With Thursday set to be a public holiday for the Islamic New Year, a long weekend is on the cards for many in the UAE.
Make the most of your extra day off by escaping the summer heat and heading out on a staycation. There's nothing quite like a perfectly chilled swimming pool to cool things down, especially if the children are being entertained at the kids' club.
If that sounds like long-weekend bliss, here are 10 last-minute deals you can still book today:
Hampton by Hilton Marjan Island, Ras Al Khaimah
Hilton’s newest hotel in the UAE is welcoming staycationers this long weekend. Hampton by Hilton Marjan Island in Ras Al Khaimah only opened in July, so you can be sure all the rooms and facilities are spanking new.
Located on a 750-metre long beach, the seaside-themed hotel has a large infinity pool overlooking the Arabian Gulf. It also has a kids and teens club and a wellness centre. For dining, there are seven restaurants and bars to choose from including all-day eatery Flavours, Surfs Up beach food truck and the H20 pool bar.
Dh736, excluding taxes, for two adults and two children; Hampton by Hilton Marjan Island, Marjan Island Blvd, Ras Al Khaimah; www.hilton.com
The Ritz-Carlton DIFC, Dubai
For sheer luxury in the heart of Dubai, the Ritz-Carlton Dubai International Financial Centre's staycation offer is one to check out. Created specifically for UAE residents, the long weekend half-board promotion offers a saving of 30 per cent on regular rates at the Downtown Dubai hotel.
Inclusive of either lunch or dinner, meals are served at Cafe Belge, an award-wining eatery that encapsulates the spirit of a 1920s European cafe. There’s an outdoor pool for those who want to soak up the sun, or an indoor pool if the heat is a bit much for you. You’ll be staying right next door to the Burj Khalifa and The Dubai Mall for when you’re looking for entertainment.
From Dh900, including breakfast and lunch or dinner for two adults and two children, excluding taxes; The Ritz-Carlton DIFC, Dubai; www.ritzcarlton.com
Ajman Saray, a Luxury Collection Resort
If you’re seeking luxury in the UAE’s smallest emirate, the Ajman Saray, a Luxury Collection Resort could be one to check out.
This long weekend, the hotel is offering a half board staycation deal that includes daily breakfast, free Wi-Fi, rooms with balconies overlooking the sea or the creek and a choice of dinner at Vista or Mejhana.
Located on a pristine sandy beach overlooking the Arabian Gulf, it’s a great spot to unwind. This coastal getaway also has a huge swimming pool, a fully equipped gym and an extensive menu of spa experiences if you’re in need of some pampering.
Rates from Dh1,039 for two adults, excluding taxes; Ajman Saray, a Luxury Collection Resort, Sheikh Humaid Bin Rashid Al Nuaimi Street, Ajman; www.marriott.com
Hilton Abu Dhabi Yas Island
Fun for all the family awaits at Yas Island’s newest hotel. The five-star family-friendly Hilton Abu Dhabi Yas Island has one of the biggest swimming pools in the capital, plus an Eforea Spa and free tickets to your favourite Yas Island theme parks.
It’s all about the little ones at this hotel with children under the age of 12 enjoying their own personalised welcome, children’s breakfast experience and plenty of kid-friendly options on the restaurant menus. There’s also a kids club and splash zone to keep them entertained.
Everyone staying at the hotel also gets one ticket per day to either Yas Waterworld, Ferrari World or Warner Bros World, making it easy to have a weekend to remember.
Rates from Dh1,140 for two adults and one child, excluding taxes. You can upgrade to half board to include lunch or dinner for an additional Dh520. Hilton Abu Dhabi Yas Island, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi; www.hilton.com
Fujairah Rotana Resort & Spa
The UAE’s only eastern coast emirate is always a popular one for staycations thanks to its mountain backdrop and slightly cooler climes. There’s limited availability remaining at Fujairah Rotana Resort & Spa for the coming long weekend, so you better act quick if you want to book.
Nestled between the ocean and the Hajar Mountains, the hotel is a great pick for anyone wanting to escape city life. With lush gardens and towering palm trees, the family-friendly resort has two swimming pools, a Zen the spa and a Flipper’s Kids Club. It’s also perfectly located for snorkelling, watersports or scuba diving fun. For dining, there are six places to choose from and if you want to relax without worrying about what the bill will be on checkout, book the all-inclusive rate. This includes all meals and accompanying drinks with children under 12 dining and staying for free.
