# Any info on living in Al Satwa?



## sara81 (Aug 21, 2008)

My company will be providing me with a flat and all bills paid for in Al Satwa.

Have googled the area and found mixed reviews. Anyone got any personal experience of what the area is like?

I found there is an organic cafe there which I am excited about but any big malls, supermarkets near there or pharmacies like Boots?

Oh yeah and is it near the beach???


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## Elphaba (Jan 24, 2008)

I like Satwa, but it is a very mixed area and there are not many Westerners living there. Much of it is scheduled to be demolished and redeveloped. 

The Organic Supermarket isn't bad, although expensive and there is a branch of Boots on Al Diyafah Street. Basically, you can find just about everything you want in Satwa,as it is full of lots of little shops. There are some supermarkets in the area and a mall on Al Diyafah too. Reasonable bars and restaurants in Jumeirah Rotana and Rydges Plaza hotels as well as the well known Al Mallah (Arabic/Lebanese) and Ravi's cafes/restaurants.

It isn't far from the sea, but you'd have to go along the beach road a bit to find a public beach. Take care if you plan to go alone though, as sadly there are a lot of gawpers.

Enough info? 

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## sara81 (Aug 21, 2008)

Elphaba said:


> I like Satwa, but it is a very mixed area and there are not many Westerners living there. Much of it is scheduled to be demolished and redeveloped.
> 
> The Organic Supermarket isn't bad, although expensive and there is a branch of Boots on Al Diyafah Street. Basically, you can find just about everything you want in Satwa,as it is full of lots of little shops. There are some supermarkets in the area and a mall on Al Diyafah too. Reasonable bars and restaurants in Jumeirah Rotana and Rydges Plaza hotels as well as the well known Al Mallah (Arabic/Lebanese) and Ravi's cafes/restaurants.
> 
> ...


That's brilliant Elphaba! Thank you. Yes I am expecting Organic Supermarket to be expensive but I really don't have a choice as Im wheat and gluten intolerant  But very pleased that my accomodation just happens to be next to this place, very convenient! 

Everything else sounds great! Wanted to ask about the Boots they have over there. I understand they now have a few branches. In general are these quite big and stock pretty much everything that big UK Boots store will have or are there some that are bigger and better than others?

Will probably be catching a cab to the beach until I get a car, so would you say maybe 10mins or so to Jumeirah Beach Park?

Elphaba, your knowledge in incredible, you should get paid for this!!


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## Elphaba (Jan 24, 2008)

The Boots on Al Diyafah is a small branch and ther are bigger ones elsewhere including Deira City Centre, Mall of the Emirates and Ibn Battuta. They stock many of the brands you'll find in the UK, but certainly not all.

The Organic supermarket has a decent range of wheat & gluten free goods, so you'll be OK there. If you are living close you will be within a stone's throw of Rydges Plaza hotel. Grotty looking building, but it contains an English Style pub, a bar (Aussie Legends - free Jacobs Creek sparkling for ladies from 7 to 9.30pm on Thursdays!) and decent Italian, Chinese, Mexican restaurants.

Distance to Jumeirah Beach Park - 10 mins should be about right.

When you have ben here a few years, get out and about a lot and like eating out, you do build up a lot of useful (as well as useless) info. 

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