It's soon Christmas Day, but there are plenty of last-minute winter breaks still available to take around the UAE.
From having a private butler take care of everything on an Abu Dhabi island, to saving a tidy sum at Christmas Day brunches with an overnight package in Dubai, these staycation deals are firmly on the nice list.
Abu Dhabi
Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara
The palatial property in the Empty Quarter is running a festive offer for UAE residents, with 20 per cent off room rates, which start at Dh1,350. It includes breakfast and free upgrades (up to the one-bedroom pool villas) and late checkout until 4pm. Children up to 12 can stay and dine for free.
Those looking to unplug can enjoy free access to padel courts or an extra half hour with every one-hour spa treatment. Anyone booking two activities – such as camel riding or dune bashing – will receive an extra one for free. A valid Emirates ID will be required for each booking.
Available throughout winter; anantara.com
Erth
Erth hotel, formerly the Armed Forces Officers Club, is running a staycation deal until January 2. Room rates start at Dh700 per night, suites start at Dh1,200 and villas from Dh2,500. The packages are also available on peak dates, including Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve.
The sprawling 75-hectare resort remains one of the most popular destinations in the city thanks to its bounty of outdoor activities. Between December 20 and 26, Theatre by Erth will host the Aladdin pantomime.
Until January 2; erth.ae
Nurai Island
Although this private resort is only about a 10-minute boat ride from Saadiyat Island, it has the feel of being in a world of its own. The destination is a hit with travellers seeking total R&R – with a butler on hand to take care of every request – or those looking to spend the festive season on holiday with their pets, as the hotel welcomes animals under 12kg.
Book directly to receive Dh500 credit towards dinner and drinks during the week.
Ongoing; nuraiisland.com
Rosewood Abu Dhabi
The property on Al Maryah Island offers guests a beach getaway amid the crystal-clear waters of the Arabian Gulf and visitors receive free entry to Saadiyat Beach Club.
The hotel’s festive offer runs until January 10 and includes a price cut on rooms – which varies on dates and room size – as well as free breakfast and 20 per cent off on food and drinks across the hotel and beach club. There is also 20 per cent off on treatments at the hotel spa. Guests booking online should use the code “DISBEACH” to redeem the offer.
Until January 10; rosewoodhotels.com
Dubai
Address Beach Resort
The soaring five-star property towers over one of Dubai’s most popular tourist spots. Those who book a stay until December 31 will receive a 10 per cent discount on the best available rate. Additionally, the hotel will offer free breakfast to each guest.
Anyone who extends their Christmas stay to New Year’s Eve will receive a complimentary package at The Restaurant’s evening buffet.
Until December 31; addresshotels.com
Anantara Downtown Dubai Hotel
The hotel is running a promotion throughout Christmas titled the Festive Half Board Special. Room rates are offered with a 25 per cent discount throughout the festive season. They include the breakfast buffet and a choice of lunch or dinner at the Nine7One restaurant, which rotates its menu to reflect different cuisines from around the world.
The Full Festive Treat, meanwhile, offers 30 per cent off on accommodation and a free spa treatment, plus other trimmings.
Until January 15; anantara.com
The First Collection Waterfront
Book through the hotel’s website to receive a 30 per cent discount. The offer at the Business Bay resort can be used on peak nights including Christmas Day or New Year’s Eve. Additionally, guests can receive 20 per cent off on spa treatments and the restaurant bill at Local and Risen.
Guests looking to spend Christmas at the beach also have access to the hotel’s free shuttle to Soluna Beach Club on Palm Jumeirah. The entrance fee is Dh200, with Dh100 redeemable on food and drinks.
Until January 2; thefirstcollection.ae
JA Hatta Fort Hotel, Dubai
This Hatta resort is offering a 50 per cent discount on the price of a second night. The offer runs on stays from Sundays to Fridays, meaning Saturday nights are excluded. There is a guaranteed late checkout on Sundays and 25 per cent off on all activities at the resort. The booking must be made directly with the hotel.
