I have been travelling to Dubai both for work and holiday for a few years in the past decade. During one of these flights en route to Dubai recently, I met a young woman who seemed quite apprehensive about her first-time holiday stay in the emirate. In fact, her main concern was whether she had made the right decision of planning a trip to the emirate alone. Though the emirate is dotted with numerous popular hotels that are safe for single travellers – men or women – arriving on flights to the city, it makes sense to heed a few useful tips to ensure hassle-free stays in the city.
Needless to say, solo women travellers must remain mindful of confirming their hotel bookings beforehand. If necessary, call the hotel directly to inquire about the booking confirmation before arriving in Dubai.
Dubai is an Islamic nation and hotels at the destination may have some unpredictable policies! Some hotels follow strict policies regarding certain food items, alcoholic beverages and smoking. Therefore, it is imperative to research the hotel thoroughly before you board your flights to Dubai.
Do not simply book a cheap hotel; you may regret it later due to low service standards and poor facilities. Also ensure, you are completely sure about your safety at the hotel. It is in fact better to save money on air tickets and other activities than the place you are about to spend couple of nights alone. So when booking hotels, safety, facilities and privacy at the property must be your priorities.
Though most leading hotels at the destination are safe and provide superb hospitality to all their guests including solo women travellers, it makes sense to choose the location carefully. Hotels around the centre of the city or around the beachfront remain the best bet for solo women travellers visiting Dubai.
Some hotels charge city taxes, credit card surcharges and reception fees as extras to the advertised hotel tariff. Enquire about such hidden charges in advance as it may surprise you at the time of arrival or departure.
