National Day is just around the corner and many people will be getting set to enjoy a five-day holiday from Friday, November 29 until Tuesday, December 3. That also means that hotels around the country are filling up fast, but don't panic if you've not booked anything yet as there are still some special offers to be had. From sleeping on a historic boat in Dubai to reconnecting with nature in Fujairah, here is some last-minute inspiration for a staycay over National Day.
Dubai
The 'QE2'
Celebrate the 48th UAE National Day with a stay on the Queen Elizabeth 2 in Dubai. There will be a host of Emirati-inspired experiences happening on deck including live entertainment and themed dining events. Guests can also book a space on a QE2 heritage tour to discover more about the ship's fascinating history — to celebrate 48 years of the UAE, Emiratis can book this at a reduced rate of Dh48. When it comes to sleeping over, families of two adults and two children can bed down in a deluxe room and get both breakfast and dinner included. Rates start at Dh848 per room per night; www.qe2.com
Rixos Premium Dubai
Located on Jumeirah Beach Residence, Rixos Premium is a good choice for a beach getaway. During National Day weekend, book a room with breakfast and you'll not only get upgraded to the next room level, but can also take advantage of staying at the resort on a half-board basis at no extra charge. You'll also get two free tickets to go see La Perle and a Dh150 voucher to spend in the hotel's Natureland Spa. Rates start from Dh1,300 per night; premiumdubai.rixos.com
Studio One Hotel
One of Dubai's newer properties, Studio One in Studio City is also a dining hub, making it a nice option for foodies this National Day. Take your pick from Italian eats at Larte, or go for Mexican at El Chapos Tacos. There's also The Irish Village, Mr Miyagi's and the Maine Street Eatery to choose from. This long weekend there's a 48 hours for Dh480 deal for any guests checking in on Friday, November 29. There will also be Emirati-inspired entertainment on offer, including free henna, dates and Arabic coffee. Rates start from Dh480 for two nights; www.studioonehotel.com
Paramount Hotel Dubai
If you want bragging rights of being one of the first to stay in the brand-new Paramount Hotel, then try one of the hotel's National Day special offers. Take your pick from the Premiere Package, which includes a one-night stay in a Scene Room and breakfast at The Stage restaurant, or go for The Spoiler deal, which also includes an immersive Californian dinner. If you want to indulge, the Celebrity Pass Suite Package gives you two nights in one of the hotel's themed suites — take your pick from Silver Screen, Don Corleone or the Paramount Suite. You'll get a full American breakfast in-suite, private access to the hotel's Speakeasy bar and late checkout.
Rates start from Dh500 per night for the Premiere Package, Dh699 per night for Spoiler, Dh750 per night for Celebrity Pass (minimum of two nights); www.paramounthotelsdubai.com
Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah
Head to Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah for a relaxed getaway this National Day weekend. GCC residents will get 30 per cent off room or suite rates, plus 25 per cent off at any of the hotel's six restaurants. Try Asian eats at Lao or Arabian inspired dishes at Mezzerie. Unwind at the spa where you'll also get 25 per cent off treatments and free access to the Himalayan Salt Stone sauna, aromatic steam room and experience showers. Rates start from Dh1,333; www.waldorfastoria3.hilton.com
One & Only Royal Mirage
Book a staycay at one of Dubai's stalwart resorts and you can sample the One & Only Royal Mirage's Dine in Style offer. As well as a complimentary daily breakfast at this luxury beachfront resort, you'll also get an evening dine-around offer for two on a set-menu basis at some of the hotel's top restaurants. They have nine eateries dotted across the resort's 26 hectares so you won't be lacking in options. Rates over National Day weekend start from Dh2,335 per night; www.oneandonlyresorts.com/royal-mirage
Abu Dhabi
Rixos Saadiyat Island
For an ultra all-inclusive stay this National Day, head to Rixos Premium Saadiyat Island where there are lots of extras to be had when booking a stay of three nights or more. In addition to two free tickets to Louvre Abu Dhabi and Qasr Al Watan, guests will also get complimentary access to one of the parks on Yas Island. If you want to pamper yourself or a loved one, there's 20 per cent off all spa treatments and children will get complimentary daily activities at the kids' club. Rates start from Dh2,300 inclusive of all food and beverages; www.rixossaadiyatisland.com
Anantara Eastern Mangroves Hotel
Embrace all things Emirati at Anantara Eastern Mangroves, where there are some special offers happening over National Day. Book a stay including breakfast and an Emirati-inspired dining buffet and you'll also get 48 per cent off at Anantara spa, to coincide with the country's 48th year. If you're staying on Monday, December 2, you can enjoy a series of live performances, henna and free-flowing Arabic coffee from noon until 6pm. Rates start from Dh948 per night; www.abu-dhabi.anantara.com
