For many of us, 2020 has been all about the staycation rather than the vacation.
And if you are looking for a stress-free weekend away that is a little more indulgent, there are plenty of all-inclusive offers that will let you eat and drink until your heart (and stomach) is content.
Here's a round-up of hotels across the country where you can book all-inclusive packages ...
Rixos The Palm Hotel & Suites
Rixos The Palm Hotel & Suites, Dubai, boasts a one-kilometre private beach, rooms that overlook the Arabian Gulf and 11 restaurants and bars to choose from. Tuck into Italian food at L'Olivo, dine Spanish-style at Toro Loco Steakhouse or go for seafood at Aqua & More. The 24-hour Patisserie Istanbul is perfect for late-night cravings and the hotel's youngest visitors can try meals created by the Baby Chef. There are also four temperature-controlled swimming pools where butlers will pass by with cold face towels and ice-cold fruit kebabs. The hotel has villas that can sleep up to eight adults, as well as private deluxe rooms.
Rates start at Dh1,600 per night based on two people sharing, plus taxes.
Rixos The Palm Hotel & Suites, Palm Jumeirah, East Crescent, Dubai; 04 457 5555; rixos.com
JA The Resort
Spread across one million square metres and boasting 800 metres of private beach, JA The Resort consists of three different hotels. Guests can opt to go all-inclusive at any of the hotels when staying for a minimum of two nights. With 25 food and beverage outlets included in the offer, you can dine somewhere different every day for breakfast, lunch and dinner. House beverages are also included in the package, as are mocktails, soft drinks and hot beverages from 11am until 11pm daily, as well as items from your room's minibar.
Rates start at Dh1,140 at JA Beach Hotel, and Dh1,570 at JA Palm Tree Court for two nights based on two adults sharing, plus taxes.
JA The Resort, Jebel Ali, Dubai; 04 814 5555, jaresortshotels.com
Five Palm Jumeirah
Dubai’s lively Five Palm Jumeirah resort is currently offering an all-inclusive package that allows guests to enjoy an early midday check-in, as well as food and drinks across the resort. To dine, guests can choose from Italian cuisine at Cinque or Chinese at Maiden Shanghai, or something lighter with poolside snacks at The Pool Bar. You can top your stay off with a sunset drink at its famous rooftop bar The Penthouse.
Rates start at Dh1,200 per night based on two people sharing.
Five Palm Jumeirah, No 1 Palm, Dubai; 04 455 9999, palmjumeirah.fivehotelsandresorts.com
Rixos Premium Saadiyat Island
The Rixos Premium Saadiyat Island hotel has stunning Arabian Gulf surroundings and a sprawling private beach. It also has the biggest spa in the region, which is home to Abu Dhabi’s only snow room. The all-inclusive rates include dining options in four restaurants and at the hotel’s pool and beach bars. Guests booking a villa will also get their own private butler to take care of their every need during their stay.
Rates start at Dh1,097, including taxes, based on two adults sharing a deluxe garden view room.
Rixos Premium Saadiyat Island, Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi; 02 492 2222, rixos.com
Anantara Eastern Mangroves Abu Dhabi Hotel
This luxurious Anantara hotel, which overlooks Abu Dhabi's Eastern Mangroves, has just launched an all-inclusive package offering guests access to breakfast, lunch and dinner buffets, as well as free-flowing house beverages across five different dining venues, from restaurant and lounge to alfresco and bar. Guests will also get to make use of the infinity pool, which offers sprawling views across the water, and can upgrade to enjoy the hotel's spa facilities.
Rates start at Dh780.
Anantara Eastern Mangroves Abu Dhabi Hotel, Zone 1, Eastern Mangrove, Abu Dhabi; 02 656 1000, anantara.com
Fairmont Fujairah
With the Hajjar Mountains on one side and the Gulf of Oman on the other, a staycation at Fairmont Fujairah feels like a true escape. Make the most of a visit with the hotel’s all-inclusive summer offer, which gives guests breakfast, lunch and dinner at its all-day dining restaurant, Canvas, as well as unlimited drinks across the resort between 11am and 10pm. Guests can also trade in lunch and dinner at Canvas for Dh100 credit to spend at Lava Beach Club, adults-only pool lounge Iammai or The Copper Lobster, a seafood restaurant.
