REVIEW: AL QASR BRUNCH, DUBAI

Todays post is all about a must-try brunch in Dubai.

My mum got a taste for brunch when she last came to Doha - we did the Oktoberfest brunch at the Grand Hyatt hotel and before the end of the day she was involved in a conga line weaving its way around the restaurant, and dancing on the table along with the rest of the brunch goers to the rhythm of the German band. Needless to say, she enjoyed her first Middle Eastern brunch experience!

Knowing I was due to join her and her friend Jenny in Dubai, I was tasked with booking a brunch for the three of us. Originally we were going to book into the Atlantis hotel brunch at Saffron, but having remembered how rowdy it was, with a real 18-30s vibe (ideal for my 26th birthday last year, but not the atmosphere we were after this time around) and hearing that Matt didn't really rate the food when he went, we opted instead for his recommendation of the Al Qasr brunch. Situated at Madinat Jumeriah, the Al Qasr hotel is stunning even from the approach.

Super friendly staff greet you upon arrival. I also want to point out just how helpful the hotel were - I had emailed them in advance to ask if they would mind us storing our luggage whilst we attended the brunch, despite us not being guests at the hotel, as we were due to head to the airport later that day. Viktoria at the Concierge sent me a speedy reply and couldn't be happier to assist with our request. Unfortunately, the cases were stored in their outdoor luggage area (under shade) and the Cadburys Creme Eggs that my mum had searched high and low for in England after Easter and brought all the way over for me sadly melted in my suitcase! A small price to pay for a fabulous brunch, however.

The brunch goers gather early - even when we arrived at midday, 30 minutes early, there was already a big crowd emerging in the lobby, peering over the balcony to catch a glimpse of what awaited us downstairs.

Finally, we were taken to our table, situated on the shaded terrace of MJ's Steakhouse. The shade from the roof and the light breeze from the fans did little to cool us down - the Middle East is HOT in May!! - but we didn't let this get to us, as being outside was the prime location. We took a little wander, drinking in the amazing view of the hotel grounds, and out to the striking Burj Al Arab hotel.

Below, boats meander along a beautiful river that weaves amongst the palm trees. By this point, you kiiiinda want to be down there, sailing along in the sunshine...

...but up top, brunch awaits! I thought I had seen it all at the Saffron brunch, but the Al Qasr brunch far outshines it. 

Grab a Malibu-filled coconut from the boat, and sip it as you browse the amazing food on display. 

There is every type of food you could possibly fancy - sushi, pasta, Indian, Chinese, kebabs, roast dinner, salads, paella, fish and chips, and a whole room dedicated to pork products! For me, the very best part was the dessert - there was so much of it! Pancakes, macarons, doughnuts, cheesecake, torte, a chocolate fountain, and even a machine dispensing hot chocolate...a paradise for those with a sweet tooth. I must confess to having more than one plate of dessert. Okay, more than two plates of dessert...

PRICES

Moet Brunch - 695 AED / Bubbly&Cocktail Brunch - 575 AED /Non Alcoholic Brunch - 495 AED

The Al Qasr brunch is definitely the priciest brunch I have been to at over 100GBP per person to include bubbles and cocktails, but the selection and quality of food plus the stunning location and buzzing atmosphere completely justifies this price.

If you are ever in Dubai, definitely book yourselves in to Al Qasr. It is a fantastic brunch and I highly recommend it. 

I can't wait to get back to Dubai to do it all over again!

REVIEW: MIRAMAR AL AQAH BEACH RESORT - UAE

When my mum and her friend Jenny booked a weeks holiday at the Miramar Al Aqah Beach Resort in Fujairah, UAE, I absolutely had to join them for a couple of days. As I mentioned in my previous Dubai post, Doha is only an hour away by plane, so Dubai is a destination that is so easily accessible for a weekend jaunt.

I hopped on a flight to DXB very early on Thursday morning, and was met by my driver at Arrivals. I was so pleased that my mum had organised a hotel transfer for me, rather than having to take a Dubai taxi, as I'm not entirely sure they would have known how to get to where I needed to be.

