Report of the pre-inspection in Dubai
Last Friday evening, Linda and I landed safely back at Schiphol after an inspection trip to Dubai where we visited our regular suppliers and made the preparations for a group on an exclusive incentive travel going to Dubai soon.
We haven't sat still over here and, to be honest, we haven't been able to enjoy the beautiful weather even once! But I'm certainly not complaining, because even though you can't lie on such an inviting sunbed for a moment, it's wonderful work and always fantastic to be in my much-loved Dubai!
4-day inspection trip to Dubai
Our four-day trip was dedicated to visiting many suppliers, ranging from hotels and restaurants to companies organising various activities. This time, we had booked our rooms at the Ritz Carlton. We stayed for four nights in this beautiful hotel on the so-called Jumeirah Walk, or JBR Walk.
We also visited the Hilton, Sofitel, Meridien, Westin and the One & Only hotel.
The promenade in Dubai: Jumeirah Beach Walk
Jumeirah Beach Walk, better known as The Walk of JBR, is the promenade in Dubai Marina and is situated along JBR Beach at Jumeirah Beach Residences. This €1.5 billion project was built at the beginning of this century. The Walk is one of Dubai's main tourist areas and is therefore definitely recommended for a visit!
During the day, but especially in the evening, tourists and locals gather here to see and be seen, soak up the unique atmosphere, and have a bite to eat. So, The Walk is all about seeing and being seen. Locals drive their expensive cars towards The Walk in the evening, crawling past the crowded terraces just to be seen as much as possible. Incidentally, there are also international guests who rent a very luxurious car and then pretend to belong to the super-rich. Don't be surprised to see Ferraris, Lamborghinis and Bentleys stuck in traffic here. For car enthusiasts, The Walk is an ideal place to spot exclusive cars.
Madinat Jumeirah
One of my other favourite areas is the area around Jumeirah Madinat. The hotels located there are surrounded by the interesting Souk, an authentic (in a modern guise) Shopping Gallery and connected by beautiful water features.
A tour around the entire area by abra (small boat) is a joy. We also visited our regular hotels in this area, such as Al Qasr, Dar al Masyaf, Mina Salam, Jumeirah Beach and the Burj Al Arab (Burj = tower).
We've also visited many restaurants again and made new arrangements. We've enjoyed delicious meals at, for example: Pier Chic, Ossiano, Armani Amal, Shimmers, and Siddharta Lounge by Buddha Bar. It's always such a treat to meet up at these restaurants and then enjoy a lovely meal. We've also discussed and tasted all the menus for the upcoming group.
Appointments with various suppliers
We also spent a day meeting all the suppliers in Abu Dhabi, culminating in an appointment at the Emirates Palace hotel.
And… last but not least, we had also made an appointment with our seaplane supplier and when they ask you if you fancy coming along for a “quick” flight, you can't say no! In the video below, you'll see some footage I took during the flight.
It had been quite some time since I'd done this, and I must say, Dubai looks very different from the air in the meantime. So much is being built in Dubai, it never stops, meaning the skyline looks completely different every time.
And back to other (inspection) trips!
Tired but contentedly we started our weekend, and the following Monday morning we will be back in the office in Rotterdam. Sometimes unreal, but it remains a joy to be able to do this kind of work!
Next week I'm off to Malta! We're continuing as usual, so follow us via our blog page and on social mediaInstagram, Facebook And LinkedIn)!