Hotel rates soar to Dh10000 per night

New Year’s Eve (NYE) is always one of the busiest times for the UAE as the country attracts tourists from all over the world.

Some luxury hotels in the UAE are charging up to Dh10,000 per night during the busy NYE period, according to industry experts.

Joseph Karam, group director of operations at Ishraq hospitality said,“ “Currently, we are in peak holiday season especially with New Year’s Eve celebrations being right around the corner, where average prices have increased substantially. Average prices range from Dh500 for budget hotels and can easily go up to Dh10,000 for the more luxury hotels.”

Several premium hotels like the Atlantis and Address Downtown are completely booked for the period while other hotels like Address Dubai Mall are charging in excess of Dh7,000 per night for a stay between December 30 and January 1.

Most people travelling to the UAE are not just interested in booking a hotel stay but a complete package.

Vinayak Mahtani, CEO of bnbme holiday homes said, “Our highest-priced property is a Triplex with an infinity pool overlooking the Palm and (Ain Dubai). It comes with a butler chauffeur and Rolls-Royce transport.”

The ultra-luxurious package is booked out from December 24 till January 8 at an undisclosed price — but it is the most expensive package the company has sold so far.

Other industry experts agree that most visitors look for packages to go with their stay. “We had family packages that include complimentary ticketst to parks and resorts,” said Santosh Bhandari, assistant director of sales at Grand Millennium Dubai Barsha Heights. “It had created a good demand in specific markets.”

According to Matar, the demand for location also depends on where the visitors are from. “Within Dubai, every area has its own perks, those from the Indian sub-continent prefer more of Deira–Bur Dubai area,” he said.

“[Those from Eurasia / CIS region prefer] a higher average length of stay, therefore, they opt for resorts at the Palm Jumeirah and Bluewaters Island. The American, South American, British and European demographics prefer the Marina area. We currently have more British guests in-house than any other nationalities.”

In the case of homestays, Mahtani said the group has seen the highest demand in the Bluewaters area. “We are seeing rates exceeding Dh2,000 per night for a two-bedroom apartment in the area,” he said.