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I discovered the joys of a Dubai layover years ago involuntarily when my Emirates flight got first delayed and then more delayed. To be honest, since I had nowhere to be I didn’t mind so much and instead I got to enjoy the comforts of a chic hotel room including a hot shower and some lovely Levante food before jumping on my next long-distance flight.
Ever since I look for the opportunity of an airport layover and have done so in Doha and Istanbul in the past. My chance for another Dubai layover came along when I flew back from Maldives. The idea of spending hours at the airport in the middle of the night wasn’t appealing at all so I decided to treat myself to a night at the Boulevard and some mezze.
Dubai Layover with Dubai Connect & Emirates
When you fly with Emirates and transfer in Dubai chances are you might qualify for Dubai Connect, the name of their stopover program. If your shortest connection time in Dubai is anywhere from 8 to 26 hours you can use their Dubai Connect offer. This will entail a complimentary hotel room, meals at the hotel, and transfer to your accommodation in Dubai as well as your visa.
As per usual there are terms and conditions attached and you can check the latest here at Emirates.
Even if you don’t qualify – remember the shortest possible connection must be at least 8 hours long – you can organize your own Dubai layover. Many times you can choose from various connection times when booking with Emirates and may automatically get a 24-hour layover or even more. And if you want to turn your layover into a stopover and stay the whole weekend you can always use the multi-city search and just add a few days to your stay!
I opted for a flight that arrived from Maldives at 2 pm and departed the next morning at 8 am from Dubai. Enough time to see some sights, get some food, and a good night’s sleep.
By the way: A lot of nationalities get a free visa on arrival for 30 or even 90 days when entering the UAE.
If your connection time is less than 24 hours your luggage may be checked through to your final destination. Check with the airline beforehand and plan accordingly.
Hotels for your Dubai Layover
If you don’t qualify for a complimentary Dubai Connect hotel you can always get your own accommodation. Unfortunately and there is no way around it – hotels in Dubai are never cheap. Even when I was there last summer, low season for Dubai, it was a splurge.
I like both Vida Downtown, now Hotel Boulevard, and the Manzil, now called the Heritage Hotel, two boutique hotels downtown that belong to the same hotel group. They are both within walking distance from the Dubai Mall, the Fountain, and the Burj Khalifa. In fact, you might just get a room with a Burj Khalifa view.
I decided to stay at Boulevard this time, called Vida Downtown I went to for my very first press trip years ago. While the location is still awesome I felt it was a bit lacking when it came to the service and the amenities. Or maybe I am just spoilt when it comes to hotels for $150 per night. That said, they have an awesome pool with cabanas – a must when visiting Dubai in summer.
The Heritage Hotel is within walking distance and similar in design. Personally, I like them for their courtyard restaurant and their very own hotel scent.
Since I had just arrived from the ultimate beach destination, I wasn’t looking for a beach hotel but needless to say, there are a few in Dubai. Personally, I love staying in downtown Dubai especially if I only have a couple of days as a few big sights are within walking distance.
Should I stay at a Dubai airport hotel? Not unless you have to! Yes, there are a few hotels close to the airport but if you are planning to do some sightseeing during your Dubai layover there is no point in staying there. They will be just as expensive and you are far from all the sights and the beaches.
If you are just transiting there are a few sleep ‘n fly Sleep Lounges but they all have terrible reviews so I recommend treating them as a last resort.
Book a room at the Hotel Boulevard
Book a room at the Heritage Hotel
How to get around Dubai
And yes, you can walk in Dubai. It feels very safe and the streets are very clean, even if you are traveling to Dubai as a woman on your own. Then again, walking in Dubai is not a great idea during the summer months. Having just come from summer in Rajasthan, Dubai was an absolute sauna. I usually don’t mind 40 degrees but it was horrible even in the early evening.
With that said, for longer distances, you can just take an Uber or the metro. From the airport, you can also take a taxi and pay with your credit card. The metro is quite well-connected from what I remember alas the next station was quite far from the Boulevard so I didn’t take it this time around.
