# Hotel Facilities Use ?



## MrMayall (Nov 3, 2013)

Hello All,

I wonder if someone may know the answer to a question I have regarding the use of Hotel facilities - Pools, Bars, restaurants etc..??

We (me, wife and 4 year old) are moving to Abu Dhabi for work in September, I understand that their are several beaches that we can visit for a small fee - and some that are free.

What about the use of some of the hotels and their facilities? can you request a day pass at reception? are there memberships available? 

What are your experiences? Good/Bad/Cost ext?

Many thanks in advance !


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## twowheelsgood (Feb 21, 2013)

Very many hotels offer day passes - always expensive as the hotel is there for residents more than visitors. In general, the more expensive the hotel, the less likely you are to get a day pass I would guess ?.

If you want membership, lost of hotels next to the beach will offer club membership - take out a second mortgage. e.g. the Fairmont is 50,000AED a year for your average family of 2A +2C


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## MrMayall (Nov 3, 2013)

Wow, thats a lot to pay out for a few trips the the beach?!? - from what i can see the public/small fee beaches look lovely? Right?


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## twowheelsgood (Feb 21, 2013)

No idea about AD but the Dubai ones are okay. It depends on what you want really, and how much you will use them.

Personally I hate the ordinary beach but pool, lounger, waiter service and shade aren't too bad, especially if Mr TWG is happy


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## MrMayall (Nov 3, 2013)

i have to agree! a lounger, and waiter service is what i would prefer.. Im sure there are reasonable hotels with stunning locations that we could enjoy without paying silly prices.

And to be fair its going to be better than a broken deck chair sifting through rubbish on Brighton Beach!!!  ( which is our usual sunny weather adventure!)


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## twowheelsgood (Feb 21, 2013)

MrMayall said:


> Im sure there are reasonable hotels with stunning locations that we could enjoy without paying silly prices.


You clearly haven't been here for long, if at all 

The prices you would pay for day acces to a hotel would be in UK terms 'silly prices' but once you are in the UAE and have a higher disposabkle income, you may think differently.

For Riva, on the Palm at the weekends, its 175AED per head for access to the club - so best part of £120 for the family. Thats not an upmarket place by any stretch. 

Family cabana at the Fairmont, 2,500AED per day for four people

The thing you probably don't realise is that in the populated areas, there is very little coastline which isn't owned by a hotel. In Dubai you can go to the public beach for nothing, but if you want the facilities, you have to pay through the nose for them. 

No public subsidies of facilities here - and hotels exist to make money, pure and simple.


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## JonGard (Aug 18, 2013)

Go to the Hilton JBR.


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## Byja (Mar 3, 2013)

twowheelsgood said:


> No public subsidies of facilities here...


Actually, there is, at least for the most basic ones on public beaches, like showers and changing rooms. As well as for services, such as the guys cleaning up your shhh..., lifeguards every now and then, EMTs, and of course, Dubai's finest, making sure you're not doing the British/Irish beach party of 2008.

For example, The Beach at JBR looks rather nice now.

The problem that some of these public beaches are not so public, so that's why they don't have even these basic items.


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## MrMayall (Nov 3, 2013)

As I'm sure you've guessed, We haven't moved over yet.. We are moving to AD in August and trying to get a better understanding of our options for the weekends ( with our 4 year old daughter)

And we were thinking that beaches is a good place to start exploring! They all look well kept and clean when I search online, but I'm sure a regular trip to a hotel pool etc will be an even bigger treat!!


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## rsinner (Feb 3, 2009)

MrMayall said:


> trying to get a better understanding of our options for the weekends ( with our 4 year old daughter)


As you will pretty soon discover, there is The [british] Club (google it) there as well which is the epicenter of social life for a lot of expats in AD


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## MrMayall (Nov 3, 2013)

rsinner said:


> As you will pretty soon discover, there is The [british] Club (google it) there as well which is the epicenter of social life for a lot of expats in AD



Yes, Ive noticed the name several times now… it looks great - but I hear they have a long waiting list for new members? ( Must be worth it?!)

anywhere else worth looking into??


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## Malbec (Jan 2, 2014)

twowheelsgood said:


> [...]
> The thing you probably don't realise is that in the populated areas, there is very little coastline which isn't owned by a hotel. In Dubai you can go to the public beach for nothing, but if you want the facilities, you have to pay through the nose for them.
> 
> No public subsidies of facilities here - and hotels exist to make money, pure and simple.


Correct me if I am wrong but hotels do not actually own a coastline. What they do own is a piece of beach plot in front of the hotel. Should you not wish to use hotel facilities such as sun loungers, pools, toilets etc. you can still use the beach for a stroll or rest. I recall there are plenty of people including locals at JBR beach wandering around in front of Hilton, Ritz, LRM.


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