The first thing to note about the Al Aqah Beach Resort, is that it is miles away. I'm not talking 30 minutes in a taxi like it is to Dubai. I'm talking almost two hours by car.

Through the desert...

Vast expanses of golden sand dunes stretching for miles into the distance, peppered with wild camels.

Then through the mountains...

...before finally reaching civilisation.

I was greeted at the hotel entrance and helped with my luggage by Sunday, the worlds friendliest man with the worlds coolest name. Check in was smooth, and the staff were very friendly and eager to help me to the room with my baggage.

It was so great to see my mum - she was already 5 days into her holiday so it was lovely to know that I would be spending the last two days with her.

Lunch was the first port of call. Mum and Jenny were all-inclusive, so I ordered the grilled salmon from the A La Carte menu, eager for something light ahead of an afternoon of sunbathing.

When it arrived, it looked amazing, and the accompanying vegetables were delicious but the salmon itself was absolutely packed full of giant bones. Every single forkful was filled with them, to the point where I just couldn't eat it. At the equivalent of over £20, I was pretty disappointed, and even more so when the restaurant manager didn't offer to discount the bill. He offered a replacement meal but by this point mum and Jenny had finished their lunch and I wasn't in the mood anymore.

Not the best first impressions of the 5* resort.

My mood soon lifted when we headed outside to the pool area, which was absolutely stunning. I would go as far as to say it was one of the loveliest pools I have ever seen! It was like an enormous lagoon, with a pool bar in the centre, against the stunning mountain backdrop.

After a few hours of swimming and sunbathing, we took a wander around the beautiful gardens...

And then a wander along the beach...

Before heading up to the room to get ready for dinner at the Bahari beach bar, where the barman had promised my mum that he would look after us and make our evening special.

He had reserved us the best table in the restaurant...

Right on the sea-front, with the therapeutic sound of the waves gently breaking against the sand. As we tucked in to a feast of cold mixed mezze to start, our lovely waiter informed us that he would be selecting and making cocktails for us all night, and as soon as we finished one he would bring over another concoction for us to try.

Cocktail after cocktail came, and we had fun (unsuccessfully!) trying to guess what ingredients he had used in each.

My main course from the A La Carte menu, the lamb kofta, was delicious - I would highly recommend this to anybody dining at Bahari beach bar.

At the end of our meal, our wonderful waiter (I wish I could remember his name but after seven or eight cocktails it's understandable that I wouldn't remember much!) informed us that the entire evening was complimentary, gave my mum and Jenny and big cuddle to say goodbye as it was their last evening at the resort, and off to bed we went, full of good food and cocktails after a fantastic evening. Such a lovely dinner thoroughly made up for the disappointing lunch.

The next morning, we packed up our cases and hit the long road to Dubai, sent away with a beaming smile from Sunday (one name I could not forget!) as brunch was calling our names...but that is yet another blog post for another time!

If you are looking for a Middle Eastern all-inclusive holiday away from the hustle and bustle of Dubai with a beautiful pool and scenic surroundings, then I would for sure recommend the Miramar Al Aqah beach resort. The location is gorgeous and the staff are super friendly.

For me however, it was just too far away from anything especially to visit in only two days, although it was great to see a landscape so different to that of Doha and Dubai.

After two years in the desert, I am very happy to report that I have finally seen a wild camel!

Sometimes it's all about the little things :)

A DUBAI MINI-BREAK

When I clocked that the Mr had a rare run of days off in a row, I suggested a long 'weekend' away. I say 'weekend', as we both mainly work every actual weekend, but the opportunity to escape the sandpit from Tuesday through til Thursday was too good not to take.

It didn't take long for us to decide where to go.

Only an hours flight away, Dubai is the perfect mini break destination for any Doha dweller. We are also lucky to have Oman, Abu Dhabi and Bahrain on our doorstep, but on this occasion Dubai was the clear winner.

After miraculously squeezing everything except for my hairdryer which I smuggled into Matt's carry-on into the worlds smallest suitcase, we hopped in a taxi to Hamad International airport, and left the small sandpit of Doha for the bigger sandpit of Dubai.

