Отдых в Эмиратах Holidays in the Emirates

Rested with my husband in September 2006. This is not the first time in the Emirates, but we try to choose different hotels. This time - Taj Palace. The hotel is good. (There is something to compare). The rooms are beautiful, but specific (in Indian style), cleaning - 24 hours. There were no fruits on the table (as in advertising booklets), but there were flowers. They changed them every day. Cleaned efficiently, quietly, almost imperceptibly. 3-4 times a day. Towels are always fresh, bathroom sets (gel, shampoo, soap, cap, cotton pads, nail files, sticks, sponges for shoes) were reported. Bathrobes, slippers - no problem. In the bathroom there is a bathroom with a sink, a hair dryer, a separate shower room, a separate toilet with a bidet.
Meals - buffet in the morning. Very varied. Salads - 10 pieces, cereals - 3-4, fish cuts - 2, cheese - 3, scrambled eggs - 4 types, all kinds of muesli, 5 types, yogurts - 6, plus more "heavy food" - meat, sausage, sausages. 6 kinds of pastries, 8 kinds of sliced ​ ​ fruits, 5 whole, freshly squeezed juices, various breads, cakes, of course - tea, coffee, with milk, even champagne. Maybe I forgot something, sorry.
The room has a kettle with cups, bags of coffee, tea, sugar, sweetener. Refrigerator with bar - by default. TV, phone, Internet - by default. Yes, there is a safe. On the balcony - a table with chairs, when it's not hot - it's just right to sit, look at the surrounding area.

The hotel is conveniently located "in the city". On foot you can get around almost the entire city. We dined at various cafes and restaurants. Apparently, the local heat affected - I wanted to eat no more than 2 times. So, take "BB" (breakfast only) You will not be so attached to the hotel. On average, a dinner for two cost between $30 and $150.
There are other restaurants in the hotel, cuisine and local, and Chinese, and Italian, and... In the evening, you can safely sit in the lobby with a cup of coffee to the sounds of the piano.
Cons: No Russian speaking staff. Bus to the beach - for a fee (! ) Departure and arrival time - inconvenient. And besides, it is necessary in the evening to warn the "comrades" at the reception that in the morning you are going to the beach, to redeem vouchers. Their number is limited. We abandoned such a labor-intensive process, we went by taxi. There are 2 more or less decent beaches in the Emirates (paid, 5-7 dirhams). Marina Beach and Al Mamzar. Al Mamzar is closer to Taj. Taxi drivers (as in any country) are driven by different roads. The cost of a one-way trip was from 17 to 30 dirhams. On the beach sunbeds, towels, umbrellas - for a fee.
Buy water, drinks, food in small shops. The prices are a little less. For example, a 1.5 liter bottle of water costs 1.5 dirhams. But... Who is used to it.
Yet. Upon arrival at the hotel take a deposit - $ 200. But they will give you in dirhams. Learn it. You can leave until another trip, or you can spend it in Duty Free. The dirham to dollar exchange rate is constant.
If you are going to shop, first "go around all the stores", incl. and gold. Then calmly think it over, and then - shopping! The choice is big. No one will deceive you - not that country, but "completely without a head" - you don’t need to be. Joke.
If you are a lover of a relaxing holiday - go to the Emirates. Good luck!