Luxurious five-star hotels, top-class cars to be chauffeured around in and a personal 24-hour service. That’s what the modern day elite expect when they come to Dubai or Qatar – which happen to be some of the most acclaimed destinations in the Middle-East. For the rest of us we can still get a fantastic experience out of these places for much less.
Accommodation
You don’t have to live like a celebrity in order to feel like one. Five-star hotels give you everything a two-star hotel can in Dubai. Check out Asia Rooms, where you can stay in great hotels for a fraction of the price. When looking for a place, aim to stay in the centre or in a place where you have easy access to the destination’s main attractions. This way you won’t have to spend loads of money on travelling to and from your accommodation.
Flights
Flight prices have a habit of changing regularly to match their demand. Booking in advance when flights are cheap is great but sometimes a last minute flight also works to your advantage as flight companies reduce prices in order to fill up spaces. It’s worth keeping an eye on flight costs so you can get the best possible price. Airlines add insurance as a hidden cost so always remember to travel with your own travel insurance. Most of the time your travel insurance will cover you for the flights so double-check this to save some money. Getting a flight when you will land in Qatar or Dubai in the daytime is much better than landing at night. It means you can catch inexpensive public transport to your accommodation which saves you money rather than paying extra for a taxi or shuttle bus.
Food
See if you can take some food or drinks from your hotel’s continental meals to enjoy on your days out – it saves money having to fork out on unnecessarily over-priced restaurants. Use the internet to research restaurants that give you the best value for money, or ask the hotel and tourist information centres for recommendations. Good quality, inexpensive restaurants can usually be found along the coastline. Rather than picking up lots of small bottles of drink, buy big bottles that you can store in your room which will last longer when you’re out and about. You can even pick up some cheap groceries and a recipe book to cook whatever your heart desires and if can’t cook then what better time to learn than the present. This could save you a great deal on food and drink costs.
Round Up
It just goes to show there’s no need to spend lots of money in order to have a good time. Even the most luxurious locations can be experienced on a budget.