Dh1,689, members-only all-inclusive rate (membership is free), excluding taxes; Fujairah Rotana Resort & Spa, Dibba Road, Al Aqah Beach, Fujairah; www.rotana.com
Rove At The Park, Dubai
Spend the long weekend at Dubai Parks and Resorts to enjoy complimentary access to on-your-doorstep entertainment. Check-in at Rove At The Park and you’ll get one free ticket per person, per night to Motiongate, Bollywood Parks, Legoland and Legoland Water Park, so the whole family will be entertained. And that’s in addition to free access to themed zones, shops and restaurants at Riverland Dubai.
The Rover Room sleeps two adults and one child, and interconnecting rooms are available for bigger families. When you’re not exploring the parks, enjoy the hotel’s funky interior design, outdoor swimming pool and 24-hour gym. You can request a late checkout until 2pm to make the most of your staycay.
Dh359, excluding taxes, for 2 adults and one child. Rove at The Park, Dubai Parks and Resorts, Dubai; www.rovehotels.com
Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi
For a truly regal staycation, Abu Dhabi’s Emirates Palace ticks all the boxes. Located in a private bay with its own beach and marine, the hotel also has an adventure-filled swimming pool, complete with a lazy river, waterfalls and two water flumes.
Dining options are extensive, with Le Vendome and Martaban by Hemant Oberoi as popular choices. The 1,500-square-metre Emirates Palace Spa is the perfect place to pamper yourself away from the summer sunshine.
The hotel’s summertime offer includes complimentary room upgrades when you book a Coral Room or a Khaleej Suite and early check-in from 10am on weekdays so you can make the most of your stay. And because a stay at Emirates Palace isn’t complete without trying the signature 23-karat gold flaked cappuccino at Le Cafe, all in-house guests can indulge in a complimentary one this August.
Dh780, for two adults and one child, excluding taxes. Emirates Palace Abu Dhabi, West Corniche Road, Al Ras Al Akhdar, Abu Dhabi; https://www.mandarinoriental.com/abu-dhabi/emirates-palace
Mysk Al Badayer Retreat, Sharjah
Make the most of UAE’s desert location with a stay at Mysk Al Badayer Retreat in Sharjah. About an hour from the city, the resort is set against the dunes close to the emirate's southern border and the half board summer package includes breakfast and dinner for two adults and one child.
Inspired by an Arabian castle, the resort’s rooms are filled with traditional artefacts and there's a real sense of Emirati hospitality. Luckily for those visiting in August, each one also comes with powerful air-conditioning. There are two restaurants to choose from or you can opt to dine in-suite and there's also an indoor pool for when you need to cool off from the midday sun.
Escape to the desert on an early morning camel ride, see birds of prey in action at the falcon show and enjoy endless stargazing opportunities when night falls. If you want to indulge, book a deluxe tent that comes with its own outdoor swimming pool.
Dh780, excluding taxes, in a deluxe twin bedroom. Mysk Al Badayer Retreat, Al Badayer, Sharjah; www.myskhotels.com
Palazzo Versace Dubai
Make like the stars with a stay at one of Dubai's most striking hotel's by booking a stay at the Palazzo Versace Dubai. Full of Rococo and Baroque patterns, stone mosaics and marble tiling, the elegant hotel is the same place where 50 Cent booked a suite last year and there's some great family offers on overnight stays this summer.
The Summer Staycation package is valid for two adults and up to two children to stay in a Deluxe Versace City View room and comes with daily breakfast, high tea at Mosaico for two people, a Dh150 spa voucher and 20 per cent discount on food and beverage spend during your stay. It also includes four tickets to Laguna Waterpark, perfect for cooling down this long weekend.
Dh899, excluding taxes. Palazzo Versace Dubai, Jaddaf Waterfront, Dubai; www.palazzoversace.ae
NB: All deals were available at the time of writing but this is likely to change as more bookings are made.
Fight card
- Aliu Bamidele Lasisi (Nigeria) beat Artid Vamrungauea (Thailand) POINTS
- Julaidah Abdulfatah (Saudi Arabia) beat Martin Kabrhel (Czech Rep) POINTS
- Kem Ljungquist (Denmark) beat Mourad Omar (Egypt) TKO
- Michael Lawal (UK) beat Tamas Kozma (Hungary) KO
- Zuhayr Al Qahtani (Saudi Arabia) beat Mohammed Mahmoud (UK) POINTS
- Darren Surtees (UK) beat Kane Baker (UK) KO
- Chris Eubank Jr (UK) beat JJ McDonagh (Ireland) TKO
- Callum Smith (UK) beat George Groves (UK) KO
MATCH INFO
Burnley 0
Man City 3
Raheem Sterling 35', 49'
Ferran Torres 65'
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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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.”
