Hotels stock up on family iftar options

The Life: Hotels throughout the UAE are offering numerous ways to break fast during Ramadan. Here is a sampling of their deals.

The Burj Al Arab is offering two iftar options. Pawan Singh / The National

Q&A: A stay at the Burj Al Arab

Do many people come to stay at the Burj Al Arab during Ramadan? All the hotels in Dubai get less busy during the summer months. Hotel occupancy is not as high, which is normal. But we still expect a variety of different guests to stay at the Burj Al Arab in Ramadan.

Will that include people living in the UAE? For many guests, the Burj Al Arab is a home-away-from-home experience. For others it's a once-in-a-life time experience. We expect many of the home-away-from-home guests to visit. These will be people from all over the world.

What food will be served for iftar? There will be a variety of international foods, including seafood, smoked fish and sushi, as well as carvings of roast beef, veal and lamb. A typical Arab mezze and salads will also be available.

Hotels are offering numerous ways to enjoy iftar with family and friends during Ramadan.

All the big-name brands are advertising attractive packages to entice people through the door, but one of the most impressive settings to spend an evening will be sunset at the Burj Al Arab in Dubai.

For Dh7,500 (US$2,040), visitors can book a suite with panoramic views of the Gulf or the city of Dubai, and then spend the evening enjoying iftar, spa treatments and even suhoor before dawn. Guest transfers are available in the hotel's fleet of Rolls-Royce cars, including Park Wards, Silver Seraphs and Phantoms. A good night's sleep should not be too hard to come by, as the hotel offers a range of pillows for different tastes - 17 in all, including some for the little ones.

The hotel is also offering two options for iftar, a traditional Arabic buffet at Al Iwan restaurant and an international buffet at Bab Al Yam, with private suites available. Both choices are available without booking a room for the night and are priced at Dh290. Suhoor will be served from midnight until sunrise and costs Dh250.

In between meals, the Burj Al Arab is offering a number of treatments to relax and enjoy the surroundings. Guests can experience a radiance spa that claims to help calm and keep the mind rebalanced as guests spend time with family.

Top 5: Dubai iftars

1 Burj Al Arab, Dh290

1 Armani Hotel, Burj Khalifa, Dh290

1 The Address Dubai Mall, Dh170

1 The Palace, The Old Town, Dh190

1 Dubai Marina Yacht Club, Dh120

Other major hotels and restaurants are also offering a number of iftar options for the family, as well as corporate deals for large groups wanting to break the fast with colleagues or clients. The Palace, in Dubai's so-called Old Town (but which is, in fact, a new looking old town), is offering corporate guests its Royale Ballroom at Dh180 a person, including soft beverages for a minimum of 50 guests.

The Quote: We expect some of the large expat community in Dubai to visit the Burj Al Arab during Ramadan. Jumeirah spokesperson