This morning we checked out of the hotel and took the 50 minute taxi ride to the airport. What we know now is to use the government controlled taxis and these are distinguishable by the colored roofs being either red or blue. The hotel told us the set rate was 90 Dirhams ($24) which was 130 ($34.66) Dirhams cheaper than the taxi from the airport which was 220 Dirhams ($60) a black taxi and a privateer. When you are dealing in foreign currency it is great to calculate to dollars as then you can gauge whether things are expensive or not. If we had only known and walked an extra few hundred meters we would have seen the public taxis.
I took these pictures at around 11am Dubai time this morning and it was surprisingly quiet. I read somewhere the airport services 170K transit passengers daily so these are passengers having a stop over at the airport waiting for a connecting flight. If you are going to be spending multiple hours you may as well pay for the lounge and you can understand why this particular lounge is so big.
This business lounge I have been to before and it is definitely worth the value by adding on to the Emirates ticket. The cost was roughly an extra $25 each unless granny lied and need to have a look lol. Just checked and she was correct but we all know what our wives are like and made the wait a lot more pleasant. Paying the little extra upfront this way you are saving as you would spend far more on food and drinks whilst waiting for the flight in the public area. In Dubai you soon realise everything they do is bigger and better than everyone else with this lounge stretching as far as the eye can see estimating that this is close to 500 m long.
This buffet had more western style dishes with sea bass and cod dishes along with pizza and friend chicken. The ice cream stand with the umbrella on the end had high end ice cream and it was seriously good.
This was one of the many bars dotted around which was not busy when we arrived, but the crowds did grow as passengers landed and were waiting in transit. When we left the place was heaving with people and you can understand why they need such a big lounge. The first class lounge is above this lounge and on top of that is the airport hotel.
They have 5 zones with the far end being smoking along side the international food buffet. Then they have a middle eastern buffet and a western buffet and then a healthy option type buffet for lighter meals. These are all split up so it is advisable to walk around and see what takes your fancy. Each one has a refreshment station which includes a well stocked bar.
What did not make much sense was they had a Costa Coffee retail outlet which you had to pay for coffee when there was coffee stations included in your lounge price. I have no idea why anyone would purchase a coffee when you can just go and make one for your self.
Middle Eastern buffet had two separate stations.
This was the healthier option or lighter meal type snacks that included fruit salads and sandwiches. I tried to get all the photos in quickly before the crowds built up and would not have been able to snap away so freely.
There are lounge type bed chairs along with shower facilities and there are hundreds of comfortable chairs to choose from so no one is on top of each other and this allows for privacy. I have visited many other lounges at other air ports and can recall Heathrow last year they did not have enough seating and you had to go hunting. That Heathrow lounge was double this price and the food was inferior and the selections were nothing like this. Heathrow will never get my business again as I would say you could have a far better time sitting in a restaurant instead.