Raddison Blu Hotel - Dibba

A mere 90 minutes from Dubai lies the Raddisson Blu Resort, nestled between Hajjar Dibba mountains and 500 meters of beach. If you are looking for a reasonably priced, relaxed weekend out in the mountains however fancy a swim in the sea too, then this location is perfect.

Hosting 3 pools (including a swim up pool bar - key for the summer months), a variety of both smart and casual restaurants as well as water activities including diving and snorkeling, there is plenty to do and eat whilst you are on your vay cay. It is also extremely kid friendly, with plenty of child activities available so parents get a moment to relax and wind down.

The rooms are reasonably sized and clean with shutter windows looking in from the bedroom to the bathroom. Most rooms also come with a balcony or a terrace which walks straight out on to the pool making it easy to go for a dip when the weather gets hot.

Even thought the hotel has most things you would want from a holiday, please note that it is very much a family resort where kids rule the roost, and even though the rooms are nice and clean, our water smelt like sewage meaning we had to change rooms during the middle of our stay (however they did give us an upgraded so it wasnt too much of a hassle..).

Enjoy a stroll down the beach or go and feast on a selection of delicious (and reasonably cheap!) Arabic food at Al Nokhada where service comes with a smile. Soak up the evening sky at breeze bar under an Arabic style tent and enjoy a cocktail or head down to Spa Zen for a bit of R&R.

View from our room

Be sure to check out the latest deals on offer this summer :)

The Beach Bar & Grill - The One and Only Royal Mirage, Dubai

The Beach Bar & Grill is a place suitable for a casual beach lunch or a date-like dinner (or any kind of dinner for that matter). Overlooking the Palm from the One and Only Royal Mirage, BBG sits between the green gardens filled with palm trees and the golden sandy beach, set on layers of chocolate brown wooden decking. The mood by day is beach chic - head down for a fresh sea food platter or refreshing cocktail under the shaded terrace or on the beach whilst you dig your toes in the sand, where at night, the place comes alight with flickering candles and lanterns, the dress code becomes a bit more grown up and seafood platters get swapped for steaks and grilled delights.

Like most Dubai haunts, indoor and outdoor seating is available but to capture the real essence of the place, outdoor dining is a must  - the breeze comes in off the beach with fabulous ocean views available even from the terrace. We dined on a selection carpaccio and steaks, however there were a vast selection of grilled fish and meats floating about as well as mezze platters, risottos and the odd pasta dish - something for everyone! Likewise, the service was friendly and attentive without being overbearing and they ensured the flow of wine and frozen daiquiris kept coming all night.

I would highly recommend this place for a quiet/romantic dinner or a great place to take family or friends to show them a part of the 'wow' of Dubai. Not the place for a crazy booze up - its peaceful and private and a definite gem in Dubai.

Bliss Lounge - Sheraton, JBR Dubai

Bliss has been high up on my list of places to visit for a while... Situated in the middle of the grounds of the Sheraton Hotel, Bliss does stand out from its surroundings. Being quite a bit smaller than I expected, this did not dampen the setting of beach and sea which laid out in front of the bar. Pitching itself somewhere between the ultra glamorous and beautiful Jetty Lounge and the heavy beats and booziness of XL, its pleasant with some pumping tunes (meaning a spontaneous boogy could definitely be on the cards) and cocooned by long bamboo looking sticks with a circular bar greeting you at the entrance.

Bliss hosts different levels of decking, featuring booths, low table settings and seats on the beach where one can dig their toes into the sand. Sleek whites, grey and mauve can we found in the furniture with low mood lighting in the form of boxes on tables, spot lights in the floor and white large bulbs leading up to the lounge. 

Even though it is probably a better destination for the cooler months, on the breezy night it is definitely bearable and the Bliss staff come prepared with large industrial fans - these might slightly spoil the setting but at least it keeps you cool whilst still being outdoors.

They offer a variety of finger food, sushi, healthy salads and tapas which come served as perfect sharing plates. Try the Ahi Tuna Tartar - the mix of sesame, tuna and avocado is delicious and light and leaves room to try the scrumptious cocktail and wine variety that they have on offer.

Great spot for sunny d's, dates or just casual dinners. Bliss is there to suit your every mood.

