The first Dorchester Collection hotel in the Middle East has officially started welcoming guests, while Burj Al Arab has been ranked number one in the UAE.
Over in the US, an $84,000 exclusive Valentine's weekend escape is on offer and the country's first Pixar-themed hotel has opened its doors.
Here's a round-up of recent travel and tourism news – in case you missed it.
Dorchester Collection opens first Middle East hotel
The Lana, Dubai has started welcoming its first guests to its Marasi Bay marina location, as the Dorchester Collection arrives in the Middle East for the first time.
The upscale hotel operator, which is headquartered in London and owned by the Brunei Investment Agency, now has ten properties around the world and this is its first new opening in more than a decade.
The UAE's newest hotel makes an architectural statement, having been designed by renowned British architects Foster + Partners. It has 30 floors, 225 rooms and suites, eight dining outlets and the country's first Dior Spa, which is set to open in April.
It also features a central podium, referred to as The Lana Promenade, which houses retail outlets and restaurants, as well as an infinity rooftop pool.
The culinary offering is headlined by restaurants by Michelin-lauded chefs Jean Imbert, Martin Berasategui and pastry wunderkind Angelo Musa. This includes modern Mediterranean spot Riviera and Jara, which will serve Basque cuisine from mid February.
Room rates start from Dh3,400 ($926) per night.
Burj Al Arab named most recommended hotel in the UAE
The hotel and airline brands most recommended in the UAE have been revealed in the YouGov Hotel and Airline Advocacy Rankings 2024.
This scores brands higher in terms of recommendations among their customers from January 1 to December 31 last year. Results are based on data gathered from the YouGov BrandIndex, which tracks hundreds of brands in the UAE across 16 metrics.
Burj Al Arab, Emirates Palace and Atlantis, The Palm lead the hotel segment, while Emirates, Singapore Airlines and Etihad Airways are the most recommended airlines.
The Ritz-Carlton, Jumeirah, Anantara, Hilton, Shangri-La, Waldorf Astoria and Marriott round out the top 10 in the hospitality sector.
For airlines, it's Qatar Airways, Cathay Pacific, British Airways, Saudia, Wizz Air Abu Dhabi, Turkish Airlines and Oman Air.
New study names best skiing destinations in Europe
Aleko in Bulgaria has been named the best ski resort in Europe, according to a study conducted by winter sports insurance company SportsCover Direct.
The research looked at eight metrics from skiresort.info, including total price for a day ski pass, average star rating, number of ski lifts, highest elevation, slope lengths, median price of hotels and number of hotels within 10 kilometres.
Aleko, which is located in Vitosha, scored highly due to accessibility to hotels, elevation and an average of 22 euros ($24) for an adult day lift pass.
Hunedoara County, Romania came in second, followed by Ravna Planina in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Tornik – Zlatibor in Serbia and Kolasin 1450 and Kolasin 1600 in Montenegro round out the top five.
First fully Pixar-themed hotel opens in the US
America's first fully Pixar-themed hotel has opened in a 15-storey property overlooking Disney California Adventure Park.
The 479 rooms and public spaces celebrate Pixar Animation Studios through character artwork and illustrations of the studio's stories, from Finding Nemo to Coco and many more.
The famous Pixar Lamp, in the form of a large sculpture, sits in the lobby, while a giant mobile representing the beginning stages of filmmaking floats from the skylight above.
There are two signature suites: the Coco Suite, which pays tribute to Miguel and his family's legacy through Oaxacan art; and the Incredibles Suite that features Parr family memorabilia with a spy-fi twist.
More attractions include rooftop recreation areas, the Pixar Shorts Court for outdoor games, a Pixel Pool, a Finding Nemo-themed splash pad and a water slide.
Jumeirah Creekside Hotel becomes certified autism centre
Jumeirah Creekside Hotel has become the first within the UAE's homegrown hospitality group to earn certified autism centre status, awarded by the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards.
This demonstrates the property's commitment to providing an inclusive and accessible experience, with particular attention to fostering a welcoming environment for autistic and sensory-sensitive guests and their families.
As part of the certification process, hotel staff are trained on autism and sensory awareness, while an on-site assessment is conducted to develop sensory guides, which include details regarding lighting, noise and other sensory inputs in various areas.
