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Dubai has found the perfect balance between Covid precautions and holiday escapism

Dubai - getty
Dubai - getty

“Prosecco?” asked my friend Erin, as we waited in Heathrow for a flight to Dubai last week. I’m not usually the sort to celebrate a flight with bubbles, but in this instance, it seemed fitting. A toast to my first long-haul flight since the start of this year’s pandemic.

The UAE had been named as one of the UK’s new travel corridors earlier in November, and I’d capitalised on this to head over to Dubai, which has suddenly become the best option for a bout of winter sun. Weather in the mid twenties, a direct seven hour flight away, and best of all, a free test on arrival for those arriving from the UK – no faffing with an expensive test 96 hours before flying.

Better still, the glamour of the city seemed to represent a complete escape from the humdrum previous weeks of lockdown and gloomy skies. Dubai is a city with a reputation for unashamed luxury, which was only confirmed by an unexpected upgrade to business class with Emirates. “Please keep your mask on, unless you’re drinking your champagne” wasn’t an announcement I expected to hear while waiting to take off, but I wasn’t complaining, though I had a brief moment of anxiety that this was all a Sex and the City-fuelled fever dream I’d soon wake up from.

Seven hours later, I arrived into Dubai airport, expecting my mood to wear off when faced with getting into the city. Instead, I was met with relative serenity. All we’d needed to board our flight was a form (given to us at check-in) detailing our phone number, email and whereabouts while in the city. And all we needed to get through Dubai’s security was a PCR Covid test, handily set up to the side of passport control.

Having not had the famously uncomfortable test before, I was nervous, but the nasal swab was cheerily taken by a medical officer in less than a minute and I was through the border, armed with a QR code to check my results later, in less than twenty. I couldn’t believe how easy it all was, half expecting to be nabbed by an officer shouting that we’d forgotten something crucial.

The Four Seasons DIFC offers a dream-like escape - Emma Cooke
The Four Seasons DIFC offers a dream-like escape - Emma Cooke

Posting about it on social media later, I was met with a barrage of questions, with one common thread of worry emerging: “what happens if you test positive?” This would mean I’d need to stay in Dubai, self-isolating for two weeks.

But, a lot of this stress was taken out of the prospect by Emirates’ new free Covid insurance policy, now included with every flight sale, covering up to €150,000 of medical care and €100 a day towards quarantining costs. Couple this with the airline being rated the safest in the world for its response to this year’s pandemic, and I wasn’t feeling too worried.

We waited for our results to come through by text – always within 24 hours, but in less than 12 in our case – at our hotel, yet another example of the glamorous side of Dubai. The Four Seasons in Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) is a convenient 15-minute drive from the airport.

Its rooftop pool and hot tub made for a dream-like swim, surrounded by skyscrapers, while our suite looked out onto the Burj Khalifa, the highest building in the world. Lunch in the hotel’s Mina brasserie was yet more Dubai-esque luxury: fresh truffle shavings topped our beef carpaccio, and gold leaf adorned our banana tarte tatin.

Everything seemed larger than life. Twinkling buildings loomed outside our taxi as we shuttled across to Dubai Marina later that evening, to board the Lotus Mega Yacht (lotusyacht.com), an enormous ship that tours the city by water. Usually a party boat, with crowds piling in to dance, the pandemic meant it was a little more sedate than usual. While alcohol and food were still free-flowing, crowds had been replaced with seated groups at tables.

The Lotus Mega Yacht - Lotus Mega Yacht
The Lotus Mega Yacht - Lotus Mega Yacht

This was no hardship, compared with the restrictions of home. Rather than mourning the loss of a hardcore party, I was more grateful to drink G&Ts and catch up with Erin, as we sailed past the illuminated Atlantis hotel. I was even grateful for my hangover the next day, the first obtained by staying out until 3am for quite some time – Dubai currently has no curfews.

Sore heads were quickly put to rest at Cove Beach (covebeach.com), our destination for the second day. Another icon of Dubai, this popular beachfront resort has three pools, a restaurant and a section of sand peppered with sun loungers and cabanas.

We lunched on platters of sushi and fresh crab pasta poolside, before retreating to a cabana to drink and people watch. Later, at sunset, we walked along the sands before returning to swim in the well-heated pools, now glowing squares of aquamarine thanks to underwater lights.

Though Dubai has become well known as a party city, the current atmosphere is much more calm – revellers largely have to remain seated while indoors, making food a huge focus with visitors opting to dine over several hours rather than grab a quick bite before hitting the clubs. To me, a far more placid kind of tourist, this is only a plus. Our late night plans that evening consisted of an orgy of food in Indochine (indochinedxb.com), a 2019 DIFC import from New York that feels more a lush jungle escape than a restaurant.

Cove Beach is a delicious place to while away the hours - Cove Beach
Cove Beach is a delicious place to while away the hours - Cove Beach

Our post-9pm cocktails were served alongside tart, delicate slices of sea bream carpaccio and perfectly formed ‘ravioli’ dumplings: soft parcels of chicken, shrimp and shitake mushrooms. Main courses of spicy fried rice and black garlic-glazed beef, dipped into koji beurre blanc extended well into 11pm, until we were presented with a ‘midnight souffle’ – a treat so heady it sent Erin into paroxysms of delight.

