Dubai Downtown
Discover Downtown with Yussel, Sr. Business Development Manager @ Silkhaus
Welcome to Dubai Downtown,
Center of action, the real heart of the city and the place to be for Business and tourisms.
There’s no feeling like the Burj-Khalifa-view feelings, even after years in Dubai.
In Few Words
Dubai Downtown is the skyline you have in mind thinking about Dubai. There’s the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world.
There’s the Dubai mall with its record breaking fountains. There is the Souk al Bahar, a neighborhood that reminds of the old Dubai style of constructions.
Downtown is the perfect place to stay both if you are here for business and if you are here for leisure.
Burj Khalifa
Dubai Mall
The fountains
Restaurants
Urla
Where: Address Downtown
Cuisine: Aegean cuisine
Specialty: seafood, especially
Suggestion: this is a restaurant in a position where everyone wants to be: straight in front of the Burj Khalifa. Try their kokoretsi and the caviar brioche
Price: $$$$
Licensed: yes
Family friendly: this is more suggested for couples and friends who want an unique experience
Time Out Market
Where: Souk al Bahar
Cuisine: mix of cuisines
Specialty: various
Suggestion: this is one of the must try places in Dubai: a huge dining hall with all the best restaurants in Dubai presenting a short version of their menu. Don’t miss BB social Baos (especially the crispy duck one) and Pitfire pizza, feels like an escape to Italy. Of course you cannot miss Pickl burgers, probably the best in Dubai!
Price: $ to $$
Licensed: yes, there’s a bar you can buy drinks from
Family friendly: a bit chaotic, but why not
Karak House
Where: Boulevard
Cuisine: Emirati cuisine
Specialty: karak tea
Suggestion: an earthy place from the Dubai tradition. I suggest to go there for breakfast and order different things to share. The Shakshouka is the perfect beginning of your meal, together with foul. Wash down everything with karak tea and a plate of Louqaimat, the emirati OG dessert
Price: $$
Licensed: no
Family friendly: yes!
Bars & Nightlife
Neos
Where: 63rd floor Address Downtown
What: bar and light bite
About: even though it’s a little complicated reaching the bar, due to the multiple elevators you have to take (just ask at the hotel crew), the view in unbeatable: a huge window straight in front of the Burj Khalifa and the fountains.
Suggestion: grab one of their window seat and enjoy the sunset or a late night drink. Their cocktails are really precious and they have nice sharing boxes for nibbles
Price: $$$
Ce la Vi
Where: Address Skyview
What: restaurant & bar
About: if there’s one place with a better view of the Burj than Neos, this is definitely Ce la Vi, the already famous bar for being at the top of the Singapore Marina Bay hotel.
There is also an infinity pool, but that’s a separated story
Suggestion: they have a minimum spending for the evening of 500 aed per person, so if you have time I would to visit for Brunch: fixed price, unlimited food and beverages on Saturday
Price: $$$$
Armani
Where: Armani Hotel, Burj Khalifa
What: night club
About: the iconic Italian brand is well known also for the hotels and clubs it owns around the globe. In Dubai they chose the iconic Burj Khalifa for theitr residence
Suggestion: the club is open Wednesday to Sunday and their event calendar is very elite and reserved, so you’d better book your spot before heading to the club
Price: $$$$
Things to do
At The Top of Burj Khalifa
Where: Burj Khalifa, Downtown
About: you cannot think of coming to Dubai and not visiting the world’s tallest building.
This is the most mainstream but unmissable activity in Dubai. Book your ticket well in advance and enjoy the view and all the photo opportunities
Suggestion: book the sunset time and make sure to be there with a bit of advance: the entrance is a bit hidden in the Dubai Mall.
Personal suggestion: you can also book a table at Atmosphere and enjoy the view from there
Price: $$ - depends on the lever you aim to reach
Family friendly: yes
Skywalk Dubai
Where: Address Skyview
About: In the same building of Ce la Vi, on a different level you will find the panoramic deck of the Skywalk. You can opt for a ticket of only the deck walk with the glass slide from floor 53 to 52 or the Edge walk: suspended hanging outside the building for 20 minutes.
