My prize-winning trip to Dubai

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• Location: Dubai
• Holiday Types: City break, Beach, Spa, Family holidays

• by: Gillian
• on: Thu 24 May 2012

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I have just experienced seven days in the ‘Jumeirah Universe’ as the lucky winner of a competition on Ultra.travel. My prize week in Dubai involved staying at five of the Jumeirah’s most luxurious hotels.

My first stop was Jumeirah Bab Al Shams, a beautiful Oasis in the Arabian desert and as the porter showed us to our room, we were mesmerised by the hotel grounds, which were so beautiful.

Our room did not disappoint either - very authentic with an Arabian atmosphere. Our bed was enormous and very comfortable; we had a huge sunken bath, with a lovely range of complimentary toiletries. We also had a beautiful selection fruit and different-flavoured dates and chocolates on our bedside table and a lovely view from our own patio looked out into the backdrop of miles of desert. Water was also given complimentary in our room, which was also home to a large TV, bar and hairdryer.

We ate lunch in the Al Forsan restaurant, which had a wonderful selection of international cuisine and a live cooking station where we tucked into the most delicious buffet.

After lunch we took a leisurely walk around the grounds, taking in the tranquility of this most beautiful place. The temperature was perfect. It felt so romantic.

The pool area was very impressive, over looking the desert and very spacious and there was also horse Riding in the desert booked for us late afternoon. Personally guided by the lovely qualified horse master, this was a moment to remember and one of many highlights of the week, despite my feeling ‘saddle sore’ for a couple of days afterwards!

We arrived back at the resort and were just in time to see a lovely falconry display and then watch a glorious sunset from the Al Sarab rooftop restaurant and bar.

We decided to experience the Al Hadheerah (The Desert Restaurant) at night, an outdoor Arabic buffet under the stars, which was wonderful and only a five-minute walk from our room.

At Al Hadheerah, there was an extensive menu with cold Arabic meze served at our table with freshly baked breads; we enjoyed a selection of hot meze from the buffet; and a huge choice of main courses from the live cooking stations and to finish off a rich selection of desserts.

The evening included henna artists, live music, and belly dancing. We had the pleasure of seeing a spectacular Whirling Dervish performance and were fascinated at how many spins he could do.

After a lovely night’s rest we took our breakfast in the open air at Al Forsan, which caters to all palates. After fond farewells, we were taken to our next destination, the Jumeirah Beach Hotel.

Jumeirah Beach Hotel

Set on the shores of the Arabian Gulf, the hotel has the most striking shape of a wave, with its own private beach and a lovely selection of swimming pools, so we were looking forward to exploring.

We were shown to our room by the most welcoming of staff, who explained all the available amenities within our room and including a lovely complimentary Beach Bag. Our room had a private balcony, king size bed, a, lovely bathroom area which included a walk-in shower and separate bathtub.

As we stepped out onto the balcony we witnessed the most breathtaking views of the Arabian Gulf and the Marina. As I looked to my left I gasped as I saw the Burj Al Arab in all its glory against the turquoise waters and was very moved.

I actually felt in awe of its sheer beauty, as it stands there on its own man-made island, dominating the Dubai skyline. We watched as a helicopter landed on the hotel’s helipad and wondered who might have just arrived!

A speedboat trip was arranged for us round the Dubai coastline, so we enjoyed our walk in the lovely warm sunshine onto the marina to have our first experience in a speedboat. David and I enjoyed the lovely fresh gulf air as we saw the most fantastic views around the Palm and down the Dubai coastline.

We were laughing so much as we held on to our caps and tried to take pictures at the same time as our driver at times went at some speed.

We were fascinated with all the new buildings that are currently being built, so many wonderful shapes and sizes and we got up close to the Burj Al Arab to see it from all angles. Quite a spectacle. Our speedboat was such an exhilarating experience; we loved every minute.

An hour and a half later we arrived back into the marina. Looking toward the Beach Hotel it certainly was a stunning view, with blazing sunshine and brilliant blue skies. Come the early evening and we witnessed a fabulous sunset from the 360 Degrees Bar.

With a couple of cocktails in hand we raised our glasses and watched as the sun went down behind the Burj al Arab, then we took a stroll through the sunset garden and head for the Beachcombers restaurant for an evening meal.

The theme that evening was ‘Seafood’, so we duly I enjoyed a wide selection from the many stations, including Malay style soup, various salads & a lovely selection of appetizers. Then onto a Caeser Live Station, Malay station, Thai station, grill station and curry station finishing off with a wonderful selection of desserts.

From our table outside of Beachcombers, the view of the Burj al Arab is just as majestic in the evening as it changes colours from white to red to blue throughout the night. We made our way back through the garden to retire for the evening - back in our room I made my way to the balcony as I wanted to take in the lovely Arabian fresh air and watch the Burj more as its the lights dimmed.

The following morning after a lovely breakfast we took the super-fast glass elevator to the top floor with great views overlooking the Wild Wadi Water Park, which was next on our list to visit. Maybe it is better to do this before breakfast…

Wild Wadi is a huge water park and a great place where thrill seekers can experience the most amazing freefall waterslide ‘The Jumeirah Sceirah’. We watched in amusement as a handful of guests tried this challenging slide and decided it was not for us after seeing them adjusting their swimming costume before standing up.

Mina A’Salam, Madinat Jumeirah

As we arrived in the gorgeous foyer of the Mina A’Salam, we witnessed the charming architectural styling of Arabia. It’s classed as a five-star hotel, but really we thought that even that does not do it justice. There was a lovely smell of incense throughout, and thousands of beautiful fresh rose petals floating in a lovely centrepiece.

