The Middle East in particular is a region of incredible civilizations, unique landscapes, and the lure of the exotic. And perhaps the brightest star in the Middle Eastern travel world - and one of the hottest emerging destinations in the world - is Dubai.
Featuring some of the best hotels, restaurants and shopping in the world, Dubai is a luxury travel destination par excellence. |
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Stand in awe at the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest skyscraper. Be amazed by Dubai's extremes that include indoor ski slopes and man-made islands such as Palm Jumeirah (a palm tree-shaped island) and The World (an archipelago of islands shaped like a world map).Treat yourself to a shopping spree at the Dubai Mall, the world's largest shopping mall. And indulge in the lavish extravagance of Dubai’s spas, fine dining and luxurious hotels.
Extraordinary images of Dubai’s skyline have been seen around the world, but this is a city that must be experienced to be believed. Where else can you spend the morning on the beach, the afternoon snow skiing and the evening taking a camel riding in the desert? Where else can you dive with sharks in a shopping mall and watch dancing fountains at the base of the world’s tallest tower? Whatever your traveller interests and whatever your age – Dubai is unlikely to disappoint and is full of contrasts.
With year-round sunshine, it’s always beach weather in Dubai. While you can choose from over half-a-dozen sun-kissed spots, the beach at The Walk JBR is a particualr highlight. Laze at the shores to top up your tan or swim out to The Beach Waterpark for some action-filled fun. Have lunch here at any of the beachside restaurants or cafes.
From sand to snow – a transition that is only possible in Dubai. With a massive snow park, five ski runs and the Snow Bullet zip line, Ski Dubai (the region’s first indoor ski resort) is incongruous, over-the-top and fun. And come late afternoon, how about an exotic desert safari to end the day?
The Arabian desert is a playground like no other. Go dune bashing, sand boarding or mount a camel for a leisurely sway through the sands. Just as the sun sets over the dunes, guests are led to a Bedouin-style camp where the revelry begins with captivating traditional dances and fire shows. Soon the aroma from the kitchen rises, beckoning guests to a royal dinner. Prepare for a mezze of dishes and flavours and a platter of succulent grilled lamb, chicken and kebabs.
Even if you don’t intend to buy, do treat yourself to a visit the Dubai Gold Souk for its visual grandeur alone. Wander the labyrinth of covered walkways that is home to over 300 shops offering dazzling jewelry in gold, diamonds and silver. Here, pieces are sold by weight according to the current market price (displayed on boards around the souk) with an additional charge for workmanship. Don’t be shy of bargaining – you can easily walk away with a 30 per cent discount!
Familiies looking to cater for all ages, couples wanting a romantic getaway and groups celebrating a special event, will all find a hotel to suit - whatever the budget. And when it comes to location, there’s the choice of a city stay, a beachside resort or an eco-retreat in the desert.
Your hotel is undoubtedly going to be part of the experience in Dubai. The most well-known are the Dubai-owned hotels belonging to the Jumeirah Group. These fabulous resorts have set the standards - not just in the region - but globally. The iconic Burj Al Arab is often referred to as the only ‘seven-star hotel’ in the world and, to prove a point, is the perennial Global Luxury winner in the World Luxury Hotel Awards. The group has seven resorts in Dubai and these are available with Air Canada.
The colossal Atlantis The Palm is a world-class destination in its own right. It has 1,539 hotel rooms, 21 restaurants and bars, ShuiQi spa, N’Dulge nightclub, 1.4km of private beach, an aquarium, a lagoon in which visitors can swim with dolphins, as well as the awesome Aquaventure waterpark.
Atlantis is an obvious family favourite – but it faces tough competition from the likes of Jumeirah Beach Hotel, ranked as the number one family hotel in TripAdvisor’s Traveller Choice Awards 2014. The family clincher for Jumeirah is, of course, its Wild Wadi Waterpark, to which free access is granted to all Jumeirah guests in the city. The Jebel Ali Golf Resort is another firm family favourite - yet all the resort hotels in Dubai take the demands of their youngest guests very seriously, providing them with extensive kids’ clubs and activities.
For gourmands, the choice of where to stay gets even more complicated, with some hotels offering scores of restaurants, cafés, lounges and more. The JW Marriott Marquis, for instance, boasts 19 restaurants covering a melee of global cuisines and flavours, with many dishes served up by Michelin-starred chefs. For Indian flavours, let Michelin-starred Vineet Bhatia serve you at the Grosvenor House Dubai. Why not treat yourself to Japanese at Okku at the H Hotel or indulge in French fare courtesy of Pierre Gagnaire at the InterContinental Dubai Festival City.