We arrived at Fairmont the Palm, our home for the weekend, and Anicia gave us the warmest possible welcome as she assisted us with our check in, before we set off to snoop around our room.

We dropped off our bags and hopped aboard the free shuttle to the Mall of the Emirates in search of lunch and suncream (in that order)

I was so excited when we stumbled across the Cheesecake Factory - I've heard good things about it but never come across one before. My mac 'n' cheese burger with sweet potato fries was just what the doctor ordered. I may have dragged Matt back here on our final day to actually sample the cheesecake as I was too full from my burger on this trip to manage one! Have a peruse of the cheesecake menu and you'll see why a return trip was necessary...

Full of food and stocked up on suncream, we headed back to the hotel and made a beeline for the beach.

The hotel grounds were stunning - a huge expanse of golden sand overlooking the Marina skyline (ruined slightly by the ugly red ship which sadly didn't move for the whole weekend!), and two huge palm tree-lined pools.

Weary from our epic one hour flight and afternoon of sunshine, we decided to stay local for the evening and wandered down to Ba, the Chinese restaurant in the hotel.

Down the candle lit corridor, you enter a relaxed lounge area - I can imagine when the weather heats up (even more) that this bar is flooded with people seeking refuge from the humidity.

Down the winding staircase, you come to the main restaurant.

By the time we had finished dinner, the main restaurant had filled out a little more, as had the garden area where we were seated, which when we left was completely full with diners making the most of the warm pre-Summer evening.

The setting was beautiful, the staff super friendly and attentive, and the food was delicious. We shared honey glazed BBQ pork (actual, real, proper pork!), pan fried duck breast, sticky rice and sauteed vegetables, washed down with a glass of red for me and a beer for the Mr.

I would highly recommend a visit to Ba if you are in Dubai and looking for delicious food in a stunning setting.

The next morning, breakfast was the first port of call, so Matt suggested a trip to Eggspectation.

After some serious perusal of the menu, my eggspecations were certainly high, and were absolutely met when this beauty of a breakfast was set down in front of me...

The lightest, fluffiest pancakes I have ever eaten (drizzled with maple syrup, of course), eggs scrambled to perfection, rosemary potatoes and delicious fresh fruit, all preceded by a bread basket with jam. Breakfast would totally be my favourite meal of the day if it always came in this form!

If you are in Dubai, skip the hotel breakfast and head on over to Eggspecation and try and grab a table outside, overlooking JBR the Walk. We were beaten to it by earlier risers, so we ate inside and took a walk around after instead. The Walk at Jumeirah Beach Resort is lovely - restaurant upon restaurant line the beach, and yet more restaurants can be found tucked away behind.

After breakfast, it was back to the hotel for us for a full afternoon in the sun, where Matt took up prime position in the pool.

It was a couple of hours after taking this picture that I realised our sun bed neighbour over to the left was Gaz from Geordie Shore, and his current lady friend. Way-ayyy! Not quite an A-List spot but it gave me the same buzz I used to get from spotting famous faces in the canteen when I was working back at ITV in London. Sad, I know!

That evening, we got ourselves ready for dinner and wandered down to the pool bar for happy hour.

We headed over to the Dubai Yacht Club for dinner, where we had made reservations at Aquara, overlooking the marina.

This was my second visit to Aquara, and once again the food was spot on (I highly recommend the lamb rump), but sadly the service was unbelievably slow and the staff literally paid us no attention whatsoever - one even let the door to the restaurant close on me, charming! The setting is beautiful though, so we tried to over look this and enjoy our meal overlooking the yachts docked in the marina.

Our next and final stop for the night was Barasti, a lively beach bar, for a beverage and some apple shisha.

We spent our final morning at the hotel soaking up some last minute sunshine (despite the fact that we would soon be heading back to more 30+ degree weather in Doha!), before venturing back to the Mall of the Emirates to satisfy my cheesecake craving.

Sadly I didn't get to see the penguins, but SkiDubai looks so amazing... shopping centres of the UK should really take note, the malls in the Middle East put ours to shame!

We had such a blissful, relaxing couple of days in Dubai, and it was just what we both needed. Bring on the next mini-break :)