Luxe Beat Magazine JULY 2014 | Page 29

Travel Jumeriah Ethiad Towers Lunch at Le Beirut Belly Dancer A variety of Dates the street to peek in at the famous Emirates Palace Hotel. Fit for royalty, this is the choice for visiting dignitaries. The property flaunts hundreds of marble columns, crystal chandeliers, gold-leaf decoration and oil paintings. My favorite discovery was an ATM machine that dispensed gold trinkets or small gold coins. A digital screen provided up to the minute prices of an ounce. I took a brief respite by the Jumeriah Hotel infinity pool and enjoyed lunch in Le Beirut, a swish Lebanese restaurant. I learned that hotels offer some of the best dining, as they are among the few to obtain liquor licenses. Hotels are popular for wedding receptions (men and women have separate parties in the Muslim religion) and as getaways for couples. 29 I was treated to a luxurious massage in the Jumeriah spa before I left for my long fifteen and half hour flight back to Atlanta. What a gift! The therapist gave me her all, even climbing up on the table and kneeling astride my back to apply perfect pressure. Thank you, Jumeriah Hotels. If you go to the UAE, you really should stay in both Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The two cities are different, with Abu Dhabi more like a culturally refined and proud parent, and Dubai a somewhat reckless, flamboyant youth. Both are fascinating cities. DISCLOSURE: MY TRIP TO THE UAE WAS SELF-FUNDED, HOWEVER I DO WANT TO THANK JUMERIAH HOTELS FOR PUTTING ME UP FOR TWO NIGHTS AND TAKING ME TO LUNCH AND THE SPA TREATMENT.