Rates start at Dh1,199 based on two adults sharing, including taxes.
Fairmont Fujairah, Mina Al Fajer, Fujairah; 09 204 1111, fairmont.com
Rixos Bab Al Bahr
Although Rixos has a number of all-inclusive properties across the UAE, its Ras Al Khaimah resort is perhaps its most popular. The original ultra all-inclusive hotel in the UAE, the Rixos Bab Al Bahr opened in 2014 and has built up a reputation for its all-inclusive offering. Set on the white sands of Al Marjan island, this sprawling pyramid-shaped resort has an endless parade of beaches, swimming pools, restaurants and bars. Nearly every one of the hotel's 650 rooms and suites come with ocean views. Each of the a la carte restaurants offers a different type of cuisine so that eating out never gets boring.
Rates start at Dh944, including taxes, based on two adults sharing.
Rixos Bab Al Bahr, Street 11, Al Marjan Island, Ras al Khaimah; 07 202 0000, rixos.com
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
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Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Palestine and Israel - live updates
HIJRA
Starring: Lamar Faden, Khairiah Nathmy, Nawaf Al-Dhufairy
Director: Shahad Ameen
Rating: 3/5
The years Ramadan fell in May
The most expensive investment mistake you will ever make
When is the best time to start saving in a pension? The answer is simple – at the earliest possible moment. The first pound, euro, dollar or dirham you invest is the most valuable, as it has so much longer to grow in value. If you start in your twenties, it could be invested for 40 years or more, which means you have decades for compound interest to work its magic.
“You get growth upon growth upon growth, followed by more growth. The earlier you start the process, the more it will all roll up,” says Chris Davies, chartered financial planner at The Fry Group in Dubai.
This table shows how much you would have in your pension at age 65, depending on when you start and how much you pay in (it assumes your investments grow 7 per cent a year after charges and you have no other savings).
|
Age
|
$250 a month
|
$500 a month
|
$1,000 a month
|
|
25
|
$640,829
|
$1,281,657
|
$2,563,315
|
|
35
|
$303,219
|
$606,439
|
$1,212,877
|
|
45
|
$131,596
|
$263,191
|
$526,382
|
|
55
|
$44,351
|
$88,702
|
$177,403
|
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
What is the FNC?
The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning.
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval.
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Yahya Al Ghassani's bio
Date of birth: April 18, 1998
Playing position: Winger
Clubs: 2015-2017 – Al Ahli Dubai; March-June 2018 – Paris FC; August – Al Wahda
Three ways to boost your credit score
Marwan Lutfi says the core fundamentals that drive better payment behaviour and can improve your credit score are:
1. Make sure you make your payments on time;
2. Limit the number of products you borrow on: the more loans and credit cards you have, the more it will affect your credit score;
3. Don't max out all your debts: how much you maximise those credit facilities will have an impact. If you have five credit cards and utilise 90 per cent of that credit, it will negatively affect your score.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Dark Souls: Remastered
Developer: From Software (remaster by QLOC)
Publisher: Namco Bandai
Price: Dh199
23-man shortlist for next six Hall of Fame inductees
Tony Adams, David Beckham, Dennis Bergkamp, Sol Campbell, Eric Cantona, Andrew Cole, Ashley Cole, Didier Drogba, Les Ferdinand, Rio Ferdinand, Robbie Fowler, Steven Gerrard, Roy Keane, Frank Lampard, Matt Le Tissier, Michael Owen, Peter Schmeichel, Paul Scholes, John Terry, Robin van Persie, Nemanja Vidic, Patrick Viera, Ian Wright.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Results
Male 51kg Round 1
Dias Karmanov (KAZ) beat Mabrook Rasea (YEM) by points 2-1.
