Staycation discounts in Ras Al Khaimah for frontline workers


Gillian Duncan
  • English
  • Arabic

Hotels in Ras Al Khaimah offer staycation discounts to UAE's frontline workers to acknowledge their efforts during the coronavirus pandemic.

The Cove Rotana Resort, Hilton Hotels, as well as attractions such as ToroVerde Ras Al Khaimah, the world's longest zipline, and Suwaidi Pearlsa, among other places, have come up with special prices, packages and discounts.

"We recognise the immense efforts and dedication of our frontline heroes to ensure the nation's safety and wellbeing," said Raki Phillips, chief executive of Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority, which announced the discounts in collaboration with the Frontline Heroes Office.

“We would like to take this opportunity to honour their commitment to this responsibility and show our gratitude through a series of dedicated offers and benefits that they can use when they visit Ras Al Khaimah.

“It is with great pleasure that we welcome the nation’s heroes for a well-deserved break to enjoy the emirate’s diverse entertainment and hospitality offering.”

The initiative is the latest to honour the nation's more than 80,000 frontline workers, who are deemed essential in the fight against Covid-19.

They include healthcare practitioners, police, essential service providers, crisis managers, security and emergency service providers, humanitarian workers, cleaners and volunteers.

Previous discount offers include the Fazaa Frontline Heroes initiative, which covered food, shopping, plus deals on car rentals, insurance, hotel reservations across the world and treatment in hospitals across the Emirates.

In September, the government launched the Hayyakum programme to ease the pressure of tuition fees for healthcare professionals.

Participating tourist and leisure attractions in Ras Al Khaimah include:

  • Jebel Jais Viewing Deck Park: Free entrance;
  • Adventurati Outdoor Guided Tours Climbing Trekking & Canyoning: discount of 10 per cent until January 31, 2021;
  • Bedouin Oasis: Special price for frontline professionals on all activities;
  • Suwaidi Pearls: 30 per cent off on Suwaidi Pearl Farm tour;
  • Travco: Desert safari for three persons in Dubai at a discounted price of Dh150 per person;
  • Toni & Guy Ras Al Khaimah: 10 per cent discount on all colour, hairdressing services excluding Kerastraight treatment;
  • The Dunes: 15 per cent discount;
  • Beyond Action: 20 per cent off for a day trip, discount of 15 per cent on overnight stay;
  • Toroverde Ras Al Khaimah: Discount of 25 per cent on tickets across the Jebel Jais Flight, Jais Sky Tour and Jais Sky Maze

Hospitality partners of RAKTDA that will participate in the initiative include:

  • Hilton Garden Inn Ras Al Khaimah, Hilton Ras Al Khaimah Resort & Spa, Waldorf Astoria Ras Al Khaimah and DoubleTree by Hilton: Up to 25 per cent off their getaway, with extra flexibility including free early departure, early check-in and late check-out for Hilton Honours members;
  • Rixos Bab Al Bahr: 20 per cent discount on all-inclusive room charge;
  • Citymax Hotels: 20 per cent discount on stay, 30 per cent on food and beverages at any outlets and 50 per cent on laundry at the Citymax Ras Al Khaimah;
  • The Cove Rotana: 20 per cent discount on stay, 15 per cent on food and beverages;
  • BM Beach Hotel: Prices start from Dh225, until December 30, 2020;
  • BM Beach Resort: Prices start from Dh260 until December 30, 2020;
  • Marjan Island Resort & Spa: Prices start from Dh200;
  • Pullman Hotels and Resorts: Prices start from Dh200

The offers are available to all frontline professionals included in the registry compiled by the Frontline Heroes Office.

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Coming soon

Torno Subito by Massimo Bottura

When the W Dubai – The Palm hotel opens at the end of this year, one of the highlights will be Massimo Bottura’s new restaurant, Torno Subito, which promises “to take guests on a journey back to 1960s Italy”. It is the three Michelinstarred chef’s first venture in Dubai and should be every bit as ambitious as you would expect from the man whose restaurant in Italy, Osteria Francescana, was crowned number one in this year’s list of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants.