Radisson Blu Hotel Yas Island Abu Dhabi
Turn your National Day into a thrill-packed staycation by booking the Adventure Package at Radisson Blu Hotel on Yas Island. Book two nights or more and you'll get complimentary breakfast and free entry at Yas Beach. You'll also get free tickets to the Yas Island theme parks. The hotel will give you one set of tickets for each night you stay, so if you want to try Warner Bros World, Yas Waterworld and Ferrari World, then you'll want to make it a three-night staycation. Rates start from Dh550 per person per night (plus taxes); www.radissonhotels.com
Northern Emirates
The Retreat, Fujairah
The weather is perfect for spending time outdoors which makes The Retreat in Fujairah a good pick for the long weekend. Nestled in the mountains and just a few metres from the ocean, this eco-friendly retreat is all about connecting with nature. The camp is designed as a place to unwind and slow down as you relax in your private tent. And if you want to be more active, there's a host of activities on offer in partnership with the Fujairah Adventure Centre. Rates start from Dh1,400 for two including dinner, breakfast, soft drinks and trekking; book via info@theretreat.ae
Fairmont Ajman
The beachfront Fairmont Ajman is around 30 minutes from Dubai, but a stay here feels a world away from big city life. Ideal for families, the hotel has a children's pool and kids' club as well as seven restaurants and lounges so that everyone can find something they like when it comes to dining. There's also 200 metres of private beach and a temperature-controlled infinity pool. Book the GCC residents' offer and you'll get complimentary daily breakfast plus discounts at selected restaurants for dinner and beverages. Rates start from Dh829.32 per night; www.fairmont.com/ajman/
DoubleTree by Hilton Resort and Spa Marjan Island, Ras Al Khaimah
Head to the DoubleTree by Hilton Resort & Spa Marjan Island in Ras Al Khaimah over the long weekend for a family-friendly escape. Set on a man-made archipelago, this alcohol-free resort offers a tranquil place to spend the weekend. There are six dining outlets, a spa with a plethora of East-meets-West treatments and a huge outdoor pool with views over the Arabian Gulf. Kids will be kept entertained in the Pirates Club and there's a host of watersports on offer including snorkelling, banana boat rides and water-skiing. UAE and GCC residents get 15 per cent off the best available rates on all rooms, plus 20 per cent discount on food and drinks, 15 per cent discount at Lamar Spa and a free Pirates Club card worth Dh50 for kids to spend in the arcade and games room. Rates start from Dh764 plus taxes; www.marjanislandresort.com
Hilton Sharjah
Book a stay at the Hilton Sharjah where you'll have views of Khalid Lagoon plus great vistas of the city skyline. The Family Fun package means you'll get free daily breakfast, complimentary premium speed Wi-Fi so everyone can be on their devices at the same time, and late checkout until 4pm. Kids under 12 stay for free when sharing a room with an adult. When it comes to dining, children under 6 eat for free and those aged 6 to 12 pay half price at all of the hotel restaurants. Rates start from Dh465, plus taxes; www.hilton.com
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Read more:
Last-minute National Day breaks: 17 destinations within five hours of Dubai and Abu Dhabi
UAE residents can register for place on special Emirates Airbus A380 National Day flight
Airline and travel news: Emirates gears up for Mexico and Etihad is making connections
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Company%20profile
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BUNDESLIGA FIXTURES
Saturday, May 16 (kick-offs UAE time)
Borussia Dortmund v Schalke (4.30pm)
RB Leipzig v Freiburg (4.30pm)
Hoffenheim v Hertha Berlin (4.30pm)
Fortuna Dusseldorf v Paderborn (4.30pm)
Augsburg v Wolfsburg (4.30pm)
Eintracht Frankfurt v Borussia Monchengladbach (7.30pm)
Sunday, May 17
Cologne v Mainz (4.30pm),
Union Berlin v Bayern Munich (7pm)
Monday, May 18
Werder Bremen v Bayer Leverkusen (9.30pm)
Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere
Director: Scott Cooper
Starring: Jeremy Allen White, Odessa Young, Jeremy Strong
Rating: 4/5
The schedule
December 5 - 23: Shooting competition, Al Dhafra Shooting Club
December 9 - 24: Handicrafts competition, from 4pm until 10pm, Heritage Souq
December 11 - 20: Dates competition, from 4pm
December 12 - 20: Sour milk competition
December 13: Falcon beauty competition
December 14 and 20: Saluki races
December 15: Arabian horse races, from 4pm
December 16 - 19: Falconry competition
December 18: Camel milk competition, from 7.30 - 9.30 am
December 20 and 21: Sheep beauty competition, from 10am
December 22: The best herd of 30 camels
Who has lived at The Bishops Avenue?