“Obviously, Covid measures are in place here,” Erin mused as we slowly heaved ourselves back to the hotel, “but it also feels like the pandemic is so far away. It’s like a fantasy.”

It’s an apt assessment. Surrounded by plush beach clubs, sprawling resorts and futuristic skyscrapers, it’s difficult not to feel transported to a world where Covid doesn’t exist, even as you have to wear a mask outside. That we found said resorts surprisingly full of people only cemented this – “it feels like half of the UK decamped here to escape the lockdown,” commented one Dubai resident.

At Anantara (anantara.com/en), on our second to last day, we wandered through the lemongrass-scented halls of the five star resort to The Beach House, an open air restaurant overlooking the beach. Cool blue cushions matched the skies and sea, while rattan and slowly spinning fans added to the air of calm, even as every table slowly filled with laughing families. Fresh pomegranate-studded salads and fat, garlic-coated prawns accompanied the view.

The soft blue tones of Anantara - Anantara
The soft blue tones of Anantara - Anantara

Later, we swapped the familiar serenity of Dubai’s beach resorts to go to one of the city’s newer wonders: a rooftop pool club that, against all the odds, opened this November. Describing the decision to launch a party spot in the middle of a pandemic as a "ballsy move", Ray Chan, the founder of Candypants, the name behind some of the world’s hottest parties (including infamous ones at Ibiza’s O Beach) is behind this new venue, Missippi’s (missippisdxb.com).

Those familiar with Candypants will picture wild nights and enormous crowds, but, Chan explained, this year has been about adapting. Missippi’s Pool Bar is a joint venture by Chan and Livit Hospitality, a Dubai firm behind some of the city’s most popular venues. Located on the rooftop of Avani hotel, an unassuming spot in the Ibn Battuta district, it’s a surprising splash of colour in an otherwise corporate-looking area.

“It’s very undiscovered out here, just on the edge of the Marina,” said Chan. “No one’s ever thought to come here for a drink or a party, but since we’ve been open we’ve had over 10,000 people come through the doors.” Why is that? “Well, if you go to New York or London, the cool spots aren’t necessarily in Leicester Square or Times Square, they’re off the beaten track – that’s what we’re capitalising on here.” It seems going unexpected has worked.

Everything about the space feels like an escape, with pastel colours and bright blue pools. But it’s a different kind of escape to the usual Dubai image. It’s transporting, but not terrifyingly glamorous. It’s fun in an accessible way; it’s as easy to imagine coming for lunch or a spot of remote working, as it is staying up until the wee hours. This is intentional, explained Chan, who was keen to create a space that everyone would feel welcome in – “without stupid prices”.

Laid-back, newly launched Missippi's
Laid-back, newly launched Missippi's

“We wanted a full spectrum of events during the week so it appeals to the community,” he continued. “Saturday is more of a family day, with roast dinners, while Friday is more adult with brunch. Friday night is a bit more niche and music-led.” In normal times, the space would fit over 700 people, but now, numbers are limited to 350. “The Covid downturn has reduced a lot of the population in the city too, so everything has become very weekend-led,” added Chan.

Though Chan is confident in Dubai’s resilience, but for now Missippi’s typifies the more laid-back party scene the city will offer for the foreseeable.

On my final day, I managed to squeeze in both sides of the city I had now fallen in love with. At The Scene (thescenebysimmonrimmer.com); a ‘British gastropub’ in Dubai Marina’s Pier 7 with views of the skyscrapers that run all the way to the water’s edge; we ate a Sunday roast and chatted with an old friend who had moved to Dubai years ago.

Eating giant Yorkshire puddings, a surreal enough experience in itself, we sat among Christmas decorations that shone in the sunlight. “People forget that you can have a normal life here,” said my Dubai-based friend. “Yes, there’s glamour and otherworldliness. But there’s a more authentic side to the city if you look. Real people live here, and the pandemic has brought more of that to the fore in some ways – during the lockdown, you could hear the jangling of pans at 8pm, as everyone started cooking for themselves.”

The Scene offers fantastic views, as well as a fantastic Sunday roast
The Scene offers fantastic views, as well as a fantastic Sunday roast

But after a year of too much grey reality, Dubai’s more fantastical side also comes as welcome relief. That evening, the real world seemed light years away, as we dined in Sea Fu (fourseasons.com/dubaijb/dining/restaurants/sea_fu), the spectacular seafood restaurant in the Jumeirah Beach Four Seasons resort.

Sat next to flickering fires, platters of oysters and sashimi were brought out, shrouded in dry ice smoke. Sea urchin-daubed sushi rolls, crunchy with tempura batter, were followed by black cod and lobster anointed with dashi broth and a lemongrass-butter sauce.

The beach ahead of us was faintly lit by lights, and a soft breeze kept us cool as we ate. A fever dream? Maybe. But after the year we’ve had, I’ll take what I can get.

The essentials

The Four Seasons DIFC (fourseasons.com) starts from £345 for a Superior Room, including breakfast.

Emirates (emirates.com) flies direct to Dubai, with fares starting from £350.