I found out last minute I had to go down to Dubai for work and since Gitex had just started, finding a room was practically impossible. Finally though the travel agent came through and found me an empty room and booked it. I have to say it was the crappiest hotel I had ever been to. The whole place looked like a bathroom and smelled like one that had just been cleaned. They had these air fresheners that spray perfume automatically located all over the hotel but they just reminded me too much of bathrooms.
If the look of the hotel wasn’t enough to put me off, before we got the room key they made us sign a paper which said if any of our stuff goes missing in the rooms that they wouldn’t be responsible for it. Not only that but inside the room there was a framed photocopy of a similar paper stating the same thing and another A4 sheet located on the table also saying the same thing. As you can imagine I didn’t want to leave anything in the room and I didn’t, I kept my backpack with me the whole time.
Traffic in Dubai because of Gitex was just a disaster. It was always at a complete standstill, a real mess. One cab driver told me things get even worse in February during the shopping festival.
The weather in Dubai was also a lot hotter then Kuwait. Its currently freezing here. Froze my ass off tonight while leaving Maki at Marina, even had a jacket on and it wasn’t enough!
I wanted to visit Gitex but I finished my work around 8PM and Gitex closes at 7. Why can’t they stay open till like 10 or something like exhibitions that are held in Kuwait? Its like people need to take a day off work to pass by them.
I went to Ibn Battuta mall. Its not as big as Mall of the Emirates but its still a lot bigger then Marina Mall and the whole thing felt very Las Vegasishy.
I still can’t believe I was in Dubai and didn’t get to pass by Gitex!
14 replies on “My Dubai Trip 11/06”
Mark, Bin Batuta is much bigger than Mall of the Emirates. you seen it all?!
Batuta is a 2nd rate mall with low traffic and an ill planned layout.
I’ve been there a number of times and get confused as to where to go – such is the weird mapping.
It’s also in a highly undesirable location with all those electric pylons flying right above it. Spooks me out.
and what was your work there , you mentioned everything except that , which is what most people want to know , what is the “work”?
you might have taken more pics.Its been ages since i have been to dubai and not to mention ur room.
Which hotel was it? Name and shame!
Yeah, I’m with Keefieboy. I wanna know the hotel! The crappiest one I’ve ever stayed in was sort-of opposite Al Ghurair shopping centre in Deira. i’ve mentally blocked the name from my memory. it was full of CHEAP eastern europeans.
J yes i saw the whole mall. I dont think its bigger then Mall of the emirates, it took me like 20 minutes to walk from one side to the other. Emirates took maybe the same amount of time but Emirates has two floors, ibn batuta only one. Would be interesting to see actual numbers of both malls to see which one is actually bigger.
Moocherx, I think my hotel was in the same area as yours. Its called Deyafah Hotel or something like that.
hate Dubai.!..dont ask why..
I like Ibn Batoota mall, its sectionalized and the theater there is huge!!! I like the furniture section!
Mark, checked the numbers. Bin Batuta is 288000sq meters without park area and 502000sq met with it.
as for the Mall of the Emirates, it’s 288000sq meters of retail.
most probably with the hotels, ski area and parking, will be the same
Thanks J, I just did quick research and according to Wikipedia and this other website I found, Mall of the Emirates is actually the biggest mall in the region and ranked 21 in the world for largest malls.
Last time I went to Dubai I stayed in the hotel Deyafa which u r talking about. One of the guys that work in the reception(muscular) is really rude!! He STARTS a problem, and WANTS a problem!!
The hotel is strange 3 guys from (Sham countries working in reception) Philipino working in the tiny canteen, Indian cleaning all the rooms in the entire hotel, Egyptian carrying bags and thats it!!!
that’s a good rank! dubai mall will take #1