Majority of the hotel apartments in Dubai are dominated by local operators

When one settles in Dubai, they experience a global city with an international workforce. Sharing its main geographical features with the neighboring emirates of Abu Dhabi and Sharjah, Dubai has a hot climate with little rainfall throughout the year but high humidity on the coast. In summer, temperatures may soar up to 45°C. Foreigners moving to Dubai may be overwhelmed by its landscape: the desert. As opposed to Abu Dhabi, Dubai has no natural oases or bodies of water. However, the city has a natural inlet or creek dividing it into a western and an eastern part (Deira).

Entering the emirate on a visit visa is no problem if one is traveling to Dubai as a citizen of one of the forty-six countries eligible to receive a visit visa upon arrival. Nationals from other states need to find a UAE citizen or resident who will sponsor them. The same is the case for expats moving to Dubai for work. Employment visas can be arranged with the help of employer.

Dubai is beaming with people from multiple nations and myriad backgrounds, making it a cultural melting pot.  In fact, one doesn’t have to go further than Dubai to see and learn so much more about the world.  Living in Dubai is like living in a vibrant city, as the emirate is full of options for fun, activities, events, services and facilities etc.  There is always something new to do, try, taste, see, encounter or experience. The quality, luxury and attention to detail in Dubai makes it a comfortable place to live, work and explore. Living in a climate like Dubai’s allows people to enjoy an outdoor-centric lifestyle for the majority of the year.

A growing trend towards diversification of accommodation offerings for tourists in Dubai is booming the hotel apartment sector in Dubai.  There are about twenty five thousand rooms from hotel apartments as of 2014. Also known as serviced apartments, these attract guests often accompanied by large families looking for medium to long-term stays. The average length of stay at hotel apartments is generally 5-6 days. They are flexible and more resilient to downturns, as they can easily shift their strategy from a hotel-like strategy targeting short-stay tourists to a residential-like strategy targeting long-stay guests. Even as bigger developers enter the segment, hotel apartments in Dubai are still dominated by local operators with limited internationally branded stock. Dubai’s serviced apartment segment has 62 operators, excluding those who own and directly operate the properties. A majority of the serviced apartments are unbranded.

Pre requisites before planning on housing in Dubai

It is very easy to make a statement saying that one would love to spend their entire life at a tourist destination, but it is equally tough to live up to it. People often get infatuated by new cities and countries and feel that they can live in a particular city forever. But, it is not as easy as it seems like. Many complications occur when residing in different foreign places and only locals living there can understand. Take Dubai for an instance, even finding appropriate hotel apartments Dubai is a task in itself.

What are some points people should keep in mind while selecting hotel apartments Dubai?

• Closeness to the city area or main roads. People staying in Dubai for vacation or a meeting should make sure that hotel apartment Dubai is close to the main roads and markets. It is better it is closer to the crowded areas of the city, near the market place.
• Cost effective.
• Food should be decent.
• Hotel service should be good and it should have goodwill.
• No misleading advertisements or misleading hidden costs.

• Should have average sized beds, general cleanliness and adequate requirements of lighting, bedding and bathing.
• Staff is friendly.
• Has at least one 24 hour restaurant or coffee shop inside its premises.
• Should be safe and security should be adequate.
• Trustworthy people.
• Close to hospital or chemist in case of any problems.

But, not all people in Dubai who are non locals go to Dubai for vacationing or small duration. In some cases people go there to settle, or study as the case might be. In that case they cannot live for years in hotels as it is not practical. Thus, housing in Dubai arises.

What are some points to know while going for housing in Dubai?

• Closeness to your institute or workplace. It should be as close as possible, as you would not want to waste time on travelling.
• Closeness to Dubai metro.
• Cost and availability of labor. It is very difficult to find maids and car washers etc in certain places. Thus, knowing the cost and problems associated should be taken care.
• While deciding about housing in Dubai people should make sure it is safe. Since you are a non-local in the state, it is very important to make sure it is safe.
• Should be close to hospitals, general stores and chemists.
• House rent should not be misleading or very high.
• If you are sharing the house with a room-mate, you should make sure it is a trustworthy person.

It is also very important for people to know some or the other local while residing in a foreign country. Such people can come handy in any situation, which people cannot estimate. They can also help them in times of troubles or when they need instant cash. Be it housing in Dubai or just vacationing, it is very important for non-locals to know locals there before residing there for long.