Dubai is the perfect place where the oriental ecstasy of the East meets the industrial giants of the West. Dubai along with six other emirates form the United Arab Emirates. Along with oil industry, production and trade, tourism adds substantial revenue to the economy of the emirates. It is one of the main sources of foreign exchange income. According to a 2007 survey, Dubai was the eighth most visited city in the world. Dubai is also known as the “shopping capital of the Middle East” and in the city alone there are more than 70 shopping malls and several other supermarkets. But most importantly, for a city to prosper in trade and tourism, it is very important to have hotels for all sectors of society.
Dubai hotels range from luxury Gulf-front resorts for celebrities, business tycoons and thrifty billionaires to cheap and affordable hotels and inns for the average tourist and regular visitor. In 2007, according to the national survey, there were around 325 hotels operating in Dubai, compared to 303 hotels in 2006. And every year the count increases. The range is wide, from the Dubai Youth Hostel to the 7-star Burj Al Arab.
The emirate of Dubai is also a center for small business and commerce, and merchants with a less extravagant lifestyle find it easy to stay in Dubai, even for an extended period. There are several cheap hotels in Dubai, which are quite affordable for normal tourists. 3 star hotels like Al Batra Hotel, Mayfair Hotel Dubai and Broadway Hotel etc. along with Dubai Concorde Hotel & Residence, Traders Hotel Dubai and Coral Oriental Hotel with 4-star accommodation provide tourists and visitors to this Arab city with a pleasant and affordable stay. .
However, the luxury hotels in Dubai are the main attraction point of the city of Dubai. With their prolific and sometimes post-modern architecture, they are also part of the city’s tourist attraction. The Burj Al Arab, a 321m tall hotel in Dubai is the fourth largest hotel in the world. It is built on an artificial island off Jumeirah Beach. It attracts many tourists due to its shape built like the sail of a ship. The Jumeirah Beach Hotel is built in the shape of a wave and harmonizes well with the sail-shaped Burj Al Arab. Atlantis, the Palm is a 7-star resort on the Palm Jumeirah in Dubai and includes an Aquaventure theme park along with 1,539 rooms. However, the largest of them all is Madinat Jumeirah, which is spread over an area of more than 40 hectares of landscapes and gardens. This complex was designed to resemble an archaic Arab city. It has two boutique hotels, the Al Qasr and the Mina A’Salam, and a courtyard of summer residences called Dar Al Masyaf. All of these, along with other seven star luxury hotels in Dubai, are built and designed primarily for the wealthier section of society to provide them with a luxurious and extravagant stay in Dubai.
Dubai hotels range from cheap Dubai hotels to luxury Dubai hotels and cater to all walks of life. They ensure that tourists visiting the city enjoy their stay in ‘the city of gold’, Dubai.