THE INS & OUTS OF FLYING EMIRATES PREMIUM ECONOMY.
What to do during a Dubai layover?
Check your Emirates ticket because chances are you may get a discount to some of the best sights in Dubai. And even if not, there is plenty to do and see. First up I recommend you check the weather. I decided against a Burj Khalifa visit since it looked a bit sandstorm-foggy. Instead, I went to the Fountain and to the Dubai Mall. The display of the Dubai Aquarium is quite something but seeing baby hammerheads almost made me cry.
I went to the Dubai Aquarium years ago and was absolutely fascinated but since becoming a diver I have not set foot in any aquarium. I guess it is up to you but the displays that you can see from the mall span over two floors so I dare say – save your money and just have a look from the outside.
If you are coming to Dubai during the summer you will want to spend your time indoors. If malls are not your thing, check out the Museum of the Future or the AYA Universe.
When the temperatures aren’t too bad, take a boat ride over the Dubai Creek, do a walking tour, or even better – head to the desert for an adventure in the dunes.
Have some more time to explore the city?
Check out these awesome 50 things to do in Dubai.
Where to eat in Dubai?
And of course, you will want to eat when in Dubai. If you are not in the mood for a sit-down dinner and want to combine sightseeing and eating I recommend you do a food tour in Dubai to discover some of the best local flavors.
Otherwise, the options are sheer endless, and in terms of budget, the sky is the limit. There are quite a few Michelin-starred restaurants and most famous chefs seem to have an eatery here including Dinner by Heston Blumenthal and Hell’s Kitchen by Gordon Ramsay.
There is also Levante, sushi, French, Italian… I recommend you do some research before and read some reviews because again, eating out like anything else in Dubai is not cheap.
If you want dinner with a view you can eat on top of the Burj Khalifa or during a dinner cruise in the Marina.
Can I do a Dubai layover during Ramadan?
Yes, of course, you can visit Dubai during Ramadan. In fact, it might be quite interesting to observe Iftar and enjoy one of the many yummy Iftar buffet that pop up everywhere. Considering that Dubai is quite a melting pot I recon this would be an awesome experience for any foodie and generally everyone who is interested in experiencing the authentic side of Islamic culture.
That said, keep in mind that you should not eat, drink, or smoke in public especially not in front of people who are fasting. In most international hotels you will still be able to get food before sunset. It is also appreciated when you dress a bit more modestly during Ramadan.
OTHER OPTIONS FOR A LONG LAYOVER IN Dubai
The Emirates terminal at Dubai International Airport is huge. In fact, it feels like its own airport. While I don’t think it measures up to Changi in Singapore it is a pretty decent airport with plenty of shopping and resting options.
The creme de la creme are the Emirates business class and first class lounges. You can even buy yourself a pass if you are just flying economy. That said, even if you are an Emirates Skywards member the Dubai business class lounge access is $ 150 + tax, and the Emirates first class lounge in Dubai is $ 250 + tax.
While the lounges are nice I don’t think they are a $ 150 nice especially since you can only stay up to 4 hours. I recommend you get yourself a lounge pass to the Premium Lounge here. I stayed there before during New Year’s Eve and it was awesome! Alternatively this is for one of 12 luxury lounges in the different terminals. You simply buy them before your arrival and once you get there you just have to decide which lounge is the most convenient for your Dubai layover.
And yes, prices for a lounge pass are still high however, if you stay for a few hours and plan to eat something it will definitely pay off.
2 comments
What an adventure! Hope you can now just laugh about it. Luckily, I never missed a connection. Although I got my flight in Istanbul literally last call as my flight from Germany was delayed. Well… my luggage didn’t make it to Cape Town on the same flight, so I had to do with two pairs of underwear for 4 days. Not fun. Oh… and do not only bring fresh underwear but a tooth brush in your hand luggage as well, that’s what I learned from that 😉
Lucky you! But did they not give you an allowance for getting some more underwear & co?? Yes, I always take my toothbrush as I hate airline toothbrushes. However, I have also been given an overnight pack from an airline before that had all the essentials.