Dubai luxury hotels slash prices amid travel restrictions, push staycations

With air travel limited and governments advising against trips to the UAE, Dubai hotels are offering enticing staycation deals to attract local guests and offset the drop in international tourism, reports Business Insider.

The Jumeirah hotel chain, which operates the 5-star Jumeirah Beach Hotel and the iconic Burj Al Arab, promoted special offers on Instagram Stories this week. UAE residents can get up to 30% off stays, along with perks like “2-for-1” spa treatments. Without discounts, the cheapest rate for two at Burj Al Arab is $905 per night this month, rising to $1,514 in April.

Another 5-star property, Shangri-La Abu Dhabi, is offering a staycation discount plus 15% off dining.

Address Beach Resort in JBR is offering local guests up to 30% off stays from March 5 to April 30. Standard rates for two start at $320 per night in March, climbing to $571 by mid-April.

The 4-star Roda Beach Resort reported “multiple extension requests” and demand for “lower-priced staycations” immediately after posting its offer. Rooms are now available starting at $108 per night for the next three weeks.

The discounts come amid the Iran conflict, which the World Travel & Tourism Council estimates is costing the Middle East at least $600 million per day in lost international visitor spending. In addition, airlines such as British Airways, Cathay Pacific, and Air Canada have canceled flights to major Middle East hubs, including Dubai.

Staycation deals are clearly appealing to locals. A new website, Hotel Drops Dubai, tracking prices at dozens of 4- and 5-star hotels, shows some properties offering up to 60% off, including Al Khoory Atrium Hotel and JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Dubai.

UAE resident Poppy Johnson, a UK-born creative director, booked a two-night stay at Grand Hyatt using the GCC Residents Offer, which includes up to 20% off rooms, dining, and spa services, plus complimentary breakfast and waterpark access. Her king-size room cost $114 per night. She described the mini-break as a much-needed “reset” after a stressful ten days. “We wanted a bit of a reset and a change of scenery. To feel like we were on holiday without getting on a plane,” Johnson told Business Insider.