If you're yet to firm up your summer travel plans, a special deal at a standout hotel might help you make up your mind.
From the Maldives to Marrakesh, take advantage of discounted room rates, special packages and unique experiences in some of the most sought-after destinations around the world.
Mandarin Oriental, Marrakech
Set within landscaped gardens brimming with fragrant roses and night-blooming cestrum, amid a series of water features, Mandarin Oriental, Marrakech offers a serene getaway 10 minutes from the city’s famed Medina.
For the summer season, the hotel has recreated a beachside vibe, with soft sand now encircling its temperature-controlled swimming pool, and sun loungers and umbrellas sitting beneath sprawling palm trees.
Guests can enjoy these surrounds as part of the resort’s A Summer Like No Other package, which starts at $1,307 per night for a room, and includes round-trip airport transfers, welcome drinks, daily breakfast for two, a signature spa ritual in an open-air setting and a styling session with Moroccan designer Karim Tassi.
Anantara Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky Amsterdam
Amsterdam’s diamond trading history is being highlighted in a new package at the Anantara Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky. The Diamond Stay starts from $3,199 for two, and includes three nights in a suite, a welcome drink, daily breakfast, airport transfers in a limousine, dinner at The White Room and a spa treatment for two.
But the real draw is a curated diamond tour of the city, which includes a behind-the-scenes visit to a fourth-generation family diamond atelier, where gems are cut and polished to perfection.
Anantara Desaru Coast Resort & Villas
Nestled on Malaysia’s largely untouched east coast, Anantara Desaru Coast consists of pool villas inspired by traditional Malay houses, with high ceilings and lattice woodwork details sitting alongside a private plunge pool, gazebo and lush gardens.
For those hoping to explore this quiet corner of the country, the hotel is offering a package until the end of the year that includes two nights in a pool villa, including breakfast, for $1,093, along with 15 per cent off on dining and spa treatments.
Hotel Cafe Royal
Mayfair’s Hotel Cafe Royal has launched a supercar package for the summer season. Until the end of September, guests booking into the hotel’s signature suites will be able to explore London and its surrounding English countryside in their own luxury supercar, provided for the duration of their stay.
Guests can choose from a range of models, including the Lamborghini Huracan Evo Spyder, the Ferrari 488 GTB, the Porsche 911 Carrera, Aston Martin DB11 and Bentley Continental GT.
Raffles Seychelles
Raffles Seychelles has unveiled a special summer offer for GCC travellers, who will receive a 15 per cent discount on their room rate when booking at least 15 days in advance. Those planning stays of 14 days or more will get 30 per cent off the best available price, as well as a 20 per cent discount on food and beverage, spa and laundry.
Both offers include daily breakfast for two. Set on 16 hectares of beachfront, the resort offers one-bedroom garden view and hillside pool villas, which look out over lush green vegetation, as well as one-bedroom ocean view and panoramic pool villas, with Indian Ocean vistas. There are also two-bedroom options.
Six Senses Zighy Bay
Six Senses Zighy Bay is offering a complimentary half-board upgrade with every night’s stay, inclusive of a dinner dining experience, on bookings made before October 14.
The Eat With Six Senses offer allows guests to explore the property’s culinary offering, which includes an authentic Bedouin dining experience on the beach, themed nights at Spice Market, a three-course dinner at Summer House or light bites at Zighy Bar.
The all-villa resort in Oman’s Musandam region is also mindful of sustainability and uses food waste as compost, which fuels its own organic garden, where various types of herbs and vegetables are grown. Local seasonable produce is flavoured across the resort, each with a focus on fresh ingredients and preparation methods that promote a healthy microbiome.
The Chedi Hotel & Residences, Lustica Bay
Those looking to indulge in a little self-care this summer can head to The Chedi Hotel & Residences, Lustica Bay in Montenegro. Guests booking a two-night stay can choose from four curated wellness packages.
The Relax Package starts at €160 per person and includes a facial and body scrub, as well as a traditional Balinese massage spa treatment. The Move Package is from €130 per person and includes access to a Greyp electric super bike, perfect for exploring Lustica Bay, as well as a kayaking experience along the coastline and a workout session with a personal trainer. Starting from €35 per person, the Nourish Package encourages mindful eating, with a daily meal selection of meat, fish and vegetarian options, while the Self-Care Package starts at €120 per person and includes a private indoor workout session, a seaweed bath, a nourishing self-made meal and detoxifying smoothies and nutrient-rich juices.
The Residence Zanzibar
A mile-long stretch of beach flanked by 32 hectares of tropical gardens awaits at The Residence, Zanzibar where a family package promises fun for all. Little ones can meet giant tortoises, spend their days at the Kids Club or learn a few tricks in a dedicated cooking class.
