The Grosvenor House (00 971 4 399 8888, www.grosvenorhouse-dubai.com) is ultra-slick, with terrific sushi, Indian and modern French restaurants. The top floor bar, Bar 44, buzzes with the Dubai in-crowd at weekends, as does the Buddha Bar, a trendy sushi and drinks joint in the basement — worth visiting even if you’re not a guest. Rooms are plush and chic, with lots of marble. B&B doubles from £325.

Alternatively, the Madinat Jumeirah (366 8888, www.madinatjumeirah.com) is styled on an Arabian citadel with a low-level rose-red building set around waterways by a white sand beach. There are several restaurants, a traditional souk and a marvellous series of sculptures of galloping golden horses leading to the entrance. Doubles from £408.

Safaris and souks

Alpha Tours (00 971 4 294 9888, www.alphatoursdubai.com) arranges desert safaris with a barbecue meal, camel rides and belly dancing included. From £38 for six hours. City tours taking in the gold and spice souks, mosques and palaces cost £17 for four hours.

Desert skiing

Ski Dubai (www.skidxb.com) is an almost unbelievable 400m indoor ski slope in the Mall of the Emirates, the world’s second biggest shopping mall. Many locals have never seen snow and it’s worth going just to see their reactions. No reservation needed; £20 for two hours.

Golf in the gulf

Emirates Golf Club (380 2222, www.dubaigolf.com) is the top golf course in Dubai, holding the Dubai Desert Classic each year — Tiger Woods is the current champion. Rounds from £84.

Inside track

Time Out Dubai (www.timeoutdubai.com) is a useful local listings magazine.

Into the future

The big developers include Emaar (www.emaar.com), Nakheel (www.nakheel.com), Dubai Festival City (www.dubaifestivalcity.com) and Dubailand (www.dubailand.ae).

Getting there

Virgin Holidays (0871 2220307, www.virginholidays.co.uk) has a week’s B&B at the four-star Oasis Beach Hotel from £689. Thomas Cook Signature (0870 4434481, www.tcsignature.com) has a week’s B&B at the five-star Jumeirah Beach Hotel from £1,376.

Tom Chesshyre travelled to Dubai with the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (020- 7839 0580, www.dubaitourism.ae). He flew with Virgin Atlantic (0870 5747747, www.virginatlantic.com), which has return flights from Heathrow to Dubai for £278.40.

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