Six districts, from the Burj Khalifa to the sands of Palm Jumeirah, with the real feel of each one, metro access, hotels from four-star value to full-blown luxury resorts in dollars, where to eat nearby, and what a night actually costs.
Six districts, from the Burj Khalifa to the sands of Palm Jumeirah, with the real feel of each one, metro access, hotels from four-star value to full-blown luxury resorts in dollars, where to eat nearby, and what a night actually costs.
Dubai has no single center. Downtown is the postcard, the Marina is beach and nightlife, Deira is the old, cheap Dubai. Choose by what you want to do, not by the photo of the Burj Khalifa.
The metro (Red Line) is excellent and dirt cheap, but it only covers the Sheikh Zayed Road corridor. The beach itself, Palm Jumeirah, and Old Dubai mean a taxi, a tram, or a long, hot walk.
For a first trip, stay in Downtown Dubai or Business Bay: central, on the metro, close to everything, with mid-range nights from $120 to $220.
For beach and brunch, Dubai Marina and JBR win easily. Sand on the corner, their own tram, restaurants open around the clock. Nights run $130 to $300.
Palm Jumeirah is pure luxury resort: beautiful, isolated, expensive, no metro. Worth it for a honeymoon or a family with small kids, not for travelers who want to explore the city.
Six districts, from the Burj Khalifa to the sands of Palm Jumeirah, with the real feel of each one, metro access, hotels from four-star value to full-blown luxury resorts in dollars, where to eat nearby, and what a night actually costs.