For keen golfers who never want to leave the fairways, it’s a toss-up between staying at the Park Hyatt, the InterContinental Dubai Festival City for the Al Badia Golf Club, or at the boutique hotel Address Montgomerie Dubai.
But for many, it’s not the lush greens of the golf courses but the vast ocean of desert that represents the ‘real’ Dubai, and for this unforgettable desert experience there are two luxurious options. Eco-resort Al Maha Desert Resort offers 42 suites, all with their own private pool blending seamlessly into the desert dunes. And Bab al Shams Desert Resort and Spa, a take on an old fortified Bedouin village hidden among the ocean of sand, is only a 45-minute drive from the city centre. Both properties exude romance, and dining under a starlit sky is the perfect setting for couples in love.
Air Canada has announced that from November 2015 they will offer non-stop flights from Toronto to Dubai aboard their state of the art B787 Dreamliner aircraft. If you aren’t based in Toronto don’t worry – Air Canada has set the flight times to fit in with convenient connections within Air Canada’s North American network (a network that includes Montreal amongst 61 other Canadian cities). Dubai is the seventh new international destination in Air Canada's global network announced just in the past year.
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This will be Air Canada's first non stop flight to the United Arab Emirates. Air Canada already offers service to Dubai with their Atlantic Joint Venture partners Lufthansa and United Airlines. In addition, the new route will build on Air Canada's existing relationship with Etihad Airways, with whom it codeshares on three flights a week between Toronto and Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates.
Now Air Canada’s complementary nonstop service offers you even more choice and increases Air Canada's presence in the Middle East. Seamless connections to Asia destinations beyond Dubai are also quick and easy to arrange with Air Canada’s Star Alliance partners.
The Dreamliner B787 aircraft represent the latest generation of aircraft and provide an unparalleled onboard experience - everyone on board benefits from a quieter and smoother flight with these ultra-modern planes. Plus technological advances mean less travel fatigue. Ambient mood lighting eases the time zone changes, lower cabin pressure means better oxygen absorption and increased humidity reduces dehydration. The air you breathe is cleaner thanks to continuous circulation through an advanced filtration system and the water is pure thanks to ultra-violet light water treatment. These aircraft offer the largest windows of any aircraft flying today – and forget about blinds as these windows have an electronic dimming system! Click here to find out more.
Air Canada offers you a choice of three cabin classes:
- Business Class with 30 executive pods (1-2-1 configuration) that extend to create a fully lie flat bed. The seats are so comfortable they even have a massage function in the headrests! And the pampering includes everything from an 18” entertainment screen to freshly brewed Lavazza expressos and cappuccinos to aromatherapy!
- Premium Economy Class has 21 seats (2-3-2 configuration) with 38” of legroom and a generous 7” recline, plus an 11” touch screen entertainment system. It’s a great option if you want to arrive refreshed and ready to hit the streets of Delhi.
- Economy Class has 247 comfortable seats (3-3-3 configuration) with the personal space that you would expect from a regular, scheduled Air Canada flight.
And best of all, Air Canada passengers earn Aeroplan miles on every flight - which they can then use towards future travel. Maybe you even have enough Aeroplan miles to fly to India.
Air Canada Vacations can offer you not just your flight – they can help you create the perfect Dubai vacation with hotels and all kinds of tours to help you explore this fascinating country. Flexibility is the name of the game as you can book flights to Dubai, hotels from a wide choice of 3, 4 and 5 star accommodation as well as everything from half day city tours to 7 day itineraries. Naturally you earn Aeroplan miles on the whole booking as well as being able to tap into Air Canada Vacation’s deep knowledge of the destination.
Your Travel Agent can help make your reservations with Air Canada Vacation or check out the many options available at www.AirCanadaVacations.com.
City stay/Stop Over packages (choice of 3 night and 5 night).
As Dubai is a popular stop-over destination, and these packages are perfect to add on or extend any trip to the Middle East, Asia or Africa!
Packages include private meet & greet at airport, half-day city tour, dune Safari tour with Dinner, and an evening Cruise. The 5 night package also includes a guided day tours to Abu Dhabi and Sharjah.
Sun, Sea & Culture (7 nights).
This package combines the best of the United Arab Emirates, combining a relaxing stay on the beautiful beaches plus a city stay to discover the Dubai’s metropolis.
Package includes 3 night accommodations at the Ajman Saray Beach Resort plus 4 nights at a selected hotel in Dubai. Plus, enjoy all the inclusions from the City Stay packages including the city tour and Safari Dinner and full day to Abu Dhabi.
Adventure Emirates (7 nights).
See four unique regions of the United Arab Emirates – Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, Sharjah on this program.
Package includes 7 nights in Dubai, plus all the inclusions in the City Stay packages with another day tour to Al Ain.