It comes as part of a city-wide initiative, led by Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism, to establish the city as the first certified autism destination in the eastern hemisphere. This designation, granted by IBCCES, is for communities offering an array of autism-certified accommodations, leisure and entertainment options.
$84,000 Valentine's weekend escape on offer in North America
Costing $84,000, a romantic getaway package on offer this week in the US includes a journey for two to Turks and Caicos aboard a private jet, with a stay in an exclusive villa.
Paramount Business Jets has teamed up with luxury villa rental agency Exceptional Villas to create the Valentine's Day experience.
It starts on February 9 in New York, where a couple will take off on a three-hour flight to the tropical archipelago, where they will stay for two nights in a two-bedroom beachfront villa on Long Bay Beach. The accommodation boasts a chef, personal butler, a heated pool, hot tub and fitness facilities.
The package also includes twice-daily housekeeping, two one-hour Swedish massages in the villa, oceanfront group yoga sessions and a choice of non-motorised water sports, from kayaking to snorkelling.
New coastal Anantara property to open in Oman
A new Anantara resort in Bandar Al Khairan, on the Omani coast about 45 minutes from Muscat, is slated to open in 2026.
The property will feature 121 rooms, chalets and one and two-bedroom villas along the mountain shoreline facing the Gulf of Oman. A selection of these will have private pools.
There will also be five dining outlets, including an all-day restaurant, signature venue, beach spot, cafe and rooftop bar. Other features include an infinity pool, children's splash pool, kids' and teens' clubs, and a helipad.
There will also be a focus on wellbeing with an Anantara Spa and fitness centre, plus a private stargazing majlis.
This will be the third Anantara resort in Oman and will be locally owned by the same company behind Al Baleed Resort Salalah by Anantara on the country's south coast.
RESULTS
5pm Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
Winner AF Nashrah, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer)
5.30pm Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 1,400m
Winner Mutaqadim, Riccardo Iacopini, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami.
6pm Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner Hameem, Jose Santiago, Abdallah Al Hammadi.
6.30pm Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner AF Almomayaz, Sandro Paiva, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.
7pm Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 1,800m
Winner Dalil Al Carrere, Fernando Jara, Mohamed Daggash.
7.30pm Handicap (TB) Dh70,000 (D) 1,000m
Winner Lahmoom, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer.
8pm Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 1,000m
Winner Jayide Al Boraq, Bernardo Pinheiro, Khalifa Al Neyadi.
Silent Hill f
Publisher: Konami
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
Rating: 4.5/5
KEY DEVELOPMENTS IN MARITIME DISPUTE
2000: Israel withdraws from Lebanon after nearly 30 years without an officially demarcated border. The UN establishes the Blue Line to act as the frontier.
2007: Lebanon and Cyprus define their respective exclusive economic zones to facilitate oil and gas exploration. Israel uses this to define its EEZ with Cyprus
2011: Lebanon disputes Israeli-proposed line and submits documents to UN showing different EEZ. Cyprus offers to mediate without much progress.
2018: Lebanon signs first offshore oil and gas licencing deal with consortium of France’s Total, Italy’s Eni and Russia’s Novatek.
2018-2019: US seeks to mediate between Israel and Lebanon to prevent clashes over oil and gas resources.
Primera Liga fixtures (all times UAE: 4 GMT)
Friday
Real Sociedad v Villarreal (10.15pm)
Real Betis v Celta Vigo (midnight)
Saturday
Alaves v Barcelona (8.15pm)
Levante v Deportivo La Coruna (10.15pm)
Girona v Malaga (10.15pm)
Las Palmas v Atletico Madrid (12.15am)
Sunday
Espanyol v Leganes (8.15pm)
Eibar v Athletic Bilbao (8.15pm)
Getafe v Sevilla (10.15pm)
Real Madrid v Valencia (10.15pm)
Herc's Adventures
Developer: Big Ape Productions
Publisher: LucasArts
Console: PlayStation 1 & 5, Sega Saturn
Rating: 4/5
European arms
Known EU weapons transfers to Ukraine since the war began: Germany 1,000 anti-tank weapons and 500 Stinger surface-to-air missiles. Luxembourg 100 NLAW anti-tank weapons, jeeps and 15 military tents as well as air transport capacity. Belgium 2,000 machine guns, 3,800 tons of fuel. Netherlands 200 Stinger missiles. Poland 100 mortars, 8 drones, Javelin anti-tank weapons, Grot assault rifles, munitions. Slovakia 12,000 pieces of artillery ammunition, 10 million litres of fuel, 2.4 million litres of aviation fuel and 2 Bozena de-mining systems. Estonia Javelin anti-tank weapons. Latvia Stinger surface to air missiles. Czech Republic machine guns, assault rifles, other light weapons and ammunition worth $8.57 million.