- George Sainsbury of the supermarket dynasty, sugar magnate William Park Lyle and actress Dame Gracie Fields were residents in the 1930s when the street was only known as ‘Millionaires’ Row’.
- Then came the international super rich, including the last king of Greece, Constantine II, the Sultan of Brunei and Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal who was at one point ranked the third richest person in the world.
- Turkish tycoon Halis Torprak sold his mansion for £50m in 2008 after spending just two days there. The House of Saud sold 10 properties on the road in 2013 for almost £80m.
- Other residents have included Iraqi businessman Nemir Kirdar, singer Ariana Grande, holiday camp impresario Sir Billy Butlin, businessman Asil Nadir, Paul McCartney’s former wife Heather Mills.
Hunting park to luxury living
- Land was originally the Bishop of London's hunting park, hence the name
- The road was laid out in the mid 19th Century, meandering through woodland and farmland
- Its earliest houses at the turn of the 20th Century were substantial detached properties with extensive grounds
CHATGPT%20ENTERPRISE%20FEATURES
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Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
%3Cp%3E%3Ca%20href%3D%22https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thenationalnews.com%2Fbusiness%2Feconomy%2Fislamic-economy-consumer-spending-to-increase-45-to-3-2tn-by-2024-1.936583%22%20target%3D%22_self%22%3EGlobal%20Islamic%20economy%20to%20grow%203.1%25%20to%20touch%20%242.4%20trillion%20by%202024%3C%2Fa%3E%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Ca%20href%3D%22https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thenationalnews.com%2Fbusiness%2Feconomy%2Fuk-economy-plunges-into-worst-ever-recession-after-record-20-4-contraction-1.1062560%22%20target%3D%22_self%22%3EUK%20economy%20plunges%20into%20worst-ever%20recession%20after%20record%2020.4%25%20contraction%3C%2Fa%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Ca%20href%3D%22https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thenationalnews.com%2Fbusiness%2Feconomy%2Fislamic-economy-consumer-spending-to-increase-45-to-3-2tn-by-2024-1.936583%22%20target%3D%22_self%22%3EIslamic%20economy%20consumer%20spending%20to%20increase%2045%25%20to%20%243.2tn%20by%202024%3C%2Fa%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Honeymoonish
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 201hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 320Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.7L/100km
Price: Dh133,900
On sale: now
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
Company%20profile
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo
Power: 240hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 390Nm at 3,000rpm
Transmission: eight-speed auto
Price: from Dh122,745
On sale: now
Dr Graham's three goals
Short term
Establish logistics and systems needed to globally deploy vaccines
Intermediate term
Build biomedical workforces in low- and middle-income nations
Long term
A prototype pathogen approach for pandemic preparedness
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Other promotions
- Deliveroo will team up with Pineapple Express to offer customers near JLT a special treat: free banana caramel dessert with all orders on January 26
- Jones the Grocer will have their limited edition Australia Day menu available until the end of the month (January 31)
- Australian Vet in Abu Dhabi (with locations in Khalifa City A and Reem Island) will have a 15 per cent off all store items (excluding medications)
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20SAMSUNG%20GALAXY%20S24%20ULTRA
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THE BIO:
Favourite holiday destination: Thailand. I go every year and I’m obsessed with the fitness camps there.
