The newest hotel on Palm Jumeirah has opened its doors to guests.
Taj Exotica Resort & Spa, The Palm, Dubai, is located on the East Crescent of the city's man-made island.
The five-star resort has a private beach, an all-natural spa and a 70-metre swimming pool that the hotel says is the longest on the Palm.
Located between Rixos The Palm Hotel & Suites and Aloft Palm Jumeirah, it's the third hotel for the Taj brand in Dubai.
A skylight ceiling welcomes guests into the spacious lobby of the hotel, which has 325 rooms and suites. Rooms are contemporary and spacious, with a choice of oceanfront or city skyline views. The Taj Exotica suite is for those who want to splurge, coming with its own terrace overlooking the pool and a private Jacuzzi.
There are plenty of dining options, including Indian fine-dining at Varq, a gastropub experience at the Roaring Rabbit, Arabic fare at Raia and beachside dining at The Coast. On the rooftop, Palm Kitchen serves an international menu with sweeping views over the Arabian Gulf.
All-natural Jiva Spa will offer therapies inspired by Indian healing techniques with Ayurveda, yoga, mediation and more on the menu. Guests can also unwind on a 230-metres stretch of private beach.
Children will be well taken care of at Popsicle Kids Club, where they'll have their own shallow water pool and an outdoor playground. There are also tennis courts, ballrooms and meeting rooms for sports, social occasions and conferences.
The Taj Hotel group already operates Taj Jumeirah Lakes Towers Dubai and Taj Dubai, and is developing a fourth Taj hotel in the city.
Rates start at Dh1,275 per night, excluding taxes. Taj Exotica Resort and Spa, The Palm, Dubai, East Crescent, Palm Jumeirah; tajhotels.com
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
Three ways to limit your social media use
Clinical psychologist, Dr Saliha Afridi at The Lighthouse Arabia suggests three easy things you can do every day to cut back on the time you spend online.
1. Put the social media app in a folder on the second or third screen of your phone so it has to remain a conscious decision to open, rather than something your fingers gravitate towards without consideration.
2. Schedule a time to use social media instead of consistently throughout the day. I recommend setting aside certain times of the day or week when you upload pictures or share information.
3. Take a mental snapshot rather than a photo on your phone. Instead of sharing it with your social world, try to absorb the moment, connect with your feeling, experience the moment with all five of your senses. You will have a memory of that moment more vividly and for far longer than if you take a picture of it.
How to keep control of your emotions
If your investment decisions are being dictated by emotions such as fear, greed, hope, frustration and boredom, it is time for a rethink, Chris Beauchamp, chief market analyst at online trading platform IG, says.
Greed
Greedy investors trade beyond their means, open more positions than usual or hold on to positions too long to chase an even greater gain. “All too often, they incur a heavy loss and may even wipe out the profit already made.
Tip: Ignore the short-term hype, noise and froth and invest for the long-term plan, based on sound fundamentals.
Fear
The risk of making a loss can cloud decision-making. “This can cause you to close out a position too early, or miss out on a profit by being too afraid to open a trade,” he says.
Tip: Start with a plan, and stick to it. For added security, consider placing stops to reduce any losses and limits to lock in profits.
Hope
While all traders need hope to start trading, excessive optimism can backfire. Too many traders hold on to a losing trade because they believe that it will reverse its trend and become profitable.
Tip: Set realistic goals. Be happy with what you have earned, rather than frustrated by what you could have earned.
Frustration
Traders can get annoyed when the markets have behaved in unexpected ways and generates losses or fails to deliver anticipated gains.
Tip: Accept in advance that asset price movements are completely unpredictable and you will suffer losses at some point. These can be managed, say, by attaching stops and limits to your trades.
Boredom
Too many investors buy and sell because they want something to do. They are trading as entertainment, rather than in the hope of making money. As well as making bad decisions, the extra dealing charges eat into returns.
Tip: Open an online demo account and get your thrills without risking real money.