Ongoing; jaresortshotels.com
Jumeirah Beach Hotel
Guests can receive up to 25 per cent off on room rates, free dining for children under 11 and a 15 per cent discount on drinks throughout their stay with the Kids Go Free offer. As well as five pools and unlimited access to the nearby Wild Wadi Waterpark, there is a children’s club to keep little ones entertained. Adults can use the Talise Spa and gym facilities for free, while spa treatments of one hour are extended by 30 minutes. This offer is only available to UAE nationals and residents.
Ongoing; jumeirah.com
Lapita, Dubai Parks and Resorts, Autograph Collection
The Polynesia-themed hotel at Dubai Parks and Resorts is running a special offer from December 24 to 26. It starts at Dh1,399 for a king room or Dh1,799 for a family suite. Two children under six can sleep and dine for free.
Aside from daily breakfasts, there will be a festive brunch on Christmas Day. There will be plenty of child-friendly activities, such as a meet and greet with Santa, live entertainers and a treasure hunt. The package also includes access to Dubai Parks and Resorts’ parks – Riverland, Motiongate and Legoland.
For stays between December 24 and 26; dubaiparksandresorts.com
Le Meridien Mina Seyahi Beach Resort and Waterpark
This family-friendly beach resort offers something for everyone, with private beaches, six pools, 18 restaurants and bars, watersports activities and Jungle Bay Waterpark, which is suitable for all ages, including babies.
Guests will be given a late checkout time of 2pm on all stays – though anyone looking to book over New Year’s Eve will be required to book a minimum of four nights. The hotel is offering a 20 per cent discount on food and drink at all venues. Rates start at Dh1,220 per night. Use the promo code “EVE” to redeem the offer.
Until January 2; marriott.com
W Dubai – Mina Seyahi
This festive offer, which can be used on stays over Christmas and New Year, is packed with gifts. There is 20 per cent off on dining, including the Christmas Day and New Year’s Day brunches at Solar.
There are also dinner packages running at various outlets for New Year’s Eve, but it is recommended to book ahead to secure your place.
Late checkout is thrown in with each booking, with rooms available until 2pm. Rates start at Dh1,400 per night, with a four-night minimum stay over New Year’s Eve. Use the promo code “EVE” to redeem the offer.
Until January 2; marriott.com
About Proto21
Date started: May 2018
Founder: Pir Arkam
Based: Dubai
Sector: Additive manufacturing (aka, 3D printing)
Staff: 18
Funding: Invested, supported and partnered by Joseph Group
Tamkeen's offering
- Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
- Option 2: 50% across three years
- Option 3: 30% across five years
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What is Reform?
Reform is a right-wing, populist party led by Nigel Farage, a former MEP who won a seat in the House of Commons last year at his eighth attempt and a prominent figure in the campaign for the UK to leave the European Union.
It was founded in 2018 and originally called the Brexit Party.
Many of its members previously belonged to UKIP or the mainstream Conservatives.
After Brexit took place, the party focused on the reformation of British democracy.
Former Tory deputy chairman Lee Anderson became its first MP after defecting in March 2024.
The party gained support from Elon Musk, and had hoped the tech billionaire would make a £100m donation. However, Mr Musk changed his mind and called for Mr Farage to step down as leader in a row involving the US tycoon's support for far-right figurehead Tommy Robinson who is in prison for contempt of court.
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COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
MATCH INFO
Quarter-finals
Saturday (all times UAE)
England v Australia, 11.15am
New Zealand v Ireland, 2.15pm
Sunday
Wales v France, 11.15am
Japan v South Africa, 2.15pm
Asia Cup 2018 final
Who: India v Bangladesh
When: Friday, 3.30pm, Dubai International Stadium
Watch: Live on OSN Cricket HD
Buy farm-fresh food
The UAE is stepping up its game when it comes to platforms for local farms to show off and sell their produce.
In Dubai, visit Emirati Farmers Souq at The Pointe every Saturday from 8am to 2pm, which has produce from Al Ammar Farm, Omar Al Katri Farm, Hikarivege Vegetables, Rashed Farms and Al Khaleej Honey Trading, among others.
