Dubai nightlife gets an injection of Mayfair fun
LONDON night owls tired of seeing the same old faces – and tired of the chill – might do well to make a trip to the United Arab Emirates.
Die-hard City folk can easily feel an affiliation with Dubai thanks to an influx of club, bar and restaurant openings all mimicking the best of what the likes of Mayfair, Soho and the City have to offer.
Dubai is known for its excesses but the appetite for nightlife and quality restaurants is relentless – and growing.
The recently opened Mahiki and Mo*vida nightclubs offer all the see-and-be-seen excitement of their West End counterparts with a backdrop of sun, sea and sand.
It’s not just clubs: the restaurant scene is hotting up, too. Among the most recent openings are the Rivington Grill (known by Londoners who frequent the ones in Hoxton and Greenwich) and you can also find more familiar London outposts including Gaucho, Mango Tree, The Ivy, Hakkasan and a Nobu. Dubai is also home to the biggest Zuma restaurant in the world. The bar is a must.
NEW CLUBS
Mahiki opened in Dubai in December and is located in the Jumeriah Beach area. The Polynesian-themed club is lots of fun and a great place to let your hair down.
Bar staff carry the club’s famed Treasure Chest champagne-based cocktail through to thirsty guests. Here in Dubai there is also the champagne and Bacardi-based Sea Pearl, which club owner Nick House describes as “bigger and even more over the top”.
The place is brimming with an eclectic mix of expats, peppered with holidaymakers looking for fun – and late night dancing. There is a very friendly atmosphere and the music will get the crowd jumping if these cocktails don’t. Among the revellers on my visit was an ex-England rugby captain enjoying the DJ’s selection. Surprisingly the club closes at 3am but it seems there are plenty of after parties at hotel rooms.
Mo*vida is super-sleek and each table has its own mini private dancefloor. In fact, the club is deliberately laid out as a long bar so that walking from one end to the other feels like strutting down a catwalk. The women are immaculate – and it’s helpful to look the part so that you might have a few drinks bought for you, as cocktails are around the same as London prices and a three litre bottle of Grey Goose vodka at a club table is standard. Wine is pricey but not because establishments are being greedy. One ex-pat wine buyer in Dubai, explains to me that the UAE pays 50 per cent duty and 30 per cent tax on wine imports. Ouch.
BRUNCH
Any trip to Dubai should include a Friday. The working week is Sunday – Thursday which makes Fridays the start of the weekend. Brunches on this day in Dubai are legendary. But this is not brunch as we know it. There will be eggs Benedict and orange juice in some establishments. But the idea is to attend the most decadent all-you-can-eat buffet imaginable. Pay a set charge and help yourself to as much food and booze as you can put away.
Choose from top hotels or something even more decadent at Zuma, which serves a feast of Japanese treats. For something more laid back, there’s a BBQ at Warehouse which also serves an impressive menu of world beers.
These brunches run through until around 4pm which means the streets are full of revellers leaving their chosen brunch venue in search of an after-party. Warehouse in Le Meridien conveniently has a club upstairs so there’s not far to travel for its guests. Fridays in Dubai are not for the faint-hearted – but then again, neither is the rest of the week.
WHERE TO STAY
Armani Hotel at the Burj Khalifa: dubai.armanihotels.com
The Park Hyatt: located on the creek in an older part of Dubai
dubai.park.hyatt.com
WHERE TO BRUNCH
Zuma is perfect for a Japanese feast: www.zumarestaurant.com
Warehouse houses several bars and restaurants: www.warehouse-diningdubai.com
WHERE TO DRINK
Barasti for a buzzing beach bar vibe and decent food: www.lemeridien-minaseyahi.com/en/Barasti
WHERE TO PARTY
Mahiki: www.mahiki.ae
Mo*vida: www.movida-london.com/dubai
WHERE TO UNWIND
St Regis Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi offers a haven of peace: www.stregissaadiyatisland.com
HOW TO GET THERE
Emirates flies to Dubai while the UAE’s national airline Etihad Airways flies direct to Abu Dhabi from £439 economy and £1,875 business.