It’s no secret that in the UAE, things slow down for summer. As the mercury rises, life moves inside. Business dries up, schools and venues shut up shop and expats head home in droves to escape the scorching sun.
And on the nightlife scene nothing new opens until... October, pretty much – September, at a push.
Not this year, with not one, but THREE new venues opening in Dubai in the past week. Brave, bonkers, or proof the city has finally shaken the seasonal slump? We’ll hold our judgement for now.
Attracting perhaps most note so far is Vii, as in seven, a chic new terrace and lounge nestled in the Conrad Dubai. Taking the seventh floor space (get it?) once home to Latin-themed Izel, the 400sq ft, 250-capacity venue opened for the first time on May 21.
Despite the looming threat of summer, the venue promises to offer al fresco shelter with “a canopy of leaves that still allows a peek at the sky and rays of the moon and the city to shine through”.
Just down Sheikh Zayed Road at the JW Marriot Marquis, there's another new venture in Square. The fifth-floor club opened a day earlier – May 20 – and promises an underground vibe.
Last but not least is the Nippon Bottle Company, an oriental-themed hot-spot which claims to offer both a true taste of old school Japanese night culture, and to be the region’s first ever speakeasy bar night spot.
Taking a leaf from the New York trend for Prohibition-style bars, hidden behind barbershops and beneath hotdog shops (I witnessed both last week), the venue is kookily “hidden” behind a bookcase on the ground floor of the Dusit Thani – although no address is listed on its website.
Cryptic emails inviting journalists to experience the bar – again missing an address – were sent out on... May 21 – a day after Square, and the day of the Vii launch.
So there you have it. Three brand new nightspots, all on Sheikh Zayed Road, all launching just hours apart – and all opening on the cusp of the summer slowdown. Only time will tell, only time will tell...
Vii is open at the Conrad Dubai daily, 7pm-3am, reservations on 04 327 6000. www.viidubai.com or https://www.facebook.com/VIIDubai
Square is at the JW Marriott Marquis – find out more at www.facebook.com/squaredxb or call 056 224 0956.
Nippon Bottle Club is at Dusit Thani – find out what you can from its vague Facebook page, or call 04 343 3333.
rgarratt@thenational.ae