Akira Back Dubai

Another exciting opening at the W Dubai – The Palm hotel is South Korean chef Akira Back’s new restaurant, which will continue to showcase some of the finest Asian food in the world. Back, whose Seoul restaurant, Dosa, won a Michelin star last year, describes his menu as,  “an innovative Japanese cuisine prepared with a Korean accent”.

Dinner by Heston Blumenthal

The highly experimental chef, whose dishes are as much about spectacle as taste, opens his first restaurant in Dubai next year. Housed at The Royal Atlantis Resort & Residences, Dinner by Heston Blumenthal will feature contemporary twists on recipes that date back to the 1300s, including goats’ milk cheesecake. Always remember with a Blumenthal dish: nothing is quite as it seems. 

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4pm Maratha Arabians v Northern Warriors

6.15pm Deccan Gladiators v Pune Devils

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Roger Federer (SUI x2) bt Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER) 6-4, 3-6, 6-1
Fernando Verdasco (ESP) bt Thomas Fabbiano (ITA) 3-6, 6-3, 6-2
Marton Fucsovics (HUN) bt Damir Dzumhur (BIH) 6-1, 7-6 (7/5)
Nikoloz Basilashvili (GEO) bt Karen Khachanov (RUS x4) 6-4, 6-1
Jan-Lennard Struff (GER) bt Milos Raonic (CAN x7) 6-4, 5-7, 6-4

If you go

The flights

Emirates flies from Dubai to Seattle from Dh5,555 return, including taxes. Portland is a 260 km drive from Seattle and Emirates offers codeshare flights to Portland with its partner Alaska Airlines.

The car

Hertz (www.hertz.ae) offers compact car rental from about $300 per week, including taxes. Emirates Skywards members can earn points on their car hire through Hertz.

Parks and accommodation

For information on Crater Lake National Park, visit www.nps.gov/crla/index.htm . Because of the altitude, large parts of the park are closed in winter due to snow. While the park’s summer season is May 22-October 31, typically, the full loop of the Rim Drive is only possible from late July until the end of October. Entry costs $25 per car for a day. For accommodation, see www.travelcraterlake.com. For information on Umpqua Hot Springs, see www.fs.usda.gov and https://soakoregon.com/umpqua-hot-springs/. For Bend, see https://www.visitbend.com/.

Like a Fading Shadow

Antonio Muñoz Molina

Translated from the Spanish by Camilo A. Ramirez

Tuskar Rock Press (pp. 310)

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Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors

Power: Combined output 920hp

Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic

Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km

On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025

Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000

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Dust storm

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  • Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
  • Duration: Can linger for days
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Based: Masdar City, ADGM, London and Delaware

Launch year: 2017

Size: A team of 12 with six employed full-time

Sector: Renewable energy

Funding: $500,000 in Series A funding from family and friends in 2018. A Series B round looking to raise $1.5m is now live.

The Penguin

Starring: Colin Farrell, Cristin Milioti, Rhenzy Feliz

Creator: Lauren LeFranc

Rating: 4/5

The specs: 2018 BMW X2 and X3

Price, as tested: Dh255,150 (X2); Dh383,250 (X3)

Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged inline four-cylinder (X2); 3.0-litre twin-turbo inline six-cylinder (X3)

Power 192hp @ 5,000rpm (X2); 355hp @ 5,500rpm (X3)

Torque: 280Nm @ 1,350rpm (X2); 500Nm @ 1,520rpm (X3)

Transmission: Seven-speed automatic (X2); Eight-speed automatic (X3)

Fuel consumption, combined: 5.7L / 100km (X2); 8.3L / 100km (X3)

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Fuel economy: 19.6L / 100km

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Director: Mudassar Aziz
Cast: Sonakshi Sinha, Jimmy Sheirgill, Jassi Gill, Piyush Mishra, Diana Penty, Aparshakti Khurrana
Star rating: 2.5/5