Iftar programme at the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding
Established in 1998, the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding was created with a vision to teach residents about the traditions and customs of the UAE. Its motto is ‘open doors, open minds’. All year-round, visitors can sign up for a traditional Emirati breakfast, lunch or dinner meal, as well as a range of walking tours, including ones to sites such as the Jumeirah Mosque or Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood.
Every year during Ramadan, an iftar programme is rolled out. This allows guests to break their fast with the centre’s presenters, visit a nearby mosque and observe their guides while they pray. These events last for about two hours and are open to the public, or can be booked for a private event.
Until the end of Ramadan, the iftar events take place from 7pm until 9pm, from Saturday to Thursday. Advanced booking is required.
For more details, email openminds@cultures.ae or visit www.cultures.ae
Water waste
In the UAE’s arid climate, small shrubs, bushes and flower beds usually require about six litres of water per square metre, daily. That increases to 12 litres per square metre a day for small trees, and 300 litres for palm trees.
Horticulturists suggest the best time for watering is before 8am or after 6pm, when water won't be dried up by the sun.
A global report published by the Water Resources Institute in August, ranked the UAE 10th out of 164 nations where water supplies are most stretched.
The Emirates is the world’s third largest per capita water consumer after the US and Canada.
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
Easter%20Sunday
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The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
How Voiss turns words to speech
The device has a screen reader or software that monitors what happens on the screen
The screen reader sends the text to the speech synthesiser
This converts to audio whatever it receives from screen reader, so the person can hear what is happening on the screen
A VOISS computer costs between $200 and $250 depending on memory card capacity that ranges from 32GB to 128GB
The speech synthesisers VOISS develops are free
Subsequent computer versions will include improvements such as wireless keyboards
Arabic voice in affordable talking computer to be added next year to English, Portuguese, and Spanish synthesiser
Partnerships planned during Expo 2020 Dubai to add more languages
At least 2.2 billion people globally have a vision impairment or blindness
More than 90 per cent live in developing countries
The Long-term aim of VOISS to reach the technology to people in poor countries with workshops that teach them to build their own device
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
HOW TO WATCH
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Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
The%20specs
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Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
Arsenal's pre-season fixtures
Thursday Beat Sydney 2-0 in Sydney
Saturday v Western Sydney Wanderers in Sydney
Wednesday v Bayern Munich in Shanghai
July 22 v Chelsea in Beijing
July 29 v Benfica in London
July 30 v Sevilla in London
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
EA Sports FC 26
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3/5
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
Saturday's results
West Ham 2-3 Tottenham
Arsenal 2-2 Southampton
Bournemouth 1-2 Wolves
Brighton 0-2 Leicester City
Crystal Palace 1-2 Liverpool
Everton 0-2 Norwich City
Watford 0-3 Burnley
Manchester City v Chelsea, 9.30pm
Company%20Profile
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The 12 Syrian entities delisted by UK
Ministry of Interior
Ministry of Defence
General Intelligence Directorate
Air Force Intelligence Agency
Political Security Directorate
Syrian National Security Bureau
Military Intelligence Directorate
Army Supply Bureau
General Organisation of Radio and TV
Al Watan newspaper
Cham Press TV
Sama TV
APPLE IPAD MINI (A17 PRO)
Display: 21cm Liquid Retina Display, 2266 x 1488, 326ppi, 500 nits
Chip: Apple A17 Pro, 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
Storage: 128/256/512GB
Main camera: 12MP wide, f/1.8, digital zoom up to 5x, Smart HDR 4
Front camera: 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.4, Smart HDR 4, full-HD @ 25/30/60fps
Biometrics: Touch ID, Face ID
Colours: Blue, purple, space grey, starlight
In the box: iPad mini, USB-C cable, 20W USB-C power adapter
Price: From Dh2,099
Company profile
Name: Tratok Portal
Founded: 2017
Based: UAE
Sector: Travel & tourism
Size: 36 employees
Funding: Privately funded
The five pillars of Islam
