Visiting the skyscraper city on business.

Just a couple of hours away from any city in Saudi, people here find it really easy to hop over for the weekend for a quick change of scenery. With that thought in mind, we were pretty excited when we were invited to try out FlyDubai and Sheraton Dubai Creek for two days.

The flight to Dubai was a little choppy but the business seats were okay (like an old Saudia plane) and we loved their Freej safety video. Business passengers get to take a separate bus to the terminal, which makes the process easier. Do keep in mind that it is a budget airline, so one shouldn’t be too picky.

As the oldest five star hotel in Dubai, we thought it would be -at the very least- outdated and musty, but thanks to the complete renovation the hotel went through two years ago, the rooms were airy and nicely designed.

From there on, the rest of our stay was quite pleasant. Hiring a car for the day was simple, and the driver and his Lexus were patient as we ran them ragged over the entire city. The floor managers dealt with our issues (such as an unfortunate Club lounge incident) with appropriate courtesy.

Our favorite part about the whole trip, however, was the opportunity the hotel gave us to try out their new bike rentals. They took us on a tour of the creek and Old Dubai, by the spice, gold and textile markets, as well as the Dubai Museum and it was exhilarating.

The Sheraton is a great hotel for business travelers. It’s nearby the airport, and with five fine dining restaurants and the hotel lobby café, there’s no shortage of venues for business meetings or lunches. Take the Club rooms and you can have complimentary breakfast and high tea in the Club Lounge, as well as three pieces of complimentary laundry, which is useful when you’re limited with your luggage and need to look neat and pressed for a convention or a presentation the very next day.

The business center is open 24 hours, and we found it easy to print our business tickets from. Also, for those lulls in your itinerary, you can take the bike to old Dubai and do some exploring and cross out your gym time all at once. Non-guests, you can take the bike too, and packages include an option for a packed picnic.

Our favorite part about the whole trip, however, was the opportunity the hotel gave us to try out their new bike rentals. They took us on a tour of the creek and Old Dubai, by the spice, gold and textile markets, as well as the Dubai Museum and it was exhilarating.