With Expo 2020 Dubai less than three months away, hotels across the city are preparing for an influx of international guests.
Hoteliers predict increased demand in the weeks leading up to the event, which starts on October 1. In the past few years, development close to the 480-hectare site in Dubai South has gained momentum.
Hotels, apartment blocks and a new Dubai Metro line were constructed to cater for people travelling to Expo 2020 Dubai. Here, The National has put together a list of some of the hotels that are only a hop, skip and a jump from the site.
Studio One Hotel
Location: Dubai Studio City
Rating: 4*
Distance: 16.4km from Expo 2020 Dubai site
Michelle Purnell, marketing and communications manager at Studio One Hotel said with the Expo site in full swing, the hotel has already seen an increase in Expo related bookings.
"This growth is expected to continue through the summer and into October," she said.
Studio One is a casual and friendly hotel option and although it’s family focused, it also has lots of business check in’s. Rooms start from Dh450 ($122) per night in October.
Radisson Dubai Damac Hills
Location: Damac Hills
Rating: 4*
Distance: 12km from Expo 2020 Dubai site
Newly opened this year, this four-star hotel is hoping to become a community hub for the Damac Hills neighbourhood and it will greatly serve those looking to visit Expo 2020 Dubai too.
It has 481 rooms and apartments, all with balconies looking over the green surrounding area. There are also a number of golf courses on the property as well as a gym, pool, spa and several restaurants. Rooms start from Dh587 ($159) per night in October.
Vida Downtown Dubai Hotel
Location: Downtown Dubai
Rating: 4*
Distance: 39km from Expo 2020 Dubai site
Located in Downtown Dubai and just a stone's throw from the Burj Khalifa, Vida Downtown is about a 35 minute drive from the Expo 2020 Dubai site but Dubai Mall metro is just over the road. The hotel offers a great mix for those visiting the city for business and pleasure. Rooms start from Dh879 ($239) per night in October.
Rove Expo 2020 Hotel
Location: Dubai South
Rating: 4*
Distance: On site
This property is the only hotel at the Expo 2020 site. It can be reached through the Mobility Arrival Plaza or the Dubai Metro Arrival Plaza, depending on which transport method you use.
Rooms cost from Dh1,000 a night and include Expo 2020 tickets for the duration of stay.
The hotel’s rooftop swimming pool and most of the 300-plus rooms overlook the Al Wasl Plaza, the “crown jewel” of the Expo 2020 Dubai site.
Oaks Ibn Battuta Gate Hotel Dubai
Location: Jebel Ali
Rating: 5*
Distance: 8km from Expo 2020 Dubai site
With 396 rooms, this is one of the largest hotels near the Expo 2020 Dubai site. Room rates for October start at Dh705 per night.
The property has a fully equipped fitness centre and a rooftop pool. It is a five-minute walk from Ibn Battuta Metro Station, which connects to Jebel Ali metro and the Route 2020 line.
Aloft Me’aisam
Location: Dubai Production City
Rating: 4*
Distance: 9.6km from Expo 2020 Dubai
Sited 9.6 kilometres from the Expo 2020 Dubai site, Aloft Me’aisam Dubai is in a prime location for business and leisure travellers to connect. While there is no direct metro line nearby, there are bus stops near the property that will take guests to the nearest Route 2020 line stations in Discovery Gardens and Al Furjan.
The four-star hotel has spacious rooms with free hotel-wide Wi-Fi. Room rates for October start at Dh491 per night.
Taj
Location: Jumeirah Lakes Towers
Rating: 5*
Distance: 32km from Expo 2020 Dubai site
Rooms start from Dh720 ($196) per night in October. The hotel is just a short walk to the metro station, which visitors can jump on for access to Expo 2020 Dubai.
Maisan Hotel
Location: Dubai Investments Park
Rating: 4*
Distance: 3.2km from Expo 2020 Dubai site
Maisan Hotel is a seven-minute drive from the Expo 2020 Dubai and a short walk from the new Dubai Investments Park metro station on Route 2020.
Room rates for October start at Dh180 ($49).
Media One Hotel
Location: Dubai Media City
Rating: 4*
Distance: 34km from Expo 2020 Dubai site
Vibrant and stylish, the Media One Hotel is located in the urban Media City district, close to Emirates Golf Club and Dubai Marina. It is just a five minute walk from the Al Khail metro station. Rooms start from Dh540 ($147) per night in October.
Courtyard by Marriott Dubai, Green Community
Location: Dubai Investments Park
Rating: 4*
Distance: 5km from Expo 2020 Dubai site
Overlooking a picturesque lake, the Courtyard by Marriott Dubai in the Green Community has outdoor pools for children and adults with a relaxing terrace.
Like many of the hotels that are in demand with Expo 2020 workers and visitors, the property is near the DIP Metro Station on the Route 2020 line, which takes you directly to the entrance gates of the site.
Room rates for October start at Dh259 ($70).
Signature One Hotel
Location: Barsha Heights
Rating: 4*
Distance: 33km from Expo 2020 Dubai site
This is a great option for the budget-friendly visitors and is located close to the Dubai Internet City metro station, where you can connect to the Route 2020 line and zip along to the Expo site. Rooms start from just Dh229 ($62) per night in October.
Sarfira
Director: Sudha Kongara Prasad
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Radhika Madan, Paresh Rawal
Rating: 2/5
UAE squad
Ali Kashief, Salem Rashid, Khalifa Al Hammadi, Khalfan Mubarak, Ali Mabkhout, Omar Abdelrahman, Mohammed Al Attas (Al Jazira), Mohmmed Al Shamsi, Hamdan Al Kamali, Mohammad Barghash, Khalil Al Hammadi (Al Wahda), Khalid Eisa, Mohammed Shakir, Ahmed Barman, Bandar Al Ahbabi (Al Ain), Adel Al Hosani, Al Hassan Saleh, Majid Suroor (Sharjah), Waleed Abbas, Ismail Al Hammadi, Ahmed Khalil (Shabab Al Ahli Dubai) Habib Fardan, Tariq Ahmed, Mohammed Al Akbari (Al Nasr), Ali Saleh, Ali Salmeen (Al Wasl), Hassan Al Mahrami (Baniyas)
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
Third Test
Result: India won by 203 runs
Series: England lead five-match series 2-1
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Springtime in a Broken Mirror,
Mario Benedetti, Penguin Modern Classics
Tonight's Chat on The National
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$1,000 award for 1,000 days on madrasa portal
Daily cash awards of $1,000 dollars will sweeten the Madrasa e-learning project by tempting more pupils to an education portal to deepen their understanding of math and sciences.
School children are required to watch an educational video each day and answer a question related to it. They then enter into a raffle draw for the $1,000 prize.
“We are targeting everyone who wants to learn. This will be $1,000 for 1,000 days so there will be a winner every day for 1,000 days,” said Sara Al Nuaimi, project manager of the Madrasa e-learning platform that was launched on Tuesday by the Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, to reach Arab pupils from kindergarten to grade 12 with educational videos.
“The objective of the Madrasa is to become the number one reference for all Arab students in the world. The 5,000 videos we have online is just the beginning, we have big ambitions. Today in the Arab world there are 50 million students. We want to reach everyone who is willing to learn.”
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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