Favourite book: Born to Run by Christopher McDougall. It’s an amazing story about barefoot running.
Favourite film: A League of their Own. I used to love watching it in my granny’s house when I was seven.
Personal motto: Believe it and you can achieve it.
2024%20Dubai%20Marathon%20Results
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Ziina users can donate to relief efforts in Beirut
Ziina users will be able to use the app to help relief efforts in Beirut, which has been left reeling after an August blast caused an estimated $15 billion in damage and left thousands homeless. Ziina has partnered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to raise money for the Lebanese capital, co-founder Faisal Toukan says. “As of October 1, the UNHCR has the first certified badge on Ziina and is automatically part of user's top friends' list during this campaign. Users can now donate any amount to the Beirut relief with two clicks. The money raised will go towards rebuilding houses for the families that were impacted by the explosion.”
RESULT
Aston Villa 1
Samatta (41')
Manchester City 2
Aguero (20')
Rodri (30')
Expert advice
“Join in with a group like Cycle Safe Dubai or TrainYAS, where you’ll meet like-minded people and always have support on hand.”
Stewart Howison, co-founder of Cycle Safe Dubai and owner of Revolution Cycles
“When you sweat a lot, you lose a lot of salt and other electrolytes from your body. If your electrolytes drop enough, you will be at risk of cramping. To prevent salt deficiency, simply add an electrolyte mix to your water.”
Cornelia Gloor, head of RAK Hospital’s Rehabilitation and Physiotherapy Centre
“Don’t make the mistake of thinking you can ride as fast or as far during the summer as you do in cooler weather. The heat will make you expend more energy to maintain a speed that might normally be comfortable, so pace yourself when riding during the hotter parts of the day.”
Chandrashekar Nandi, physiotherapist at Burjeel Hospital in Dubai
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
How has net migration to UK changed?
The figure was broadly flat immediately before the Covid-19 pandemic, standing at 216,000 in the year to June 2018 and 224,000 in the year to June 2019.
It then dropped to an estimated 111,000 in the year to June 2020 when restrictions introduced during the pandemic limited travel and movement.
The total rose to 254,000 in the year to June 2021, followed by steep jumps to 634,000 in the year to June 2022 and 906,000 in the year to June 2023.
The latest available figure of 728,000 for the 12 months to June 2024 suggests levels are starting to decrease.
Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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World record transfers
1. Kylian Mbappe - to Real Madrid in 2017/18 - €180 million (Dh770.4m - if a deal goes through)
2. Paul Pogba - to Manchester United in 2016/17 - €105m
3. Gareth Bale - to Real Madrid in 2013/14 - €101m
4. Cristiano Ronaldo - to Real Madrid in 2009/10 - €94m
5. Gonzalo Higuain - to Juventus in 2016/17 - €90m
6. Neymar - to Barcelona in 2013/14 - €88.2m
7. Romelu Lukaku - to Manchester United in 2017/18 - €84.7m
8. Luis Suarez - to Barcelona in 2014/15 - €81.72m
9. Angel di Maria - to Manchester United in 2014/15 - €75m
10. James Rodriguez - to Real Madrid in 2014/15 - €75m
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
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GIANT REVIEW
Starring: Amir El-Masry, Pierce Brosnan
Director: Athale
Rating: 4/5
If you go
The flights
There are direct flights from Dubai to Sofia with FlyDubai (www.flydubai.com) and Wizz Air (www.wizzair.com), from Dh1,164 and Dh822 return including taxes, respectively.
The trip
Plovdiv is 150km from Sofia, with an hourly bus service taking around 2 hours and costing $16 (Dh58). The Rhodopes can be reached from Sofia in between 2-4hours.
The trip was organised by Bulguides (www.bulguides.com), which organises guided trips throughout Bulgaria. Guiding, accommodation, food and transfers from Plovdiv to the mountains and back costs around 170 USD for a four-day, three-night trip.
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-finals, second leg:
Liverpool (0) v Barcelona (3), Tuesday, 11pm UAE
Game is on BeIN Sports
