Christmas at IBIS Al Barsha, Dubai

 

             TBK Meets Santa Claus at Ibis Albarsha

Having decided to go back to Dubai for Christmas I was not sure what to expect. It is always difficult to travel alone, especially at the Festive time of year. Everyone is with their families and loved ones and then there is me , SLB in the corner of the restaurant ( Sad Lonely Bastard). However I need not have worried as the wonderful staff at the Ibis in Albarsha made me feel very welcome for my two week stay there. 

Even though the hotel was full and the reception area was always full of people waiting to check in or having checked out the receptionists had a smile for everyone and helped me with directions, printing, storing my luggage etc. They also got dressed up on Christmas Eve with Santa hats! The centerpiece of the reception area was called  " Chill Café" with a massive wooden table where I wrote my blogs each day. The Starbucks café always had my favourite Hot Chocolate, Americano coffee or Earl Grey Tea, and packs of mince pies, a really tasty plum pudding, and I became addicted to their Smoked Salmon Bagels for lunch.

By having a constant supply of drinks it meant I did not need to wear a mask! The hotel had about 3 visible uniformed security officers keeping the entrance clear, ensuring people were wearing masks and letting people in and out of the left luggage and safe deposit areas, attending emergencies on the floors and patrolling the property. 

On Christmas eve they provided cakes for everyone and Santa arrived on a bicycle with gifts for all. In the evening they had a special Christmas Eve dinner with an Amazing Turkey and the most delicious Yule Log and Christmas pudding. Only Brussel sprouts, Cranberry sauce and gravy were missing!

                                 Sarap Christmas desserts

The restaurant staff were all very friendly and I soon learnt to go early to get a table for breakfast as with 700 guests and 240 seats the place was mobbed between 9 and 10 am! There was a great buffet with scrambled or boiled eggs, porridge oats, toast, fruit juices, 4 coffee machines , and fresh fruit and yogurt all for 39  AED or 3.9 bd  or 8 pounds sterling. I would arrive between 6 and 7 am and catch up on the social media ( 10- 11 am in Philippines, 5- 6 am in Bahrain) and Chikka ( chat) with the other guests and staff. 

A 30 minute walk from the hotel was the beautiful Al Barsha Park and when Joshua and I walked there the Friday before Christmas there was a Flea Market and lots of Phillipino groups and families picnicking and playing games. Near the park I later discovered Al Barsha Mall where I got some perfumes , and Galleria Mall with a great restaurant called Tasha's where I had a prawn and avocado salad in the sun. Joshua also took me to Mall of the Emirates which was very Christmassy and we could not resist some Cheesecake at The cheesecake Factory, which was very busy with a long wait. 

You can see Joshua's day out with me over on The British Kabayan Vlog by clicking the link below:

Dubai Day 1, Al Barsha Park and Mall of the Emirates

Each day I met up with a different friend and we explored different areas of Dubai so Jeboy and I went to Ain Dubai and Thang and I went to Global Village. On Christmas day Joshua and I had brunch at the Dubai Marina hotel , in the Observatory on the 52nd floor where Thang and Ruth looked after us. You can read about that by Clicking the link below:

Christmas Brunch in Dubai Blog

Probably the highlight of the vacation so far was going to Expo 2020 with Joshua on Christmas night to see Lea Salonga perform. You can see clips from the performance in this Vlog:

Lea Salonga on Christmas Night at Expo 2020

So all in all I had a wonderful Christmas at IBIS Al Barsha , Dubai. Thanks to Jeboy for doing my washing and ironing , to all the staff at the hotel, and of course the little cat who visited daily in the garden!

I also ventured out on my own when everyone else was at work and had a taxi to The Arabian Tea rooms where I spent so many happy hours on my last trip in July when I stayed nearby at The Arabian Courtyard Hotel in Bur Dubai. Back then it was so hot everyone sat inside but this time in the cooler winter I had breakfast outside before walking around the Al Fahidi Historical District and visiting XVA hotel and art gallery.

        My wonderful breakfast at the Arabian Tearoom in Al Fahidi

If you want to see the vlog of me walking around this area then click the link below:

Al Fahidi Historical District

On 23 December I went with MK to see a Duo that originated in Awali Bahrain when they played at Offside Bar at JA Ocean View hotel on JBR. They did an excellent set and after, at Midnight, we walked along JBR which was packed. It's one of my favourite places in Dubai and Jeboy and I had lunch there on our way to Bluewater earlier in the week. 

Somehow I never found time to get to the Ibis gym! But , in my defense, we did do a lot of walking!

All good things come to an end so on 29 December I checked out of one Ibis ( Al Barsha) and into another ( Ibis Styles Jumeirah) to prepare for the New Year Celebrations .

You can read al about that in the next blog... until then:

• Kita Kits

• Ingat Palagi