MICE CENTRAL & EASTERN EUROPE

By Dr. Zuzana Adamson

Part 2

In Dubai almost every hotel is an icon and the Atlantis The Royal, opened on February 10th, 2023, is doubly valuable. The new ultra luxurious trendy icon of Dubai attracts celebrities, famous people, rich business elites and jetsetters from all over the world and is located on Palm Jumeirah Island as well as the first iconic hotel from the family of Atlantis, Atlantis The Palm.

 

 

Atlantis The Royal offers 795 rooms including 102 suites and received many awards for its architecture; in a sea of global projects, it won hotel of the year, new best hotel etc… It has 17 restaurants and bars, 17 boutiques with luxury brands, 32,300 square metres of wellness structures, and an almost unbelievable 90 pools, which include Cloud 22 located on the sky bridge connecting parts of the building.

 

 

The prices start at US$460/night (which doubles in the peak season). The most expensive hotel room here – the King Penthouse costs about US$100,000 per night. It offers a hallucinating space of 12,141 square feet, and it previously hosted singer Beyoncé before its official opening. The King Penthouse offers further extravagance including a foyer with one-hundred-year-old olive trees.

 

 

 

The excellent restaurants of the Atlantis The Royal offer a colourful palette of many specialities from kitchens from all around the world. Our group of international MICE media representatives had a lovely time tasting them during our luxurious dinner. I opted for brilliantly and sophisticatedly prepared sea food, accompanied with a French Pinot Blanc. We enjoyed a glass of Champagne in the next chapter of this feature, during our site inspection of the VIP Salon between the 152nd and 154th floors of the Burj Khalifa.

 

 

 

Our visit to the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) was very interesting, and there we learned that in January 2025, MBZ-SAT, the most advanced satellite in the region was launched. Weighing 750kg with dimensions of 3m x 5m, MBZ-SAT represents a significant advancement in Earth observation technology, providing valuable data for both research and practical applications.

 

 

 

One of the absolute must-dos in Dubai is an afternoon expedition to view the sunset in the middle of the desert called Desert Safari Experience.

 

 

To drive a car on the sandy terrain, to observe some animals, and later to spend some time in an oasis where you can experience camel riding, drum playing, dancing and savouring local specialities around a nice natural fire, create unforgettable experiences as well as refresh yourself.

 

 

You can even stay overnight in a wooden house under the sky filled with stars, and sleep peacefully surrounded by the quiet of the desert.

 

In general, Dubai is a very suitable MICE destination for creative events, congresses and conferences for start-ups, new technological corporations, innovative enterprises, fashion brands and businesses, social media but also for example for various food industry events. It is a city founded on a vision and created from that vision. Our media enterprises are too, so this creates great synergy and understanding.

Dubai always surprises with its new developments. Since my last stay in this amazing futuristic city, in the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest tower at 828 metres above sea level, they have opened “The highest VIP Salon in the world” – between the 152nd and 154th floors.

 

 

From the open terrace located 575 metres above sea level you can admire the whole city. Maybe it will soon be possible to see Czechoslovakia from Dubai, as they are building a new tower that will be even higher than Burj Khalifa! The Salon AT THE TOP offers stylish seating illuminated by a spouting fountain with a glass of Champagne, canapés and small macarons.

 

 

 

Three distinctive hotels in one in Al Habtoor City after these hotels were rebranded in 2024: Al Habtoor Palace, Preferred Hotels & Resorts, Hilton Dubai Al Habtoor City and V Hotel Dubai, Curio Collection by Hilton.

 

 

 

Corporate events for pharmaceutical companies often take place here; during our site inspection, AstraZeneca were meeting. In the Business Bay quarter with gorgeous views over the Burj Khalifa or over the water canal that runs through it, congresses, conferences, weddings and other family celebrations can all be organised in Al Habtoor City.

 

 

In its theatre venue you can see the innovative and modern spectacle La Perle with stories from the history of the Emirates, in the style of Le Cirque du Soleil.

 

 

The visually inspiring show uses modern technology, virtual reality and AI, together with skilled acrobats and gymnasts and incredible scenery and stage decorations including a large flat earth at the centre, water in the middle and centre and other planets in rotation. The sky’s curvature is also present – in Dubai, this is omnipresent – referencing the future, planets, and other cosmic spaces.

Dubai is a fascinating city that always has something to offer and each time there is something new to see or experience. In the Dubai Mall they have just opened House of Hype, a world of AI, virtual reality and technologies where you can explore a technological fairy tale. The venue is great for events for social media and technology professionals. Welcome to the future!

 

 

A big thanks belong to the professionals from the Dubai Convention Bureau and Dubai Business Events. Our MICE Trip was excellently organised, was run in a friendly and welcoming atmosphere, and its programme offered us a wide range of events. The quality of this MICE Trip was excellent so do not hesitate to create your MICE events in Dubai – support, help and a great journey is guaranteed.