18 Eid Al Adha staycations in the UAE: from desert retreats to family adventures

While the exact dates of the upcoming Eid Al Adha depend on the sighting of the moon and so have yet to be confirmed, it is believed the holiday will start on Monday, July 19. UAE residents are expected to receive almost a week off to mark the occasion, so there’s ample time to whisk yourself off for a fun staycation. From staying in an over-water villa on the Palm in Dubai to desert escapes and action-packed adventures on Abu Dhabi's Yas Island, here are some ways to make the most of your Eid break. Armani Hotel Dubai promises to make sure your Eid holiday is action-packed. In addition to a stay at the foot of the world’s tallest building, in rooms designed by Giorgio Armani himself, guests visiting the hotel over Eid will receive free access to At the Top, Burj Khalifa SKY observation deck on Level 148, as well as the opportunity to swim with sharks in the Dubai Aquarium and explore VR Park in The Dubai Mall. For those who would rather take it easy, the hotel is offering a Dh600 spa package that includes a 60-minute candle massage and Instant Glow Facial, as well as a Dh200 voucher for their next visit. Families can also take advantage of a dining offer at the hotel’s Armani/Amal Indian restaurant, where two adults can enjoy a sharing menu for Dh399 while children eat for free. From Dh,1870 per night, www.armanihoteldubai.com Nestled amid the desert dunes, Bab Al Shams Desert Resort has long been a go-to for luxurious nature-infused escapes. A 45-minute drive from Dubai, the resort offers an opportunity to immerse yourself in the desert landscape, where you’ll be surrounded by gazelles, birds and other local wildlife. From sumptuous culinary experiences to temperature-controlled pools and archery ranges, there’s plenty here to keep you entertained over the Eid break. Rates start from Dh499 for a night, with the opportunity to upgrade to a half-board option that includes breakfast and dinner. Guests can also enjoy a 25 per cent discount on all food and drink, as well as desert activities such as archery and horse and camel riding. From Dh449 per night, www.babalshams.com For a stay that feels removed from the city but is only a 10-minute drive from Downtown Dubai, The Meydan Hotel offers a range of dining options, a picture-perfect infinity pool and a world-class golfing range – all next to the Meydan Racecource horseracing track . The property is offering a family-friendly Playcation deal that includes rooms for Dh590 per night, inclusive of two complimentary tickets to IMG Worlds of Adventure and breakfast at Farriers, which overlooks the racecourse. They also have a Foodcation deal, which is priced at Dh670 per night and includes complimentary breakfast and then lunch or dinner at Farriers, Millennium Lounge or Qube Sports Bar. Dh590 for the Playcation package and Dh670 for the Foodcation package; www.themeydanhotel.com Home to the highest spa in the UAE, as well as the world’s highest infinity pool (as per Guinness World Records), the Address Beach Resort guarantees stunning views from its location on Dubai’s JBR Walk. Over Eid, guests can take advantage of a 30 per cent discount on the best available room rate, with complimentary breakfast and dinner. For longer stays, the property is currently offering a package where guests can book for three nights and only pay for two; or book for six and only pay for four. If you do manage to drag yourself away from that infinity pool, you’ll have the beach and all of JBR’s entertainment options at your doorstep. Price on request, www.addresshotels.com Head out to the Palm and you’ll feel like you’ve escaped the city completely. Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah is offering a Family Time package that includes daily breakfast and late checkout at 2pm. Children up to 16 years old dine for free, while young ones will enjoy a designated check-in area, a scavenger hunt around the resort, in-room tailored bathrobes and slippers, and special children's welcome amenities, among other things. Meanwhile, parents can park themselves on the 200-metre stretch of private beach, or head to the spa, which offers a choice of nearly 50 treatments. Price on request, www.waldorfastoria3.hilton.com Sitting pretty on the banks of the Dubai Creek, Park Hyatt Dubai is an old favourite. With its lush gardens and waterfront location, it