The resort’s Zanzibar Family Adventure includes a minimum stay of four nights, daily breakfast and dinner, a 25 per cent discount on spa treatments and dining, a visit to Prison Island to see the tortoises, a private family beach dinner and round-trip airport transfers.
Heritance Aarah Maldives
Heritance Aarah Maldives has launched exclusive adults-only Ocean Suites, with an all-inclusive offer that includes spa credit, two excursions per guest, including a sunset cruise and night fishing, an introductory scuba dive in the resort’s lagoon and access to a range of non-motorised water sports. Guests can also indulge in ice cream, sweets and cocktails from the “naughty carts” roaming the island and will have their minibar replenished twice daily for the duration of their stay.
UAE squad
Esha Oza (captain), Al Maseera Jahangir, Emily Thomas, Heena Hotchandani, Indhuja Nandakumar, Katie Thompson, Lavanya Keny, Mehak Thakur, Michelle Botha, Rinitha Rajith, Samaira Dharnidharka, Siya Gokhale, Sashikala Silva, Suraksha Kotte, Theertha Satish (wicketkeeper) Udeni Kuruppuarachchige, Vaishnave Mahesh.
UAE tour of Zimbabwe
All matches in Bulawayo
Friday, Sept 26 – First ODI
Sunday, Sept 28 – Second ODI
Tuesday, Sept 30 – Third ODI
Thursday, Oct 2 – Fourth ODI
Sunday, Oct 5 – First T20I
Monday, Oct 6 – Second T20I
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre, four-cylinder turbo
Transmission: seven-speed dual clutch automatic
Power: 169bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: Dh54,500
On sale: now
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Sinopharm vaccine explained
The Sinopharm vaccine was created using techniques that have been around for decades.
“This is an inactivated vaccine. Simply what it means is that the virus is taken, cultured and inactivated," said Dr Nawal Al Kaabi, chair of the UAE's National Covid-19 Clinical Management Committee.
"What is left is a skeleton of the virus so it looks like a virus, but it is not live."
This is then injected into the body.
"The body will recognise it and form antibodies but because it is inactive, we will need more than one dose. The body will not develop immunity with one dose," she said.
"You have to be exposed more than one time to what we call the antigen."
The vaccine should offer protection for at least months, but no one knows how long beyond that.
Dr Al Kaabi said early vaccine volunteers in China were given shots last spring and still have antibodies today.
“Since it is inactivated, it will not last forever," she said.
Graduated from the American University of Sharjah
She is the eldest of three brothers and two sisters
Has helped solve 15 cases of electric shocks
Enjoys travelling, reading and horse riding
Tributes from the UAE's personal finance community
• Sebastien Aguilar, who heads SimplyFI.org, a non-profit community where people learn to invest Bogleheads’ style
“It is thanks to Jack Bogle’s work that this community exists and thanks to his work that many investors now get the full benefits of long term, buy and hold stock market investing.
Compared to the industry, investing using the common sense approach of a Boglehead saves a lot in costs and guarantees higher returns than the average actively managed fund over the long term.
From a personal perspective, learning how to invest using Bogle’s approach was a turning point in my life. I quickly realised there was no point chasing returns and paying expensive advisers or platforms. Once money is taken care off, you can work on what truly matters, such as family, relationships or other projects. I owe Jack Bogle for that.”
• Sam Instone, director of financial advisory firm AES International
"Thought to have saved investors over a trillion dollars, Jack Bogle’s ideas truly changed the way the world invests. Shaped by his own personal experiences, his philosophy and basic rules for investors challenged the status quo of a self-interested global industry and eventually prevailed. Loathed by many big companies and commission-driven salespeople, he has transformed the way well-informed investors and professional advisers make decisions."
• Demos Kyprianou, a board member of SimplyFI.org
"Jack Bogle for me was a rebel, a revolutionary who changed the industry and gave the little guy like me, a chance. He was also a mentor who inspired me to take the leap and take control of my own finances."
• Steve Cronin, founder of DeadSimpleSaving.com
"Obsessed with reducing fees, Jack Bogle structured Vanguard to be owned by its clients – that way the priority would be fee minimisation for clients rather than profit maximisation for the company.
His real gift to us has been the ability to invest in the stock market (buy and hold for the long term) rather than be forced to speculate (try to make profits in the shorter term) or even worse have others speculate on our behalf.
Bogle has given countless investors the ability to get on with their life while growing their wealth in the background as fast as possible. The Financial Independence movement would barely exist without this."
