

Arabic

Where is Dubai? The city and state of Dubai is on the north-east coast of the United Arab Emirates, south of the Arabian (Persian) Gulf. It’s around an hour and a half’s drive north-east of the capital, Abu Dhabi, and has excellent connections from its international airport which makes it an easy stopover choice en route to long-haul destinations from the UK.

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Beaches The beaches in Dubai are made for pleasure seekers. You can join the colourful display of crescents in the sky at Kite Beach and learn how to windsurf in its warm waters, or get Instagrammable snaps of the lavish Burj Al Arab Jumeirah from Sunset Beach. Jumeirah Beach focuses on simple sand-and-sea fun better suited to travellers who prefer relaxation over lively activities, though it can get fairly busy in peak season. Many of Dubai’s beach hotels can be found along Jumeirah Beach. Or sunbathe on the sandy fronds of a man-made island. The Palm Jumeirah is an artificial island built in the shape of a palm tree, where each frond is laced with private beaches for each luxury hotel and resort. 

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Shopping If Dubai is famous for anything, it’s shopping. There’s currently no tax on purchases in Dubai so you can look for deals on designer goods, or just enjoy the impressive, air-conditioned interiors of the huge malls. Dubai Mall is the largest in the world and has over 1000 stores, a virtual reality theme park and an Olympic-sized ice rink. Items that are usually better value in Dubai are local fabrics and gold which you can find at dedicated gold souks – just be sure to buy from reputable stores to avoid being sold fake items. Part of the Madinat Jumeirah Resort, the Souk Madinat Jumeirah is a meticulous replica of an Arabic souk surrounded by waterways.

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Food & drink Food is of a high standard in Dubai, with plenty of international options across central shopping areas and in hotels and resorts. Eating out is generally more expensive than in the UK but you’ll be spoilt for choice if you like to try something different every day. There are classic Italian restaurants with wood-burning ovens, celebrity restaurants for acclaimed sushi and edgy European twists and spectacular chandelier-strewn venues for decadent seafood. Authentic Emirati cuisine can be hard to come by, but there are restaurants serving up Arabic dishes like mandi (spiced meat and rice) and dishes made with chickpea, tahini, flatbreads, salad and grilled meat and fish. 

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Getting around Taxis are one of the easiest and cheapest ways to get around Dubai. They are marked and metered, and easily hailed in public areas. The super modern Dubai Metro stops at Dubai Mall and the Burj Khalifa, Deira, Dubai Marina and Dubai airport.

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•  Make sure you have a full 10-year passport.
•  British and Irish passport holders don’t need a visa.

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