The fireworks show at Burj Khalifa ranks among the world’s most popular places to ring in the new year — with the iconic Times Square Ball Drop, and the epic Sydney Opera House fireworks show.
The spectacular show draws hundreds of thousands of people every year, with many tourists flying in just to catch it before a clip of it goes viral on social media.
This makes downtown Dubai one of the most coveted places to be as the clock strikes midnight on December 31, with some properties charging more than Dh100,000 per night.
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A luxury three-bedroom apartment with an infinity pool and direct view of the Burj Khalifa has been listed on the site Booking.com for approximately Dh107,000 per night inclusive of taxes. Meanwhile, other properties near downtown have increased their rates by up to 10 times or imposed minimum stay requirements.
Another one-bedroom rental luxury apartment is available only for a minimum of a three-night stay, which will cost renters a total of Dh283,500 or approximately Dh94,500 per night.
A two-bedroom property near the Dubai Opera, which is charging approximately Dh3,000 per night in November, has a price tag of Dh35,000 for NYE.
This comes as hotels like the Armani Dubai have closed for renovations and won’t be available for booking during the popular NYE period in one of the city’s most coveted areas.
Although Dubai hosts fireworks in 40 locations, Burj Khalifa is the centrepiece of NYE in the emirate.
Last year’s show unfolded in five stages starting at 8pm, ending with the main fireworks display at midnight. Most guests who pay a premium to stay in the downtown area to get a private vantage point to the spectacular fireworks.
Beyond downtown
It isn’t just the hotel prices in the downtown area that have gone up. One eight-bedroom signature luxury villa on Frond G will cost almost Dh100,000 per night. In November, the same property costs Dh33,000 per night. Another two-bedroom apartment located in Dubai Marina, with a view of the Palm and Ain Dubai, costs more than Dh78,000 per night during this period.
The NYE celebrations at Atlantis on the Palm Jumeirah are also extremely popular. This year, Katy Perry will be headlining the festivities and a front row seat to the festivities in the VIP Celestial Sky Suite will cost Dh400,000. It will offer uninterrupted stage and firework views as well as a dedicated butler service to guests.
For those who prefer a more secluded celebration, they can choose a six-bedroom villa on a private island. Surrounded by forest, the property costs over Dh111,000 per night on NYE.
Ras Al Khaimah sees hike
The prices of property, especially ones located in and around Marjan island in Ras Al Khaimah, have risen around the NYE. A four-bedroom villa with pool and beach access will cost approximately Dh50,000 per night. The same property costs approximately Dh2000 per night in the second week of December.
This year, the emirate will host 11-hour celebrations with fireworks and drone shows illuminating 5km of coastline. The celebrations on December 31 will be free to attend, but visitors must register to enter the RAK NYE Festival at Jais Festival Ground. The main fireworks and drone show will run from 11.50pm to 12.05am, with both displays choreographed to music.
Source: Khaleej Times