In Sharjah, the Aljada residential community will launch a new outdoor farmers’ market every Friday starting this weekend. Manbat will be held from 3pm to 8pm, and will host 30 farmers, local home-grown entrepreneurs and food stalls from the teams behind Badia Farms; Emirates Hydroponics Farms; Modern Organic Farm; Revolution Real; Astraea Farms; and Al Khaleej Food.
In Abu Dhabi, order farm produce from Food Crowd, an online grocery platform that supplies fresh and organic ingredients directly from farms such as Emirates Bio Farm, TFC, Armela Farms and mother company Al Dahra.
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
How much sugar is in chocolate Easter eggs?
- The 169g Crunchie egg has 15.9g of sugar per 25g serving, working out at around 107g of sugar per egg
- The 190g Maltesers Teasers egg contains 58g of sugar per 100g for the egg and 19.6g of sugar in each of the two Teasers bars that come with it
- The 188g Smarties egg has 113g of sugar per egg and 22.8g in the tube of Smarties it contains
- The Milky Bar white chocolate Egg Hunt Pack contains eight eggs at 7.7g of sugar per egg
- The Cadbury Creme Egg contains 26g of sugar per 40g egg
Results
5.30pm Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (Turf) 1,400m
Winner Spirit Of Light, Clement Lecoeuvre (jockey), Erwan Charpy (trainer)
6.05pm Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (Dirt) 1,900m
Winner Bright Start, Pat Cosgrave, Saeed bin Suroor
6.40pm Handicap (TB) Dh92,500 (D) 2,000m
Winner Twelfthofneverland, Nathan Crosse, Satish Seemar
7.15pm Handicap (TB) Dh85,000 (T) 1,600m
Winner Imperial Empire, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar
7.50pm Handicap (TB) Dh92,500 (T) 2,000m
Winner Record Man, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar
8.25pm Handicap (TB) Dh92,500 (D) 1,600m
Winner Celtic Prince, Fabrice Veron, Rashed Bouresly
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE
Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.
Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.
Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.
Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Fly Etihad or Emirates from the UAE to Moscow from 2,763 return per person return including taxes.
Where to stay
Trips on the Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian cost from US$16,995 (Dh62,414) per person, based on two sharing.
ABU DHABI CARD
5pm: UAE Martyrs Cup (TB) Conditions; Dh90,000; 2,200m
5.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup (PA) Handicap; Dh70,000; 1,400m
6pm: UAE Matyrs Trophy (PA) Maiden; Dh80,000; 1,600m
6.30pm: Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak (IFAHR) Apprentice Championship (PA) Prestige; Dh100,000; 1,600m
7pm: Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak (IFAHR) Ladies World Championship (PA) Prestige; Dh125,000; 1,600m
8pm: Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Jewel Crown (PA) Group 1; Dh5,000,000; 1,600m
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Brief scoreline:
Toss: South Africa, elected to bowl first
England (311-8): Stokes 89, Morgan 57, Roy 54, Root 51; Ngidi 3-66
South Africa (207): De Kock 68, Van der Dussen 50; Archer 3-27, Stokes 2-12
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%3Cp%3EDavid%20White%20might%20be%20new%20to%20the%20country%2C%20but%20he%20has%20clearly%20already%20built%20up%20an%20affinity%20with%20the%20place.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3EAfter%20the%20UAE%20shocked%20Pakistan%20in%20the%20semi-final%20of%20the%20Under%2019%20Asia%20Cup%20last%20month%2C%20White%20was%20hugged%20on%20the%20field%20by%20Aayan%20Khan%2C%20the%20team%E2%80%99s%20captain.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3EWhite%20suggests%20that%20was%20more%20a%20sign%20of%20Aayan%E2%80%99s%20amiability%20than%20anything%20else.%20But%20he%20believes%20the%20young%20all-rounder%2C%20who%20was%20part%20of%20the%20winning%20Gulf%20Giants%20team%20last%20year%2C%20is%20just%20the%20sort%20of%20player%20the%20country%20should%20be%20seeking%20to%20produce%20via%20the%20ILT20.