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Business Travel Tips for MRO Middle East
9 March 2022 | Travel Blogs
Following last year’s trip to MRO Middle East, I thought it would be great to share our experience, and give you a bit of an idea of what to expect. As well as sharing some great business travel tips for Dubai.
A significant proportion of our clients are in the aviation industry and were attending MROME 22, so it was a great chance for us to meet them face to face for the first time and understand the MRO industry a little better.
MROME 22 was at The Dubai World Trade Center which is about 10 minutes from the airport, and 20 minutes from Jumeirah Beach. The show was filled with friendly faces, busy aisles, and beautiful booths.
As you know Dubai is blessed with sunshine pretty much all year round, but lucky for us, February really is the perfect time to go, with comfortable temperatures of 24°C.
Anyway, let’s get down to the nitty-gritty and start looking at accommodation.
Accomodation
A huge lesson we learnt was the importance of location. By this, I mean the location of where you’re staying vs the location of where you’re working.
Although it may seem more logical to stay nearer to the airport, we actually learnt that you’re better off staying in Jumeirah Beach Residence.
MROME 22 was held in the Dubai World Trade Centre but everyone who booked accommodation in that area, seemed to regret it. The area is more built up, and with that comes a lack of views, and a lack of eateries and nightlife.
Jumeirah Beach Residence is a residential community area in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Most networking events are also held in this area, so it actually makes sense to book your hotel in JBR or in the marina. Rather than focusing on the area of your conference center, office, or airport.
Hotels
As for hotels, expect to find all of the traditional names such as Hilton and IHG, but also a number of luxury brands that can really allow you to live the Dubai lifestyle.
I’ve looked at some of the most popular hotels in the JBR area, and put together an average price list per night for 1 room, 2 guests in February 2023.
- Crowne Plaza Dubai Marina, an IHG Hotel: £270
- JA Ocean View Hotel: £344
- Grosvenor House: £344
- Hilton Dubai Jumeirah Resort: £360
- Le Royal Meridian: £450
- Atlantis The Palm: £580
And here’s a wild card for those who got a bonus this year: Burj Al Arab Jumeirah for a cool £1,570 per night.
We stayed at JA Ocean View Hotel which was great. The lobster tempura sushi from the poolside lounge, LVL BLU was absolutely unreal and worth every penny! If my memory serves me right, they have a sushi deal on a Friday.
We also experienced Le Royal Meridian Hotel and have heard great things about Grosvenor House. Le Royal Meridian was very grand and very beautiful, with a slightly heftier price tag. Great choice of restaurants within the complex overlooking the Arabian Gulf.
The Flights
The big question is… Emirates or British Airways?
Both fly direct, but British Airways Premium Economy is often more expensive than a Business Class ticket on Emirates. If you can get a business class ticket on an A380, then this creates a seriously special experience. Especially as you have the famous bar on board.
Furthermore, on the first of June Emirates will be launching their Premium Economy cabin between London and Dubai. Here is a link to the article. By booking with Emirates, you could get a lot more for your money.
BA don’t currently have any A380’s operating that route.
Alternatively, have you ever considered flying private? If you’re curious about cost, drop me a message. I might surprise you.
Food and Entertainment
Dubai is a playground for foodies. I’ve already mentioned LVL BLU, but we also dinned at STK Dubai Marina and Maya Bar and Grill.
Maya is a Mexican restaurant within Le Royal Meridian which serves mouthwatering tacos and hands down the best espresso martini.
Blah Blah is a bouji beach club. We went here for a few drinks on our last night. There was a great atmosphere and the music was on point.
I always said that If I were to return to Dubai I would 100% return to Blah Blah and arrange a brunch around the poolside. echo.bravo summer social?
Other bars I’ve heard great things about include Studio Club & Rooftop, WHITE Beach, The Scene at Pier 7, and Zero Gravity.
If you have time
As I now know for myself, business trips are a little hectic and there’s not often much time for yourself. However, if you do get half a day why not try one of the following:
- A spot of shopping in the second largest mall in the world
- A photo outside the Burj Khalifa and a trip to the observation deck
- A trip to the desert: Sandboarding, Buggy adventures, or even spend a night camping on the dunes
- Visiting Expo 2020 Dubai in the Dubai Exhibition Centre – about a 20-minute drive from Dubai Marina
- Hire a paddle board from Water Adventure, if you’re into SUP they have some good Starboard hard boards for hire
Getting around is easy in Dubai as taxis and car hires are plentiful. Taxis can be booked by phone or via your hotel reception. But the simplest way is to download the Careem, Uber or S’hail app. Through the Careem app, you can also book ‘Hala Taxi’, which is Dubai’s most affordable taxi.
Staying safe
We often travel alone for business and sometimes that can be a litle can be a little nerve racking, but there are steps you can take to help you to feel more at ease.
- Dress respectfully
- Trust your instincts
- Use a trusted taxi service
- Don’t tell strangers that you’re traveling alone
- Tell a trusted family member your flight details and keep in regular contact
- Know the emergency number for that country – in the UAE call 999 for police
If you’re feeling anxious on the flight, why not listen to our ultimate chill playlist on Spotify.
Networking in Dubai
Not only did we attend MROME, but we were also lucky enough to be silver sponsors of the Aviation Network Group networking drinks at Le Royal Meridian. Alongside some great names and clients in the aviation industry; cordobaQ, First Class Air Support, STS Component Solutions. LorEau Aviation Group, Aviation Week Events, Aeropair Ltd, and Aerospace Engineering Solutions Ltd.
The ANG is a community hub where those working in aviation support each other and help grow each other’s businesses and arrange to meet up to discuss fresh news within the industry.
Being a part of this group, It was really important for us to show up and experience the industry first hand. Showing up shows your willingness, and helps you understand things from their perspective. This has significantly improved our service within the Aviation industry.
If you have a trip to Dubai coming up, feel free to get in touch for advice or for a free quote. I hope this article has given you some ideas of places to go and what to expect.
Thank you for reading, and see you there. Bring on MROME 23!!
Chris | Founder | echo.bravo