Every member of staff we encountered was very polite and attentive. We were booked into an ocean-view suite with amazing views of the canal, Arabian Sea and private beach area and we got to see a different view of Burj Al Arab. From out room, we also have a great view of the turtle enclosure directly below us.

From the assortment of different types of pillow on our huge bed, to the complimentary bottle of red wine, a selection of dates in a lovely presentation box and beautiful bowl of fresh fruit, it was all just perfect.

We were given a lovely Marhaba (welcome) in Arabic, reflecting the warmth and hospitality of the Arab culture we were offered dates distributed from a lovely basket and Arabic tea by Sami. This was another magic moment.

From there, we are shown the turtle sanctuary, and we were able to get up close to injured turtles that have been rescued and I found this experience fascinating. 

In the afternoon we take a ride in an Abres (water taxi), this was very relaxing as we took in all the beautiful views around the Venetian-style waterways, including those of the Al Qasr and Mina A’Salam as well as the exclusive Dar Al Masyaf.

We seemed to end up at the Talise Spa, the largest spa in the Middle East, where we were left to enjoy the experiences of this relaxing spa and I was really looking forward to 50 minutes of Finger Print Massage - and it did not disappoint. It is well worth getting pampered here. From there I met up with David at the secluded pool where he was being well looked after by the staff and lifeguards. After a swim and shower we make our way back on the Abres for a relaxing ride and loved people watching as guests were ferried on and off as we made our way back to our luxurious suite.

Back in our suite we enjoy the delicious complimentary dates and fresh fruit, relaxing on the balcony as the sun was starting to set. We look on in wonder, as the Dubai skyline starts to light up minute-by-minute.

It was a beautiful evening, so we decided to make our way to the famous Madinat souk (Arabian marketplace) and browsed the great assortment of Arabian handicrafts. From there we strolled on to BarZar’s waterside terrace where we were mesmerised by the reflections of the Burj al Arab at night on the waterside. 

We woke up to the most beautiful sunshine and the morning view from our balcony was just breathtaking. It was the calmest of seas and we enjoyed another marvelous Jumerian breakfast out in the open air, followed by a leisurely walk on the private beaches, which was an end to an exceptional stay in Mina A’Salam.

Burj Al Arab

We have seen this iconic hotel so many times in magazines and on TV over the past few years and never ever dreamed we would actually have the pleasure of spending an evening at the Burj Al Arab.

David and I were both very excited as we drove up the causeway to the foot of this ‘seven-star’ wonder, the size and elegance of the hotel truly took our breath away. I had to pinch myself that it was real.

As we entered the jaw-dropping lobby, we were given rose water for our hands, cold wipes and dates, another lovely Arabic welcome. Our hosts introduced us to the manager who informed us we have been given the Panoramic Suite.

We were then introduced to our personal butler called Rodrigo who would be offering us around-the-clock attention. As Rodrigo opened the door to our suite we saw the most opulent surroundings imaginable. 

Floor to ceiling glass windows gave us magnificent panoramic views of the Arabian Gulf. There was a very spacious living room with huge lounge, a dining table beautifully decorated with fresh fruit, a private bar counter with complimentary red wine, a guest washroom, storage closet and the most amazing gold surround TV.

The graceful winding staircase led up to the bedroom with a king size bed, a bathroom with Jacuzzi and dressing area with complimentary full-size Hermes bathroom products and also a separate ladies dressing room. David and I stood looking at the magnificent views from the upper window, we could see the Palm and miles down the coastline.

We had an evening meal booked for us at Al Muntaha, suspended 200 meters above sea level on the 27^th floor, it is reached by a very fast panoramic lift! At the restaurant, our menu was a seasonal seven-course degustation menu, including oysters, lobster Risetti, sea bass and Wagyu sirloin. Each dish was beautifully presented, exceptionally delicious and the service was superb, with a lovely lounge singer accompanied by a piano, which made for a very romantic meal.

Before check out next morning our hosts who had been looking after us all week they said they had a surprise for us… It turned out to be a visit to the famous heliport. As we walked up the red carpet I was shaking with excitement. We walked all around the heliport and took so many photographs. We could see for miles. We were pointed out the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world, the islands of the World and The Palm. It was an incredible moment for us.

We were very sad to leave this wonderful hotel, we thanked all the staff for their very generous hospitality and we left in style in a chauffer-driven Rolls Royce to take us to our next destination, Jumeirah Emirates Towers. We also had another surprise inside the Rolls Royce - two complimentary gift bags containing Burj Al Arab dressing gowns, which we now wear with pride back home.

Jumeirah Emirates Towers

We had a lovely drive to our final destination, the Emirates Towers hotel arriving in style in the Rolls Royce. Once checked into our lovely executive suite overlooking the world trade centre, we were informed David was booked into the H2O Spa for a massage and a session in the floatation chamber. I spent some time by the pool and David came out all refreshed with his skin shining!! 

Back in our executive suite we had an hour relaxing, looking out at the amazing view from our window and there was soon a knock on the door; we are presented with chocolates and strawberries, delicious!

Only a five-minute taxi ride away from the hotel was the Dubai Mall which we visited for a browse and a bite to eat by night, then spent the rest of the evening watching one of the largest dancing fountain displays in the world situated next to the tallest building in the world, the Burj Khalifa.

When the song “Time to Say Goodbye" sung by Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman came over the loud speakers during the fountain show, David and I looked at each other and smiled. It is one of our favourite songs we thought it was very apt! Our Stay in Dubai was absolutely unforgettable and far exceeded anything we have ever experienced.

Our hosts did their utmost to provide us with a great Jumeirah experience, and their service and friendship was something we will remember forever.

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