Suggestion: hanging outside one of the highest building in Dubai is no joke, so evaluate carefully your propension for this activity. Especially because the price is not very friendly
Price: $ to $$$ for the Edge walking
Family friendly: yes
Gevora Sunset High Tea
Where: the Gevora Hotel
About: the High tea on the Gevora rooftop is a not mainstream different experience that I suggest to try. Just show up at the hotel, take the elevator and reach the iconic golden cage. Choose your hot drink and wait for the tea nibbles to be served while the sun is setting down.
The price of the package varies between seasons and it includes a set for 2 people.
Suggestion: the hotel is dry, so don’t expect any cocktail or wine to be served. Arrive quite early and ask for the table with the best view on the Burj Khalifa
Price: $$
Family friendly: yes
The Most Iconic Towers
Burj Khalifa
Described as a ‘Vertical City’ and ‘A Living Wonder,’ the Burj Khalifa, developed by Emaar Properties, is the world’s tallest building at 828 metres high. The 200 plus storey Burj has 160 habitable levels, more than any building in the world. The Burj Khalifa elevator speed moves at 10 meters per second, making their elevators some of the fastest in the world. The Burj Khalifa elevator time to reach the 124th floor is one minute. he Burj Khalifa is home to 900 residential apartments, including studios and one, two, three and four-bedroom apartments.
The Address Sky View Hotel
The Address Sky View located in the heart of Downtown Dubai is a recent addition to the Dubai Skyline. The two towers are conjoined at the summit by a floating Sky Bridge. The 260 metre tall skyscraper boasts a minimalistic design and is home to 169 rooms, each offering great views of the city with floor to ceiling windows. It was designed by the same architects responsible for the Burj Khalifa. The 220 meter high Sky Bridge is home to a huge 70 meter long striking infinity pool that overlooks Burj Khalifa.
The Dubai Opera
The iconic dhow-shaped building of Dubai Opera is a masterpiece of contemporary design and a stylish tribute to Dubai’s maritime history. The building’s exquisite design, by Atkins and lead architect Janus Rostock.
It gives the exceptional ability to transform into three modes; from a theatre into a concert hall, and into a ‘flat floor’ mode becoming a banquet or event hall. This seamless flexibility enables Dubai Opera to host a wide variety of performances and events including theatre, opera, ballet, orchestras, concerts, fashion shows, live entertainment, conferences, galleries and art exhibitions.
Essentials
Moving Around
1. Taxi
in Dubai the fee is pretty reasonable, you can stop them on the street or you can book them through Uber or the ME platform Careem. It’s suggested to download their app
2. Bikes
if you feel like breathing a bit more, you can use the electric bikes that can be rented on the Careem app. The fee is 20 AED per day, and you can use them around the neighborhood. Just be careful to put them back in their proper stations
3. E-scooters
many are the providers nowadays, you can choose between the renowned Lime, Fenix or Tier. They usually ask for a fee made up of a mix between distance and time. Be careful in using them, there are no dedicated lanes.
Supermarkets
1. Three big players are in the market in Dubai: Carrefour, the mid level affordable market, Choithram, a bit more local, but with an international offer and Spinneys/Waitrose, the fancy western alternative.
2. Dubai is the country of delivery, so for when you don’t feel like going to the supermarket, just download Instashop and you will have virtual access to dozens of grocery stores in the area. The delivery fees are very small and they can be as quick as 30 mins deliveries
3. If you are into organic foods, there are dedicated deliveries that are perfect for you. Discover Oasis Greens (IG profile @oasis.greens) for fresh local salad or Kibsons for a more comprehensive grocery shopping
Hospitals & Clinics
1. Emirates Hospital Clinic– Downtown is a very packed area, so the closest proper clinic is in Business Bay and is an Emirates Hospital one. It is located in the Bay Avenue Block B
2. Vailant Clinic City Walk– a little bit further, a little bit fancier. This clinic is known amongst expat as lots of doctors has been hired from European countries.
3. Amana Healthcare – the closest option to the center is Amana, located in front of the Souk al Bahar. It is not an hospital or clinic, but is a long term facility ofter also for rehabilitation.
Friendly reminder: in UAE the sanitary system is private, so remember Insurance is essential