Our first night was comfortable, although a little restless, as we were halfway around the globe and in the exact opposite time zone than the one from which we left. The Oberoi’s comfortable bed and soft linens coaxed us back to sleep despite the urge to get up at 3:00 in the morning. By 5:00 in the morning we gave up trying to stay asleep, and started our day out by making coffee with the in-room Nespresso. The blinds at the hotel are push button activated, and as they rose we enjoyed the still dark view of the city, and waited for light. As it dawned, we were treated to a wonderful view of spires and buildings above the fog, with the Burj Khalifa towering over it all.
We didn’t have a set plan or itinerary for this trip- we looked at the variety of activities and decided to play it all by ear, except for breakfast, of course! So after enjoying a couple of cups of espresso while lounging about in the soft hotel robes, we showered in the magnificent glass bathroom while taking in the view of dawn over the city, dressed, and headed downstairs for breakfast.
Honestly, it was sumptuous. There was a buffet full of delicious options, both local and international, all served by the staff. They take COVID seriously at the Oberoi Dubai. Rather than let every guest touch every serving spoon and make multiple trips back and forth among the serving stations, a dedicated staff member handles your plate and serves your food along the entire line. Once you had everything you wished they handed you your plate and you returned to your table. There were also cooked to order options which were delivered to your beautifully set table promptly. We chose to sit outside as the desert morning was lovely, and the outdoor courtyard was peaceful and pleasant, with water quietly trickling down the entirety of one wall and a large, placid infinity pond with eight planters containing a tree in each, evenly spaced. The trill of birds and sounds of water provided a perfect ambiance.
After, we had the hotel car take us to the Dubai Mall. It was more glamorous than a cab, but not strictly necessary, as cabs are inexpensive and ubiquitous. If you love shopping, you simply must visit this shoppers Mecca. It is the world’s largest indoor shopping mall and is populated with outlets for every fashion and jewelry designer you can think of. It is also home to some amazing art installations, such as an enormous waterfall with statues of divers fixed on its face, a real dinosaur skeleton from Wyoming, light installations overhead, and the whimsy of the shops themselves.
There is an ice skating rink, a mirror maze (which, honestly, was ridiculously fun), restaurants galore, a cinema, a huge kid’s zone so you can do your shopping in peace – it’s more like a small city than anything else. It’s been difficult to impossible in these times to see a movie, but there is a socially distanced option at the Dubai Mall, so with sanitized hands, masks on and popcorn in hand, we found our seats and sat for a spell to enjoy a show.. We saw Pixar’s Soul, which was charming, but not nearly as charming as the novelty of seeing a movie in a theatre for the first time in a year.
[Again, we know we’re taking risks by traveling during the pandemic. We follow all recommended precautions and are tested regularly. Make your own decisions when it comes to your own personal safety, and be considerate of the safety of others.]
Add Some Glamour 