Madinat Jumeirah

Lonely Planet review

The Madinat is a hotel, shopping and entertainment complex that delights and frustrates in equal measures. It's quite a sight, with exteriors inspired by the ancient skyscrapers found in Saudi Arabia and Yemen, and interiors influenced by old Arabian merchant houses. There are some exquisite details here, so if you see some stairs, take them - they might lead you to a secreted terrace and wind-tower, with a mesmerising vista of the sprawling complex.

If you're a hotel guest, or have a restaurant reservation, you can catch the silent abras cruising along the Venetian-style canals from one location to the next. If you're a day tripper and non-diner, your progress will be cut short by staff patrolling the walkways to keep the riff-raff from the souq away from the hotels. More a themed shopping mall than a traditional Arabian market, the souq is a bit of a tourist trap. Prices are several times more expensive than they are in real souqs and with a few exceptions, such as Pisces and the Noodle House, the restaurants overcharge for ordinary fare. The Madinat Theatre hosts musicals, plays, opera, ballet and festivals; and during the cooler winter months, a traditional oud player enchants the sheesha -smoking crowd in the souq's central plaza.