I have just returned from a week in Dubai, staying at Hilton Dubai Jumeriah with my family.

Hotel is fantastic. Real 5 star. Its in a great location, right on the beach. With a great pool and gardens.

There is a lot of building work going on in the area, but we were not bothered by it at all. They thought it added to the overall excitement of Dubai.

Staff are brilliant, very friendly. they cant do enough for you.

On arrival our credit card was swiped so that they could charge everything to our room which was great and meant we didn’t need to worry about carrying money around with us.

The hotel room was large and very comfortable. With massive beds, mini bar, satellite TV, Iron, hair dryer and tea and coffee making facilities. Good size bathroom with bath, shower and toilet. We also had connecting rooms which was good.

The hotel, rooms, grounds and beach were all immaculate, and facilities were all spotlessly clean.

We stayed on a bed and breakfast basis, but ate in the hotel 3 out of the 7 nights. We ate in the “Oceania Restaurant“ which was a buffet, their was plenty to choose from and the food was gorgeous.

We also ate in the “BICE” restaurant, this restaurant serves Italian food and has been voted one of the best restaurants in Dubai. The food was fabulous, though is expencive, but you do get what you pay for.

Breakfast is buffet style. They have everything to choose from including bacon which I didn’t expect to see in a Muslim country.

Snacks are available all day at the pool bar and beach bar.

Drinks were great, you could get everything including Guinness and Fosters. Also they do brilliant cocktails. All alcohol is imported so it is a bit expensive.

If you are thirsty on the beach all you have to do is put a red flag up and the man on the beach buggy will be over to take your order.

The hotel runs a free shuttle bus to malls and gold souk.

The gold was an experience and the gold was expensive, but worth having a look!!!!!

By far the best bargains are to be had at the fake market at the “Al Karama Centre“. You just need to tell the man in the shops that your looking for fake designer bags, shoes, sunglasses and you will be taken to a secret room, probably in a different building, and you will enter designer fake heaven… We loved it.

We visited “Mall of the Emirates” on several occasions, it is fantastic, and has shops there for everyone on every budget. Also so in this mall, is “Ski Dubai”.. it a definite must whilst in Dubai, you don’t have to Ski, you can just go into the Snow Park, which was brilliant. My sister tried skiing (discovery lesson) she said was fun but her muscles ached for a few days after!!!!.

We went on a Dow cruise, on the creek. We cooked it through the tour rep, it was great, the food on board was good and to see Dubai creek all lit up was brilliant.

We also had afternoon tea at the “Burj Al Arab”. It cost about £55 each, but worth every single penny. The afternoon tea is actually 7 course, Champagne, Tea / coffee / chocolate (selection available), Sandwiches, Beef Wellington, Sorbet, Scones, Berry Basket, Cakes and Sweets. The hotel is breath taking and the afternoon was defiantly a time I will remember for the rest of my life.

We booked and flew to Dubai with Virgin Holidays. We flew economy class, which was fine. The entertainment on board was great, and the seats were comfortable.

The weather was great, always in the high 30’s. low 40’s. We come back with a brilliant tan, but I really did think it was to hot some days to sit on the beach, but the malls are always cool ha ha

All in all we had a brilliant time and would go back tomorrow.