New Year period as tourists flock to Dubai

Zubair Khan is travelling down from to spend New Year’s Eve in Dubai. However, plans went for a toss in hope of staying at The Address Downtown Dubai to catch a ringside view of the Burj fireworks when he discovered the hotel was completely sold out on an online booking engine.

The closest hotel of choice for Khan was The Ritz Carlton DIFC, which is averaging Dh2,500 per night for the peak period.

However, it is not just the Downtown and neighbouring DIFC locales that is experiencing a surge in room rates and bookings.

A search through popular engine such as Booking.com indicates a vast majority of five-star properties in the city are already sold out over the New Year holidays, with some even extending into the first few days of January to possibly take advantage of the 18th edition of the Dubai Shopping Festival, which kicks off on the third of the month.

The average room night for a five-star property in the city has also crossed Dh1,000 per night online, with the Dubai International Terminal Hotel emerging as the only name that remains below that figure during this period, at Dh870 per night for a room only.

Popular hotel properties such as The Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi Beach Resort & Spa are averaging at approximately Dh3,700 per night over the NYE period, while neighbouring Habtoor Grand Resort & Spa peaks at Dh5,800 per night.

Meanwhile, forget four, but even three-star hotels such as the Karama Hotel is charging over Dh1,200 per night.