Dubai’s top concierges share their personal suggestions for the perfect day
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ON Q
CONCIERGE TEAM, DESERT PALM
+971 4 323 8888
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By GlobalDataAs a boutique retreat, Desert Palm does not have a concierge as such, but instead has a team of experts called ‘On Q’ who can book events and make recommendations for guests.
On Q can tailor almost any itinerary to suit guests desires, and has a few suggestions on how to spend a perfect day in Dubai. “After breakfast in our very own Epicure restaurant, we recommend taking a city tour with Ibrahim, our expert in almost everything to do with Dubai. Start your tour at the marina and work your way back towards Desert Palm stopping in the Old Town to visit the Gold, Spice and Diamond Souks. Take time to explore the Old Town with its quirky museums and waterways. Return to Desert Palm in time for afternoon tea on the portico while watching an exhilarating polo match on the pitches in front of the retreat. Our award–winning Rare restaurant is certainly worth traveling to for dinner, if you are not already a guest with us. Finish the evening with a nightcap in Red bar and listen to the live acoustic music on a Thursday or Friday night.
ANDREW COURT
Start your day in true Arabian style with a homemade breakfast in the Sheikh Mohammed Center for Cultural Understanding.
Take some time to wander around this museum afterwards, which was established to raise awareness of local Islamic culture. Then visit Dubai Creek; nowhere else in the city is the harmony of old and new Dubai more evident. The best way to see it is from an abra, one of the small wooden boats that travel the creek from the souks of Deira to those on the Bur Dubai side. On the Deira side, visit Dubai’s famous Gold Souk, the most famous souk in Dubai. The Gold Souk runs adjacent to the Spice and Textile Souks, which are also worth a visit if you have time. Finally, have a car take you back to the Park Hyatt in time for lunch and then it is time for 18 holes at the world-famous Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club. We always recommend playing safe on the last three holes; a stray shot will find your ball at the bottom of the creek. At approximately 5:45pm head to the Observation Deck of the Burj Khalifa for a 360-degree view of the sunset.
ASHWIN FERNANDES
Start your day with breakfast at Al Muna restaurant in Madinat Jumeirah, set on a private terrace with magnificent views of the lagoon and situated next to the Turtle Rehabilitation Center.
A visit to Burj Khalifa in downtown Dubai is a must, as the view from the world’s tallest building is truly spectacular.
While in downtown Dubai, visit the Dubai Underwater Zoo, also a record holder as the world’s largest aquarium.
Have lunch at the incredible Al Muntaha on the top floor of the Burj Al Arab.
The afternoon then presents two options; you can either go upstairs to the helideck at the top of the Burj Al Arab and take a helicopter tour of the sights, or have a private car and guide take you into the desert. There you can choose from a range of activities such as sand skiing, or simply drive around the dunes taking in the scenery.
It is well worth catching the sunset from the top of a sand dune before the drive back into town and dinner at Pierchic.
BEST RESTAURANTS
Pierchic
Cuisine: European
Al Muntaha
Cuisine: Contemporary European
EDWARD JUTA
SENIOR CONCIERGE, THE ADDRESS DOWNTOWN DUBAI
+971 4 436 8888
Dubai and its surroundings really deserve two days, so here is an itinerary for a perfect weekend in Dubai, combining the two pleasures of desert and city.
Spend the first day of your visit in the desert, the true heart of Arabia. It is both beautiful and exhilarating. Try dune bashing, a thrilling drive over the sand dunes in a 4×4, or sand surfing, an extreme sport similar to snowboarding but with sand dunes replacing the pistes. Spend the evening in the desert too, and watch the sun set from the top of a sand dune while your guide serves champagne. Then head back to the city and watch the astonishing display of the Dubai Fountain before dining at Hukama, an upbeat and sophisticated Chinese restaurant at The Address Downtown Dubai.
Shopping in Dubai is some of the best in the world, so spend your next day exploring the largest mall in the world, the Dubai Mall. You will find over a thousand shops, including some big–name department stores such as Bloomingdale’s and Galeries Lafayette. There is nothing like a pampering session to complete the weekend, so book an appointment with the Spa at The Address Dubai Mall. Linger for a while afterwards at the pool as the Cabana pool lounge comes alive with the latest tunes from an in–house DJ as the hotel’s chefs prepare a barbeque.
