Tuesday, September 9, 2014

Quick Thoughts On Dubai, Including The Best Thing We Ate While Here

I went back and forth on whether to spend a couple days in Dubai versus just connecting and flying onward to the Seychelles. In the end, we decided to spend 2 nights here, and I'm really happy with that decision. From a practical standpoint, it really helped to break the trip up and give my body a head start in getting over jet lag (as I sit here and type this at 4am local time). We wish we had a bit more time, but Dubai is such a international hub for connections that we know we'll be back in the future.

Of course, a full trip report is to come, but here are some quick thoughts on our stay:

Conrad Dubai corner room

Conrad Dubai pool

The Conrad Dubai has been absolutely fantastic, and I'd highly recommend this hotel to anyone planning to visit Dubai. The hotel just opened late last year, so it still feels extremely new, and as a Hilton Gold we were treated to an upgrade to a spacious corner room and given access to the Executive Lounge which has fantastic views of the city. Hotel also features an incredible outdoor pool area. Breakfast at the restaurant and evening canapes at the lounge were just OK, but in general we didn't' have any food in Dubai that amazed us.


Walking around Old Dubai
Even though it was over 100 degrees outside, we really enjoyed our walking tour around Old Dubai and learned a lot about the culture and would recommend this. We went through the Shiekh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding.

 At the Top, Burj Khalifa
We purchased tickets in advance of our trip (highly recommend this if you want to visit the Burj Khalifa) but weather wasn't on our side, as the views yesterday weren't great. Overall, my wife enjoyed this experience much more than I did, and wouldn't necessarily recommend it given the cost.

Ski Dubai
However, I would recommend Ski Dubai at the Mall of the Emirates. Even though it may seem gimmicky to some, it's undeniably a unique experience to go skiing inside a shopping mall. We went in the late afternoon when jet lag was really starting to kick-in, and if anything this helped me stay awake for 2 hours. 

And lastly, the best thing we ate on this trip? I felt like I was cheating on In-N-Out with every bite, but man that burger really hit the spot.


Shake Shack inside Dubai Mall

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