The Vile
Starring: Bdoor Mohammad, Jasem Alkharraz, Iman Tarik, Sarah Taibah
Director: Majid Al Ansari
Rating: 4/5
A%20MAN%20FROM%20MOTIHARI
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Analysis
Members of Syria's Alawite minority community face threat in their heartland after one of the deadliest days in country’s recent history. Read more
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Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
The%20Genius%20of%20Their%20Age
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The specs: 2018 Chevrolet Trailblazer
Price, base / as tested Dh99,000 / Dh132,000
Engine 3.6L V6
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Power 275hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque 350Nm @ 3,700rpm
Fuel economy combined 12.2L / 100km
Know your camel milk:
Flavour: Similar to goat’s milk, although less pungent. Vaguely sweet with a subtle, salty aftertaste.
Texture: Smooth and creamy, with a slightly thinner consistency than cow’s milk.
Use it: In your morning coffee, to add flavour to homemade ice cream and milk-heavy desserts, smoothies, spiced camel-milk hot chocolate.
Goes well with: chocolate and caramel, saffron, cardamom and cloves. Also works well with honey and dates.
Biography
Her family: She has four sons, aged 29, 27, 25 and 24 and is a grandmother-of-nine
Favourite book: Flashes of Thought by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid
Favourite drink: Water
Her hobbies: Reading and volunteer work
Favourite music: Classical music
Her motto: I don't wait, I initiate
Who has lived at The Bishops Avenue?
- George Sainsbury of the supermarket dynasty, sugar magnate William Park Lyle and actress Dame Gracie Fields were residents in the 1930s when the street was only known as ‘Millionaires’ Row’.
- Then came the international super rich, including the last king of Greece, Constantine II, the Sultan of Brunei and Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal who was at one point ranked the third richest person in the world.
- Turkish tycoon Halis Torprak sold his mansion for £50m in 2008 after spending just two days there. The House of Saud sold 10 properties on the road in 2013 for almost £80m.
- Other residents have included Iraqi businessman Nemir Kirdar, singer Ariana Grande, holiday camp impresario Sir Billy Butlin, businessman Asil Nadir, Paul McCartney’s former wife Heather Mills.
Hunting park to luxury living
- Land was originally the Bishop of London's hunting park, hence the name
- The road was laid out in the mid 19th Century, meandering through woodland and farmland
- Its earliest houses at the turn of the 20th Century were substantial detached properties with extensive grounds
The Way It Was: My Life with Frank Sinatra by Eliot Weisman and Jennifer Valoppi
Hachette Books
The years Ramadan fell in May
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Tottenham's 10 biggest transfers (according to transfermarkt.com):
1). Moussa Sissokho - Newcastle United - £30 million (Dh143m): Flop
2). Roberto Soldado - Valencia - £25m: Flop
3). Erik Lamela - Roma - £25m: Jury still out
4). Son Heung-min - Bayer Leverkusen - £25m: Success
5). Darren Bent - Charlton Athletic - £21m: Flop
6). Vincent Janssen - AZ Alkmaar - £18m: Flop
7). David Bentley - Blackburn Rovers - £18m: Flop
8). Luka Modric - Dynamo Zagreb - £17m: Success
9). Paulinho - Corinthians - £16m: Flop
10). Mousa Dembele - Fulham - £16m: Success
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
EA Sports FC 26
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3/5
Monster
Directed by: Anthony Mandler
Starring: Kelvin Harrison Jr., John David Washington
3/5