The Cove Rotana - Ras Al Khaimah

Living in Dubai definitely has its perks, and one is being able to jet off to another Emirate for a night away. Ras Al Khaimah is a mere 1hr 30mins away from Dubai and the vibe definitely differs to the razzle dazzle that is Dubai. The Cove is just off the main road in RAK, however once inside the walls of the grounds, it feels like you are in the middle of nowhere, closed in by sea and mountains.

The Cove is vast, dotted with low rise buildings filled with rooms commandeering the slope leading down to the sea followed by villas which lead up to the beach. The villas are surrounded by small lakes making the whole place look peaceful and idyllic. There is an Arabic feel to the architecture and there is something very charming about the location... it felt like I had been whisked away to some remote village location.

The room we had wasnt overly exciting but had everything we needed including a little terrace outside the front door, from a room point of view the value for money was good. The resort is run by a buggy system too which is extremely efficient and a great idea - I am not too sure how much the guests would appreciate hiking up and down the hill every day. So if you are going from the room to the beach, or from the beach to a restaurant, a buggy is no more than 5 minutes away to ferry you off to your location of choice. There are two pools on offer (both infinity), one near the spa and reception which is the louder of the two. Then there is one nestled among the villas which is more peaceful. The beach is vast, covered in sunbed and umbrellas. The tide swings in and out throughout the day, and if you manage to catch it at the right time it makes for a lovely stroll - however, bewear of the mammoth jelly fish - they look deadly!! They also offer massages on the beach for a fairly reasonable price and the best restaurant at The Cove is located by the sea - Breakers - serving up simple beach food and delicious cocktails!

The rest of the restaurants could do with a lot of improvement. We went to Basilico's for dinner and they got the food order completely wrong for the starter and main course... even when they gave us complimentary pudding they got that wrong too! Considering how expensive it was, the food was not overly tasty and the dishes were badly seasoned and proportioned. We also had breakfast at Cinnamon which was slightly better, however the quality of the food was a let down compared to the rest of the hotel.

Overall, it was the perfect place to get away for the weekend. It was extremely peaceful and relaxing and i would be keen to go there again with a group of friends and rent a villa (and probably order room service or cook my own food!).

Beit Al Bahar AKA The Beach House - Jumeriah Dubai

Next to the Dubai Off-shore sailing club sits Beit Al Bahar, a three story villa which has been turned into three restaurants. This is a real hidden gem - off the beaten track this joint is mostly inhabited by locals and Emiratis. Very un-dubai in its appearance and style, this is the sort of place where rolling off the beach in shorts and t-shirt is acceptable and flip flops are definitely allowed.

When visiting, we had dinner on the beach which is out the back of the restaurant on the ground floor. The terrace is adorned with blue and white lounge chairs and low white tables and its a perfect place to chill out and watch the sun set.

The fact that it is strictly no alcohol doesn't add a downer to the experience... they more than make up for it with their extensive drinks list, from fruity fun mocktails, to a range of imported drinks, and a great selection of coffees. On the food front you really are spoilt for choice.. a menu from each restaurant is presented to you giving you a selection of grilled meats, international cuisines and a extensive sushi menu.

To note: shisha is on offer (obviously..) and the restaurants are open to a whopping 4am.

The Grand Hyatt - Muscat

Over the weekend, a friend and I were lucky enough to be able to spend a night at The Grand Hyatt in Muscat, Oman. Reasonably priced, great friendly service, an amazing pool and facilities and a beautiful beach - perfect for a stroll during sunset.

For further information please visit http://muscat.grand.hyatt.com/en/hotel/home.html

Jebel Ali Golf Resort and Spa, Jebel Ali, Dubai

One of the founding hotels in Dubai, Jebel Ali has become a firm favorite of the Haggas family. Back in 1999, 20 members travelled out into the desert to Jebel and we have never looked back. Since then my Grandparents (especially) make the trip from London to Jebel Ali twice a year (which is great for me now I live here!) and even though they have tried other hotels, they say the service and the atmosphere is the best they have seen. Even though its slightly off the beaten track (about a 20 minute drive from the marina towards Abu Dhabi) it is well worth the trip. If you live in Dubai like me, it’s also a great spot to escape to at the weekends and I would always recommend it to families visiting Dubai too.