Male 54kg Round 1
Yelaman Sayassatov (KAZ) beat Chen Huang (TPE) TKO Round 1; Huynh Hoang Phi (VIE) beat Fahad Anakkayi (IND) RSC Round 2; Qais Al Jamal (JOR) beat Man Long Ng (MAC) by points 3-0; Ayad Albadr (IRQ) beat Yashar Yazdani (IRI) by points 2-1.
Male 57kg Round 1
Natthawat Suzikong (THA) beat Abdallah Ondash (LBN) by points 3-0; Almaz Sarsembekov (KAZ) beat Ahmed Al Jubainawi (IRQ) by points 2-1; Hamed Almatari (YEM) beat Nasser Al Rugheeb (KUW) by points 3-0; Zakaria El Jamari (UAE) beat Yu Xi Chen (TPE) by points 3-0.
Men 86kg Round 1
Ahmad Bahman (UAE) beat Mohammad Al Khatib (PAL) by points 2-1
Men 63.5kg Round 1
Noureddin Samir (UAE) beat Polash Chakma (BAN) RSC Round 1.
Female 45kg quarter finals
Narges Mohammadpour (IRI) beat Yuen Wai Chan (HKG) by points.
Female 48kg quarter finals
Szi Ki Wong (HKG) beat Dimple Vaishnav (IND) RSC round 2; Thanawan Thongduang (THA) beat Nastaran Soori (IRI) by points; Shabnam Hussain Zada (AFG) beat Tzu Ching Lin (TPE) by points.
Female 57kg quarter finals
Nguyen Thi Nguyet (VIE) beat Anisha Shetty (IND) by points 2-1; Areeya Sahot (THA) beat Dana Al Mayyal (KUW) RSC Round 1; Sara Idriss (LBN) beat Ching Yee Tsang (HKG) by points 3-0.
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The Byblos iftar in numbers
29 or 30 days – the number of iftar services held during the holy month
50 staff members required to prepare an iftar
200 to 350 the number of people served iftar nightly
160 litres of the traditional Ramadan drink, jalab, is served in total
500 litres of soup is served during the holy month
200 kilograms of meat is used for various dishes
350 kilograms of onion is used in dishes
5 minutes – the average time that staff have to eat
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
Top financial tips for graduates
Araminta Robertson, of the Financially Mint blog, shares her financial advice for university leavers:
1. Build digital or technical skills: After graduation, people can find it extremely hard to find jobs. From programming to digital marketing, your early twenties are for building skills. Future employers will want people with tech skills.
2. Side hustle: At 16, I lived in a village and started teaching online, as well as doing work as a virtual assistant and marketer. There are six skills you can use online: translation; teaching; programming; digital marketing; design and writing. If you master two, you’ll always be able to make money.
3. Networking: Knowing how to make connections is extremely useful. Use LinkedIn to find people who have the job you want, connect and ask to meet for coffee. Ask how they did it and if they know anyone who can help you. I secured quite a few clients this way.
4. Pay yourself first: The minute you receive any income, put about 15 per cent aside into a savings account you won’t touch, to go towards your emergency fund or to start investing. I do 20 per cent. It helped me start saving immediately.
AI traffic lights to ease congestion at seven points to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street
The seven points are:
Shakhbout bin Sultan Street
Dhafeer Street
Hadbat Al Ghubainah Street (outbound)
Salama bint Butti Street
Al Dhafra Street
Rabdan Street
Umm Yifina Street exit (inbound)
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What are the influencer academy modules?
- Mastery of audio-visual content creation.
- Cinematography, shots and movement.
- All aspects of post-production.
- Emerging technologies and VFX with AI and CGI.
- Understanding of marketing objectives and audience engagement.
- Tourism industry knowledge.
- Professional ethics.
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Four stars
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