Dubai attracts a lot of business visitors, it is the financial capital of the Middle East region, after all. But it is a region that is far too great to miss, even if you’re just on a short business trip – don’t make the mistake of just hanging out in your hotel room, spend a few hours sightseeing! Or else you will surely regret it.
So then, which area should you choose to stay in, that is accessible to premier business locations and near some sights?
First, it’s good to understand a few things about Dubai. Public transport is adequate, but not as perfect as in East Asia, for example. The metro has two lines, and will get you close to main destinations, but it’s missing a lot of potential stations. There are buses and trams, but they are not perfect either.
Another thing to note about the metro – sometimes it takes a very long time just to walk trough the stations. For example, you might live 5 minutes away from Dubai mall, but to get to Dubai Mall station, first you have to climb all the way up to the 4th floor of the massive mall, then walk a 15 minute tunnel to get to the metro station, and often you’ll have to walk another 10 minute tunnel at your arrival destination. So keep that in mind if you are ever in a rush!
If you do not own a car, take the metro if you live close to it and the arrival station is near the line. Otherwise, you might consider the taxi or even Uber. Be warned, often taxi drivers do not know where the hell they are going, so you will have to have your own GPS system so you can tell them where to go.
Renting a car might save you a lot of hassle, but it’s not always something that is a viable option.
With these things in mind, it’s of more importance to me to be able to walk to most good locations. Obviously you won’t be able to walk everywhere, but if you are planning on going to the beach a few times, then pick a place near the beach – that is my point.
There are generally 2 great areas that you should consider first: Downtown/Business Bay and the Dubai Marina.
Downtown/Business Bay
This is the area where you will always see the Burj Khalifa somewhere in the background, and you will be close to many business centric areas, as well as the Dubai mall. Many visitors pick this area, and there are many expensive hotels available. My personal recommendation would be to rent an apartment via AirBnB instead – it is cheaper and often you’ll get a much bigger space, maid service is also often available as well.
This area is very accessible and safe, even at night. It has restaurants and shops, but it’s the most expensive area in Dubai, and far from the beach. About 20 minutes from the airport.
Dubai Marina
Dubai Marina is favored by many expats, and you might feel like you’re in the UK instead of the UAE if you choose this area. It’s a bit further from the airport, but slightly cheaper and the beach is usually very close, within a walking distance. Depending on where you have to be, you might want to look at the map, as well as the metro map, in order to decide which area would be more suitable for you.
Dubai Marina has the famous and beautiful Marina Walk, which has stunning views at night time, where you will find many restaurants and luxurious boats passing by the river.
Here, I would definitely recommend AirBnB or other short term rental sites for accommodation, instead of a hotel.