Hatta's popular mountain resorts are set to welcome travellers back in October.
Booking is now open at two of Meraas's Hatta resorts for group stays. Exclusive booking of Damani Lodges and Sedr Trailers resorts will appeal to those seeking a socially distanced staycation.
Nestled in the craggy Hajar Mountains, both Damani Lodges and Sedr Trailers resorts have a unique setting. Travellers can pick from bedding down in an Airstream trailer or falling asleep in a clifftop lodge.
Sedr Trailers Resort: private use of the park
Guests booking out the Sedr Trailers Resort will have access to 13 gleaming trailers, spaced around a huge trailer park in the shadow of the mountains. The resort can sleep groups of up to 26 adults, accompanied by up to 13 children.
Each trailer is fully equipped with shower facilities, a sundeck, kitchenette, sleeping and living quarters. At night, join your fellow travellers in the barbecue area where staff will be on hand to light the camp's communal bonfire.
Damani Lodges Resort: good for bigger groups
If you're planning a big family reunion or have an event to celebrate, then Damani Lodges Resort might be more what you're looking for. This cliff-side retreat can sleep up to 40 adults and 23 children.
Each Damani Lodge overlooks the Hatta Dam, and the huts are split across three levels on the mountain. All guests get a viewing platform that's perfect for taking in the sunset or a spot of stargazing. They are also well-equipped with huge beds, a private bathroom, large television and a minibar for when you want to retreat indoors.
On site, Hatta Wadi Hub has plenty of activities to keep guests entertained – from horse riding, kayaking and archery to hiking, mountain biking and more. When it comes to eating, the Hatta Wild Cafe offers all-day dining and there's a selection of food trucks, as well as a barbecue area. If you book out one of the resorts, you can also request tailored food and drinks, at an additional cost.
Rates vary depending on the date of stay with variable rates for weekends and public holidays. Prices start from Dh900 per room, per night. Which means you'll be looking at about Dh11,700 to exclusively book Sedr Trailer Resort, and rates from about Dh18,000 and upward for exclusive use of Damani Lodges Resort.
Groups can also get discounts on some of the activities on offer at Hatta Wadi Hub, with up to 50 per cent off activities such as kayaking. Stays can be booked any time throughout the Hatta season, which runs from October until April, but there's a two-night minimum stay policy at the weekend and on New Year's Eve.
Online bookings are not available for stays at the resorts, but travellers interested in reserving can do so via email.
Dubai's Hatta has long been a favourite with staycationers from across the country, thanks to its incredible dam, adventure travel opportunities and unique selection of places to stay. For more information on the exclave, read our complete guide to Hatta here, but keep in mind this was written before any coronavirus restrictions were introduced.
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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Sanju
Produced: Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Rajkumar Hirani
Director: Rajkumar Hirani
Cast: Ranbir Kapoor, Vicky Kaushal, Paresh Rawal, Anushka Sharma, Manish’s Koirala, Dia Mirza, Sonam Kapoor, Jim Sarbh, Boman Irani
Rating: 3.5 stars
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
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What is Diwali?
The Hindu festival is at once a celebration of the autumn harvest and the triumph of good over evil, as outlined in the Ramayana.
According to the Sanskrit epic, penned by the sage Valmiki, Diwali marks the time that the exiled king Rama – a mortal with superhuman powers – returned home to the city of Ayodhya with his wife Sita and brother Lakshman, after vanquishing the 10-headed demon Ravana and conquering his kingdom of Lanka. The people of Ayodhya are believed to have lit thousands of earthen lamps to illuminate the city and to guide the royal family home.
In its current iteration, Diwali is celebrated with a puja to welcome the goodness of prosperity Lakshmi (an incarnation of Sita) into the home, which is decorated with diyas (oil lamps) or fairy lights and rangoli designs with coloured powder. Fireworks light up the sky in some parts of the word, and sweetmeats are made (or bought) by most households. It is customary to get new clothes stitched, and visit friends and family to exchange gifts and greetings.
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How to volunteer
The UAE volunteers campaign can be reached at www.volunteers.ae , or by calling 800-VOLAE (80086523), or emailing info@volunteers.ae.
Alita: Battle Angel
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Juvenile arthritis
Along with doctors, families and teachers can help pick up cases of arthritis in children.
Most types of childhood arthritis are known as juvenile idiopathic arthritis. JIA causes pain and inflammation in one or more joints for at least six weeks.
Dr Betina Rogalski said "The younger the child the more difficult it into pick up the symptoms. If the child is small, it may just be a bit grumpy or pull its leg a way or not feel like walking,” she said.
According to The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases in US, the most common symptoms of juvenile arthritis are joint swelling, pain, and stiffness that doesn’t go away. Usually it affects the knees, hands, and feet, and it’s worse in the morning or after a nap.
Limping in the morning because of a stiff knee, excessive clumsiness, having a high fever and skin rash are other symptoms. Children may also have swelling in lymph nodes in the neck and other parts of the body.
Arthritis in children can cause eye inflammation and growth problems and can cause bones and joints to grow unevenly.
In the UK, about 15,000 children and young people are affected by arthritis.