• Zach Holz, who blogs about financial independence at The Happiest Teacher
"Jack Bogle was one of the greatest forces for wealth democratisation the world has ever seen. He allowed people a way to be free from the parasitical "financial advisers" whose only real concern are the fat fees they get from selling you over-complicated "products" that have caused millions of people all around the world real harm.”
• Tuan Phan, a board member of SimplyFI.org
"In an industry that’s synonymous with greed, Jack Bogle was a lone wolf, swimming against the tide. When others were incentivised to enrich themselves, he stood by the ‘fiduciary’ standard – something that is badly needed in the financial industry of the UAE."
The alternatives
• Founded in 2014, Telr is a payment aggregator and gateway with an office in Silicon Oasis. It’s e-commerce entry plan costs Dh349 monthly (plus VAT). QR codes direct customers to an online payment page and merchants can generate payments through messaging apps.
• Business Bay’s Pallapay claims 40,000-plus active merchants who can invoice customers and receive payment by card. Fees range from 1.99 per cent plus Dh1 per transaction depending on payment method and location, such as online or via UAE mobile.
• Tap started in May 2013 in Kuwait, allowing Middle East businesses to bill, accept, receive and make payments online “easier, faster and smoother” via goSell and goCollect. It supports more than 10,000 merchants. Monthly fees range from US$65-100, plus card charges of 2.75-3.75 per cent and Dh1.2 per sale.
• 2checkout’s “all-in-one payment gateway and merchant account” accepts payments in 200-plus markets for 2.4-3.9 per cent, plus a Dh1.2-Dh1.8 currency conversion charge. The US provider processes online shop and mobile transactions and has 17,000-plus active digital commerce users.
• PayPal is probably the best-known online goods payment method - usually used for eBay purchases - but can be used to receive funds, providing everyone’s signed up. Costs from 2.9 per cent plus Dh1.2 per transaction.
Founders: Abdulmajeed Alsukhan, Turki Bin Zarah and Abdulmohsen Albabtain.
Based: Riyadh
Offices: UAE, Vietnam and Germany
Founded: September, 2020
Number of employees: 70
Sector: FinTech, online payment solutions
Funding to date: $116m in two funding rounds
Investors: Checkout.com, Impact46, Vision Ventures, Wealth Well, Seedra, Khwarizmi, Hala Ventures, Nama Ventures and family offices
COMPANY PROFILE
● Company: Bidzi
● Started: 2024
● Founders: Akshay Dosaj and Asif Rashid
● Based: Dubai, UAE
● Industry: M&A
● Funding size: Bootstrapped
● No of employees: Nine
Quick pearls of wisdom
Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”
Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo
Power: 258hp from 5,000-6,500rpm
Torque: 400Nm from 1,550-4,000rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.1L/100km
Price: from Dh362,500
On sale: now
MATCH INFO
Champions League quarter-final, first leg
Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester City, Tuesday, 11pm (UAE)
Matches can be watched on BeIN Sports
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
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COMPANY PROFILE
Company name: BorrowMe (BorrowMe.com)
Date started: August 2021
Founder: Nour Sabri
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: E-commerce / Marketplace
Size: Two employees
Funding stage: Seed investment
Initial investment: $200,000
Investors: Amr Manaa (director, PwC Middle East)
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Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
Muslim Council of Elders condemns terrorism on religious sites
The Muslim Council of Elders has strongly condemned the criminal attacks on religious sites in Britain.
It firmly rejected “acts of terrorism, which constitute a flagrant violation of the sanctity of houses of worship”.
“Attacking places of worship is a form of terrorism and extremism that threatens peace and stability within societies,” it said.
The council also warned against the rise of hate speech, racism, extremism and Islamophobia. It urged the international community to join efforts to promote tolerance and peaceful coexistence.
VEZEETA PROFILE
Date started: 2012
Founder: Amir Barsoum
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: HealthTech / MedTech
Size: 300 employees
Funding: $22.6 million (as of September 2018)
Investors: Technology Development Fund, Silicon Badia, Beco Capital, Vostok New Ventures, Endeavour Catalyst, Crescent Enterprises’ CE-Ventures, Saudi Technology Ventures and IFC
Paatal Lok season two
Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
'The worst thing you can eat'
Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.
Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines:
Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.
Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.
Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.
Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.
Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
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What is a calorie?
A food calorie, or kilocalorie, is a measure of nutritional energy generated from what is consumed.
One calorie, is the amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of 1 kilogram of water by 1°C.
A kilocalorie represents a 1,000 true calories of energy.
Energy density figures are often quoted as calories per serving, with one gram of fat in food containing nine calories, and a gram of protein or carbohydrate providing about four.
Alcohol contains about seven calories a gram.
The years Ramadan fell in May
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
