uae · November — March
The hub UHNW US has stopped calling a layover. Atlantis, the Four Seasons, the Palm. Beach clubs at Drift, Zuma at sunset, Bagatelle for the night. The stopover that became the trip.
Hotels
Book the room — handled personally.
Beach resort · 5★The marquee city-beach hotel — Coya, Nusr-Et, Scalini, Mercury Lounge in one block on the Jumeirah corniche.
Resort · 5★The 92-room Andalusian-style resort on the western tip of the Palm, the quietest credible beach hotel in the city.
Resort · 5★The 2023 Atlantis sibling on the Palm crescent — Nobu, Hakkasan, Heston, Estiatorio Milos in a single block.
Resort · 5★The Bulgari operation on Jumeirah Bay Island — the most discreet luxury booking in the city since 2017.
Festive · clubs, line-ups, long lunches
Reserve the table for the night out — handled personally.
Peruvian · Four SeasonsThe Peruvian room at the Four Seasons, ceviche programme that has held since 2014 and the city's reference pisco bar.
Rooftop · Four SeasonsThe Four Seasons rooftop on Jumeirah Beach Road — the most-asked sunset terrace at the marquee hotel.
Steakhouse · Four Seasons
Anatolian · Grosvenor House
Izakaya · DIFCThe most-booked Japanese room in the city since 2008, still the default DIFC dinner for the finance crowd.
French bistro · Fairmont
Italian · DIFC
Pan-Asian · H HotelThe late-evening Pan-Asian room on Sheikh Zayed Road, dinner that drifts into a DJ set without changing tables.
French · Jumeirah Emirates TowersThe Paris-styled brasserie at Jumeirah Emirates Towers, dinner that runs into a DJ set without changing rooms.
Japanese · Ladies' Night
Japanese-Peruvian · AtlantisThe Matsuhisa room at Atlantis The Palm, still the most travelled menu in the city and the easiest international reference.
Cantonese · AtlantisThe Cantonese room at Atlantis The Palm, the most polished dim sum and signature duck in the city.
Authentic · the quiet rooms
Reserve the quiet dinner — handled personally.
Niçoise · DIFC
Italian · Four SeasonsTables
Book the table — handled personally.
Beaches & beach clubs
Reserve the cabana — handled personally.
Beach club · PalmThe quietest credible beach day on the Palm — Mediterranean kitchen, daybed service, no DJ until late afternoon.
Beach club · One&Only Royal MirageSport · tennis, padel, polo, golf
Book the court · the green · the chukkers — handled personally.
Tandem skydive · Palm drop zoneEvents · what's on this season
Book the experience — handled personally.
Conservation reserve · Dinner under canvasThe conservation-reserve safari with falconry and dinner under canvas — the credible version of the Dubai desert excursion.
Half-day walk · Deira and Bur DubaiThe half-day that locates Dubai inside its pre-1970 footprint — Bastakiya quarter, gold and spice souks, abra across the creek.