offers a little pocket of tranquility in the midst of old Dubai. For Eid Al Adha, guests will be able to experience the hotel’s outstanding dining options, with a deal that includes a hotel stay for two, breakfast at Brasserie du Park, and then a choice of either the Traiteur Summer Edition or an In-Room Dining Special Eid Menu for two. Traiteur Summer Edition is a Friday afternoon gastronomic experience that starts with Kaluga caviar, a chilled seafood platter and pan-fried foie gras. Next up is a hot seafood platter comprising of sea bass, tiger prawns and baby calamari, while the meat platter includes beef rib eye, corn-fed chicken and roasted duck breast. Also included in the deal is complimentary access to the golf driving range, mini golf or tennis courts. From Dh1,315 per night, www.hyatt.com The French-Polynesian-themed Sofitel Dubai The Palm is offering a summer deal that includes 30 per cent off regular room rates and complimentary daily buffet breakfast. Guests can choose between luxury rooms, suites and one and two-bedroom hotel apartments. Entertainment comes in the form of six swimming pools, some with slides for added fun, and complimentary access to the Amura Kids Club, home to an indoor cinema, two floors of soft play areas and a dedicated kiddies swimming pool. The hotel is also running a spa daycation offer, which includes a 60-minute massage, a day pass to the hotel’s pool and beach, and Dh100 credit to spent on food and drink at various restaurants. Price on request, www.sofitel-dubai-thepalm.com Foodies may also like the sound of Rove’s Dine Around La Mer deal. Included in the room rate of Dh499 at Rove La Mer Beach is a Dh200 daily dining credit at some of La Mer’s most popular restaurants, including Masti, The Daily, Lezzet and Argentina Grill. It’s also a great opportunity to explore the area's various other attractions, which include a waterpark, inflatable playgrounds and boutiques. Rove La Mer Beach is the home-grown hotel brand’s latest property and promises a laid-back beachside stay only 10 minutes from The Dubai Mall and City Walk. From Dh499 per night, www.rovehotels.com To mark its 40th anniversary this year, JA Resorts & Hotels is offering a 40 per cent summer discount on all rooms and suites across its portfolio. In the UAE, this means guests can benefit from bumper deals at JA The Resort - Dubai, JA Hatta Fort Hotel, JA Oasis Beach Tower and JA Ocean View Hotel. JA The Resort consists of three five-star hotels, set across one million square metres, with an 800 metre stretch of private beach and six chilled swimming pools. The more low-key JA Hatta Fort Hotel offers 53 individual rooms nestled amid the Hajjar Mountains, while JA Oasis Beach Tower and JA Ocean View Hotel are set in the thick of JBR. Price on request, www.jaresortshotels.com Also located at JBR, Habtoor Grand Resort, part of the Autograph Collection, is offering a host of value-adds over the Eid break and beyond. Guests opting for UAE Residents Summer Staycation Offer will receive guaranteed room upgrades, Dh150 worth of credit in the hotel’s 14 dining venues and a 30 per cent discount on selected treatments at Elixir Spa. To top it off, the package includes two bronze tickets to La Perle. From Dh700 per night, www.marriott.com If your plans for a tropical island holiday have been scuppered, head to Anantara The Palm Dubai Resort for the next best thing. The property’s interconnected lagoons and Thai-style clay-tiled rooftops will make you feel like you’ve travelled much further than you really have. The hotel is offering a special deal on its villas over Eid, meaning you can kick back in an over-water villa that looks out on to the waters of the Palm, or a private one-bedroom beach pool villa, and pay 30 per cent less than the regular rate. Daily breakfast at either The Beach House or Revo Cafe is included in the package. From Dh4,375 per night, www.anantara.com Hilton Dubai Jumeirah is offering a Beauty Sleep staycation this Eid. The hotel has teamed up with marketing and communications agency TishTash to offer a one-of-a-kind staycation experience for beauty and skincare lovers. Guests will indulge in a curated beauty sleep experience of their choice courtesy of popular brands such as Neal’s Yard Remedies, Bath and Body Works and sustainable beauty e-tailer Secret Skin. The offer includes a complimentary Beauty Sleep Experience Box and breakfast for two. From