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%9CHe%20is%20a%20delightful%20young%20man%2C%E2%80%9D%20White%20said.%20%E2%80%9CHe%20played%20in%20the%20competition%20last%20year%20at%2017%2C%20and%20look%20at%20his%20development%20from%20there%20till%20now%2C%20and%20where%20he%20is%20representing%20the%20UAE.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%9CHe%20was%20influential%20in%20the%20U19%20team%20which%20beat%20Pakistan.%20He%20is%20the%20perfect%20example%20of%20what%20we%20are%20all%20trying%20to%20achieve%20here.%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%E2%80%9CIt%20is%20about%20the%20development%20of%20players%20who%20are%20going%20to%20represent%20the%20UAE%20and%20go%20on%20to%20help%20make%20UAE%20a%20force%20in%20world%20cricket.%E2%80%9D%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Innotech Profile
Date started: 2013
Founder/CEO: Othman Al Mandhari
Based: Muscat, Oman
Sector: Additive manufacturing, 3D printing technologies
Size: 15 full-time employees
Stage: Seed stage and seeking Series A round of financing
Investors: Oman Technology Fund from 2017 to 2019, exited through an agreement with a new investor to secure new funding that it under negotiation right now.
Earth under attack: Cosmic impacts throughout history
- 4.5 billion years ago: Mars-sized object smashes into the newly-formed Earth, creating debris that coalesces to form the Moon
- 66 million years ago: 10km-wide asteroid crashes into the Gulf of Mexico, wiping out over 70 per cent of living species – including the dinosaurs.
- 50,000 years ago: 50m-wide iron meteor crashes in Arizona with the violence of 10 megatonne hydrogen bomb, creating the famous 1.2km-wide Barringer Crater
- 1490: Meteor storm over Shansi Province, north-east China when large stones “fell like rain”, reportedly leading to thousands of deaths.
- 1908: 100-metre meteor from the Taurid Complex explodes near the Tunguska river in Siberia with the force of 1,000 Hiroshima-type bombs, devastating 2,000 square kilometres of forest.
- 1998: Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 breaks apart and crashes into Jupiter in series of impacts that would have annihilated life on Earth.
-2013: 10,000-tonne meteor burns up over the southern Urals region of Russia, releasing a pressure blast and flash that left over 1600 people injured.
Brief scoreline:
Manchester United 0
Manchester City 2
Bernardo Silva 54', Sane 66'
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
The schedule
December 5 - 23: Shooting competition, Al Dhafra Shooting Club
December 9 - 24: Handicrafts competition, from 4pm until 10pm, Heritage Souq
December 11 - 20: Dates competition, from 4pm
December 12 - 20: Sour milk competition
December 13: Falcon beauty competition
December 14 and 20: Saluki races
December 15: Arabian horse races, from 4pm
December 16 - 19: Falconry competition
December 18: Camel milk competition, from 7.30 - 9.30 am
December 20 and 21: Sheep beauty competition, from 10am
December 22: The best herd of 30 camels
House-hunting
Top 10 locations for inquiries from US house hunters, according to Rightmove
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Westminster, London
- Camden, London
- Glasgow, Scotland
- Islington, London
- Kensington and Chelsea, London
- Highlands, Scotland
- Argyll and Bute, Scotland
- Fife, Scotland
- Tower Hamlets, London
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
Super 30
Produced: Sajid Nadiadwala and Phantom Productions
Directed: Vikas Bahl
Cast: Hrithik Roshan, Pankaj Tripathi, Aditya Srivastav, Mrinal Thakur
Rating: 3.5 /5
Places to go for free coffee
- Cherish Cafe Dubai, Dubai Investment Park, are giving away free coffees all day.
- La Terrace, Four Points by Sheraton Bur Dubai, are serving their first 50 guests one coffee and four bite-sized cakes
- Wild & The Moon will be giving away a free espresso with every purchase on International Coffee Day
- Orange Wheels welcome parents are to sit, relax and enjoy goodies at ‘Café O’ along with a free coffee
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
