ABU DHABI // Ramadan should represent a time of righteousness and charity, but residents complain that some hotels are cashing in on iftar as a commercial venture.
During the holy month, Muslims in the UAE abstain from food and drink between sunrise and sunset, then break the fast with an iftar meal - traditionally, a time to gather with family and friends and reflect on the meaning of Ramadan.
These days, an iftar out of home has become a popular option that costs on average between Dh100 and Dh170.
Five-star hotels are more like to charge over Dh200, and one in Dubai charged as much as Dh395 for an iftar meal last year.
Alia N, a Palestinian resident in Dubai, said she felt "ripped off" when breaking her fast last year.
"I went with a couple of girls to the Atlantis Hotel on the Palm Jumeirah and the minimum spend was Dh600 for three people," she said. "How much can you eat at an iftar anyway? It was really overpriced."
She said the maximum she would spend on iftar at a hotel was no more than Dh150.
Nick Rego, an Indian resident in Dubai, said he enjoys taking part in iftar meals even though he is a Christian.
"The first one I attended was at a friend's house with 20 people and it was amazing," he said.
But when a friend suggested iftar at a "ski chalet" in the Kempinski Hotel in Dubai's Mall of the Emirates, Mr Rego was hesitant.
"I was mortified by how expensive it was," he said. The set price per person for iftar was Dh395 for an unlimited buffet in a pre-booked room for a group of 12 people.
"When I hear the word iftar, it has a religious significance," said Mr Rego. "But hotels make a profit out of it, I found it very expensive and it's blatantly taking advantage of the consumer.
"Where does that come into Ramadan? Most hotels look at it as moneymaking and it's very rare to find Arabic-style Iftars that are affordable. Iftar at hotels has become just another brunch and lost its meaning."
Reine Khleif, a worker at the Kempinski's events department, explained the high price was charged because the iftar was organised in a hotel room.
"It's a unique room and it has the view of Ski Dubai," she said. "It's a three-bedroom ski chalet, that's why they have to pay more, because we have to close it and can't [rent] it out to other guests."
Mr Rego, who believes paying more than Dh150 is too much, said the "all-you-can-eat" buffet Iftars were lavish and over-the-top.
"I understand hotels are empty during Ramadan so they have to make their money somewhere but over Dh300 for something that holds meaning to people is not the best option," he said.
"It's all about bringing people together, iftar is more focused on the action and the fact that you're breaking your fast."
Kempinski offers an unlimited iftar buffet at its other restaurants for Dh195 a head. Brunello restaurant, for example, charges Dh195 and donates a portion of the fee to charity - an idea Mr Rego thinks more restaurants should embrace.
If you don't want to pay through the nose, avoid booking an iftar at 5-star hotel that can legitimately charge extra for the pleasure of enjoying a meal in one of their well-appointed eateries.
Look for restaurants offering à la carte options and, if you do your research, you will can still find good deals like the iftar at India Palace in Ibn Battuta Mall, which starts from Dh45 per person.
cmalek@thenational.ae
The biog
Occupation: Key marker and auto electrician
Hometown: Ghazala, Syria
Date of arrival in Abu Dhabi: May 15, 1978
Family: 11 siblings, a wife, three sons and one daughter
Favourite place in UAE: Abu Dhabi
Favourite hobby: I like to do a mix of things, like listening to poetry for example.
Favourite Syrian artist: Sabah Fakhri, a tenor from Aleppo
Favourite food: fresh fish
The specs: 2018 Dodge Durango SRT
Price, base / as tested: Dh259,000
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Power: 475hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 640Nm @ 4,300rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.7L / 100km
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UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
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Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
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Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
THE BIO
Born: Mukalla, Yemen, 1979
Education: UAE University, Al Ain
Family: Married with two daughters: Asayel, 7, and Sara, 6
Favourite piece of music: Horse Dance by Naseer Shamma
Favourite book: Science and geology
Favourite place to travel to: Washington DC
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Getting%20there
%3Cp%3EGiven%20its%20remote%20location%2C%20getting%20to%20Borneo%20can%20feel%20daunting%20even%20for%20the%20most%20seasoned%20traveller.%20But%20you%20can%20fly%20directly%20from%20Kuala%20Lumpur%20to%20Sandakan%20and%20Sepilok%20is%20only%20half%20an%20hour%20away%20by%20taxi.%20Sandakan%20has%20plenty%20of%20accommodation%20options%2C%20while%20Sepilok%20has%20a%20few%20nature%20lodges%20close%20to%20the%20main%20attractions.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Results
1. New Zealand Daniel Meech – Fine (name of horse), Richard Gardner – Calisto, Bruce Goodin - Backatorps Danny V, Samantha McIntosh – Check In. Team total First round: 200.22; Second round: 201.75 – Penalties 12 (jump-off 40.16 seconds) Prize €64,000
2. Ireland Cameron Hanley – Aiyetoro, David Simpson – Keoki, Paul Kennedy – Cartown Danger Mouse, Shane Breen – Laith. Team total 200.25/202.84 – P 12 (jump-off 51.79 – P17) Prize €40,000
3. Italy Luca Maria Moneta – Connery, Luca Coata – Crandessa, Simone Coata – Dardonge, Natale Chiaudani – Almero. Team total 130.82/198.-4 – P20. Prize €32,000
Players Selected for La Liga Trials
U18 Age Group
Name: Ahmed Salam (Malaga)
Position: Right Wing
Nationality: Jordanian
Name: Yahia Iraqi (Malaga)
Position: Left Wing
Nationality: Morocco
Name: Mohammed Bouherrafa (Almeria)
Position: Centre-Midfield
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Name: Mohammed Rajeh (Cadiz)
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U16 Age Group
Name: Mehdi Elkhamlichi (Malaga)
Position: Lead Striker
Nationality: Morocco
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Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
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Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
The specs: 2018 Honda City
Price, base: From Dh57,000
Engine: 1.5L, in-line four-cylinder
Transmission: Continuously variable transmission
Power: 118hp @ 6,600rpm
Torque: 146Nm @ 4,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 5.8L / 100km
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