United Arab EmiratesNo. 01
Downtown & Business Bay
The district built around the Burj Khalifa, the mall and the fountain, and the one part of the city where the sights, the shopping and the metro are in the same place.
Best for
A first visit · Shopping
Gokul Venugopal / CC BY-SA 4.0City guide ·United Arab Emirates
Where to stay in Dubai
Downtown if you want the sights and the metro; the Marina or Jumeirah if you want the beach.
4 areas reviewed
Dubai
Step one · choose the area
4 areas, 4 different Dubais.
Price
4 areas
See the area
No. 02
Dubai Marina & JBR
Towers around an artificial marina, with a beach and a promenade of restaurants along its seaward edge. It is the one address that puts the sand and a dense walkable strip together.
Best for
Beach and city together · Dining
No. 03
Jumeirah & Umm Suqeim
The low-rise stretch of coast between Downtown and the Marina, with the older beach hotels and the Burj Al Arab. Quieter than either, and dependent on taxis: the metro runs inland from here.
Best for
Beach stays · Families
No. 04
Deira & Bur Dubai
The old city on both banks of the creek, with the gold and spice souks, the abras that cross the water for a coin, and the cheapest rooms in Dubai.
Best for
Value · History
Compare the areas
No overall score. Every traveller weights these differently.
| Area | Price | Sightseeing | Walkability | Transport | Food | Nightlife | Quietness | Families | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Downtown & Business Bay | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Dubai Marina & JBR | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Jumeirah & Umm Suqeim | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Deira & Bur Dubai | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |