Hotel rooms near iconic party spots in Dubai, RAK, and Abu Dhabi are selling out fast.
Dubai: For those eyeing a Downtown Dubai staycation during New Year’s Eve, prepare for hefty price tags. A two-bedroom apartment at Grand Opera Tower Lux is listed at an astounding Dh75,429 for a two-night stay from December 31 to January 2, 2025, showcasing the immense demand for prime accommodations.
Five-star hotels across key hotspots such as Palm Jumeirah, Dubai Marina, and JBR are nearing full capacity. Hotel apartments and short-term rentals are some of the only options left, with occupancy rates climbing to nearly 100%.
Even relatively budget-friendly options with views of the Burj Khalifa are far from affordable. Prices start at Dh3,330 for a deluxe room at Damac Maison Mall Street and climb to Dh11,475 for a Holistay Luxury Homes apartment. With Dubai set for another record-breaking New Year’s Eve, many travellers are adjusting to the high costs.
“There has been a 20% surge in bookings for local destinations. Top picks include luxury beachside resorts in Dubai, Yas Island hotels with amusement park access, and Ras Al Khaimah mountain retreats,” noted Rikant Pittie, Co-founder of EaseMyTrip.
Pittie also pointed out, “The extraordinary surge in hotel bookings for New Year’s Eve has led to rates rising by as much as 300%.”
Last-Minute Deals
Despite most accommodations on Palm Jumeirah being fully booked well in advance, a handful of last-minute deals remain. Prices for a two-night stay for two adults start at Dh3,960 and go up to Dh4,579. Beachfront resorts are charging between Dh8,240 and Dh18,630 for suites, while last-minute bookings at Atlantis The Palm can be secured for Dh9,770 for two guests.
Interestingly, these prices reflect a 30% drop compared to NYE 2023, when basic four-star properties charged Dh6,000 to Dh7,000 for two-night stays. At the time, the most expensive suite at Atlantis The Palm, the Neptune Underwater Suite, was priced at Dh150,000.
This year, staycations at InterContinental Residences Dubai Business Bay range from Dh19,999 to Dh24,999 for the New Year period.
Robust Demand:
“Hotels in Dubai are witnessing occupancy levels of almost 90% across the emirate and nearing 100% in Downtown Dubai and Burj Khalifa areas,” said a hotel industry insider.
Abu Dhabi hotels have also seen an increase in visitor numbers throughout the year. According to the Department of Culture and Tourism (DCT Abu Dhabi), hotels in the emirate welcomed 4.8 million guests year-to-date (YTD) as of October 2024. This figure surpasses pre-pandemic levels and reflects a 26% rise in international guests from key markets like India, China, Russia, the UK, and Saudi Arabia.
Are UAE Residents Traveling for NYE? While many residents are opting for local celebrations, others are choosing quick getaways to nearby destinations. With New Year’s Day falling on a Friday, resulting in a four-day weekend, popular travel spots include Baku, Muscat, Riyadh, Amman, Cairo, and Mumbai, according to Afi Ahmed, Chairman of Smart Travels.
Dubai International Airport (DXB) is gearing up for a busy holiday season, expecting over 5.2 million passengers between December 13 and 31. Daily traffic is anticipated to average 274,000 travellers, peaking on Friday, December 20, when nearly 296,000 passengers are projected. The weekend of December 20 to 22 alone will see around 880,000 travellers passing through DXB.
Essa Al Shamsi, Senior Vice President of Terminal Operations at Dubai Airports, shared that of the 5.2 million passengers, approximately 1.7 million are arrivals, while 1.5 million are departures.