Dh950 per night, www.hilton.com Hilton Abu Dhabi Yas Island is acting as a gateway to all of the island’s attractions this Eid. The property is offering a staycation deal that includes theme park access for every registered room guest, valid for Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, Yas Waterworld or Warner Bros World. While children under 12 will dine for free, adult guests will receive 20 per cent off on all dining and spa treatments at the hotel, and 50 per cent off on access to Yas Beach. If you have any time in between, the property’s outdoor pool and children's splash pad beckon. From Dh620 per night, www.hilton.com A stay at Abu Dhabi’s famed Emirates Palace is one for the bucket list. From its grandiose interiors to its two pools, state-of-the-art fitness centre and array of restaurants, it’s the perfect place to keep the whole family entertained over the Eid break. The property is running a special package that includes accommodation in a coral room, 50 per cent off on a second room when occupied by a family member, guaranteed connecting rooms, complimentary breakfast to be enjoyed in Le Vendome restaurant or in the privacy of your room, and free access for two children to the hotel’s Kids Camp. Children under the age of 12 will also dine for free with every paying adult. From Dh1,895 per night, www.mandarinoriental.com Four Seasons Hotel Abu Dhabi and The Galleria Al Maryah Island have teamed up to create a special summer programme that includes exclusive shopping deals and a family-friendly staycation. The hotel’s special suite package consists of a complimentary third night stay with every two consecutive paid nights in a suite. In partnership with The Galleria, visitors will also receive a Galleria VIP pass that unlocks a number of discounts. The Galleria has also launched the Eat and Play promotion, which includes discounted rates on dining, complimentary games and entertainment at Xtreme Zone. Price on request, www.fourseasons.com A pioneer in the affordable luxury halal segment, Jannah Hotels and Resorts has announced special summer offers across its properties, with room rates starting from Dh199 per night. The brand’s portfolio includes Jannah Burj Al Sarab Hotel in Abu Dhabi; Jannah Marina Hotel Apartments – Dubai Marina; the newly opened Edge Creekside Hotel in Dubai; and Jannah Hotel Apartment and Villas – Ras Al Khaimah. Guests will enjoy complimentary breakfast and a 20 per cent discount on all other food and beverages, with children under the age of 6 entitled to a free stay and complimentary breakfast. Early check-in and late check-out are also included, subject to availability. At the Ras Al Khaimah property, guests have the option of beachfront villas with private pools. Price on request, www.jannah-hotels.com For a coastal escape far from the madding crowd, head to Ajman Saray, the Middle East’s first beach-side Luxury Collection resort. The property is offering an Eid staycation offer where you can book one room and get 50 per cent off a second, making that family break slightly more wallet friendly. The hotel is also running special dining experiences over the course of the holiday, including an Eid Surf and Turf menu on Tuesday, July 20 at the recently revamped Bab Al Bahr Beach Bar & Grill restaurant. The set menu will serve up a bountiful catch of sea bream, local prawns, crabs, octopus, salmon, fried calamari and fish selected from the seafood counter, while meat lovers can chow down on steaks and other grilled fare. From Dh900 per night, www.marriott.com Those looking to head to the northern emirates over Eid can take advantage of discounted room rates at Rixos Bab Al Bahr, Ras Al Khaimah’s only all-inclusive resort. Throughout summer, guests can avail of a 20 per cent discount on the best available rate during the week and a 15 per cent discount on the weekend. An hour’s drive from Dubai, the beachside resort has 14 restaurants and bars and eight swimming pools, including an adults-only pool and children’s aqua park. The property’s spa, Avitane Spa, is the largest in the city, while children will be entertained with games, entertainment, playgrounds and workshops at The Rixy Club. Price on request, www.rixos.com

18 Eid Al Adha staycations in the UAE: from desert retreats to family adventures

With residents expected to receive nearly a week off for the holiday, there's ample time to get out and explore