Now split into two parts, you can pick between staying in the main hotel or in Palm Tree Court (the more expensive area). Palm Tree Court is full of small apartments in small white blocks, each either opening up onto a balcony or cute garden (if you are situated on the ground floor of course). The deco is simple but the rooms are nicely turned out – nothing overly fussy, and the beds are huge! Five of us could have slept in there and been comfortable. The rooms in the main hotel are themed similarly however they are probably half the size, but still extremely well turned out and perfectly comfortable for two. The only let down would be the general outdoor appearance of the main hotel – it looks slightly worn and aged (which in fairness it is quite old?!) and could probably do with a bit of TLC.  The gardens at Jebel Ali are lovely, continuing on from the sand, stretching from one side of the bay to the other covered in large sunbeds, lounge areas, and two beach restaurants. Beautiful large peacocks also roam the grounds, and if you are lucky you’ll get to see their gorgeous tail feathers. There are two hotel lobbys, one for each part of the hotel and four pools dotted around the grounds, decked out with sunbeds, water features, in-pool bars and life guards (of course!). In addition to this there is also a lovely spa in the middle of the two hotels (reasonably priced!), there is a watersport center called Watercooled where I spent many an hour learning how to sail, waterski and wakeboard. The staff are extremely friendly, helpful and great when it comes to teaching (they managed to get me up on waterskis which I never thought would happen – Im truly hopeless!). You can partake in almost all watersports at Watercooled including kite surfing, paddle boards, donut rides, mono skiing and wind surfing. They have two different types of specialized speed boats, each tailored to different types of sport on water.

Situated at the end of the resort is a sports center fitted out with tennis, badminton, and squash courts, a sports bar playing all the matches/races of the day, a huge golf course, and a gym so you can fit in a work out if you want! There is also a small marina next to the club so its easy to moor your boats there (if you are lucky enough to own one!) or on the other hand it is possible to rent a boat to either have dinner on, to go fishing or just to have a drive on the sea. Al Boom Diving also has a shop there where they offer 4 day Padi courses with two dives in Fujairah. At the other end of the hotel you will find Animal Corner, another perfect place day for kids. There is also a riding school, fitted out with instructors, ponies (big and small) and a large outdoor ride full of pretty little jumps.

Kids activities run throughout the day varying from camel rides on the beach to mini golf, from outdoor painting sessions to football – there is something on offer for every one every day making it easy for parents to have a few hours of peace and quiet – it is supposed to be a holiday after all!

The hotel is overrun with restaurant options. You can opt for a casual dinner on the beach at the Captains Bar and hunker down to burger and chips, alternatively you can go up market and feast on Thai treats at the White Orchid in Palm Tree Court (my personal favorite!). In the mood for Italian? Why not head to the La Traviata in the main hotel offering a mix of pizza, pastas and meats. There are two buffets on offer every night which are themed depending on the day of the week, perfect if you are unsure what you are in the mood for, or if you are extremely hungry! The Haggas’s spend a lot of time in the buffets – it seemed to be the easiest option when it came to feeding 30 mouths! Both parts of the hotel also offer a fantastically large buffet breakfast, however if you are staying in the Palm Tree Court I would recommend heading to the White Orchid – it may be smaller but the selection is better and there is more pork on offer – a breakfast essential!

I highly recommend Jebel Ali – it’s the perfect place to go for an actual holiday. The beach is the biggest one attached to a hotel in Dubai and the atmosphere is laid back, peaceful and stress free!  The grounds are vast and nothing seems to cramped like it so often does in Dubai! 

The staff are extremely friendly and are always happy to help you with any of your needs from organizing fishing trips to sea planes, medical needs to taxis. They are a caring bunch and take care of their guests more than any other hotel I have been to! It is not overly expensive and they offer great deals throughout the year. Going for Christmas? Well no need to plan what to do.. on big holidays the hotel puts on a ‘do’, whether it be a big lunch on the beach or a party in one of the large board rooms where hotel guests can join in the celebrations. As far as hotels go, it’s definitely the best place to go on a family holiday, especially if you have young kids.  Kids at the hotel are extremely well catered for and all my cousins who stayed at Jebel (aged between 8 and 14) were entertained all day, whether they were at Watercooled or playing some form of sport or game with the other children staying in the hotel. Even though it is 20minutes from the Marina, taxis are very easy to get and also very cheap so as well as having the peace and quiet of the hotel, it is easy enough to pop into town to catch a piece of the action!

It rules – go visit!