The best bargains in Dubai

The best bargains in Dubai

There are plenty of large shopping malls with luxury clothes, bags, shoes etc in Dubai. But there are also plenty of bargains to be made. Here is my top list of the bargains in Dubai.

1. Great Manicure and pedicure at great prices. Manicure or Pedicure 45 minutes approximately 70 DHS (approximately 130 SEK, 10 Euro). La Sirene Hair Beauty and Spa. Ladies only. Address: Dubai Marina, Al Fattan Tower Mall. This is on the walk next to the hotel Oasis Beach Tower. Phone +971 4 399 4612, email lasirene@emirates.net.ae 

2. Scarves (approximately 10 or 20 SEK, 1,5-2 Euro), t-shirts, children clothes etc. The market in Deira, the old town in Dubai.

3. Towels (approximately 40 SEK, 4 euro) , shirts (approximately 40 SEK, 4 euro) , football dress for kids (approximately 20 SEK, 2 euro) etc. The UM Amal Store on Sabakha road near the bus stand in Deira

4. Necklaces, bracelets, earrings, keyrings etc can be bought on the market some weekdays. It is close to where the Bateaux dinner cruise boat is on Al Seef Road by Dubai Creek.

5. Cheap and fab art. By the art post cards or small canvases at the Gallery One. There are five shops in Dubai. One of them is in the lovely luxe souk: Store 138, Souk Madinat Jumeirah, Al Sofouh Road. http://www.g-1.com/

6. Designer sun glasses and watches by luxury brands are best to be bought at the Dubai airport in the tax free shop. It is a lot cheaper than in the shopping malls in Dubai.

7. Pre-book your visit at the top of Burj Khalifa, the world´s tallest building. Pre-bok on the Internet approximately 1-2 weeks in beforehand. Save 75% of the price. http://www.burjkhalifa.ae/en/

8. Gorgeous perfumes at great prices in the Ard Al Zaafaran Trading shop. It is situated in the Gold Market in Deira, Dubai. I bought several perfumes here as gifts to take home and everybody loved them!

9. Time for lunch... Go for an lAfternoon Tea at the luxurious 5 star hotel The One and Only Mirage in Dubai. As for at table with sea view on the terrace. An extraordinary view, great food at a excellent price. Arabic food, homebaked scones, clotted cream, excellent finger sandwiches, lovely cakes, macaroons, tea and coffee at only 95 AED, approximately 180 SEK or 18 Euro) per person. 


Do you know a bargain or shop in Dubai that should be on my top list? Please leave a comment here.

Spa hotels in Sweden - Svenska SPA-hotell

I live in Sweden and I do like to go for a SPA-weekend, once or twice every year. Here are my favourites places for a SPA-weekend in Sweden.

SPA-hotels

Yasuragi Hasseludden, relax and unwind at these Japanese SPA hotel. Fab place! I have never been so relaxed before! But you need to reserve SPA-treatments very long in advance, otherwise you wont get one, and you also have to pay for the stay in advance, so that is a minus. http://www.yasuragi.se/

Tranås Badhotell, it is nicely decorated with a mix of old antique furniture and new. They dont serve any gourmet food at this place, but the prices and treatments are good. And the town is so small and sweet with at lot of design shops.

Varbergs Kurort is situated by the sea. Beautiful view, nice SPA and food.
http://www.varbergskurort.se/

Luxury Boutique Hotels with SPA

Karlaby Kro in Skåne. The food is heavenly, the staff is friendly and you will never want to leave. There are many handicraft shops and art galleries close by, so there are many things to do if you like art and culture.

Bomans in Trosa. The rooms are amazing, all decorated in different styles. The food is great and there are a lot of small design and interior shops in this little town.

Hotels with a SPA

The Dalecarlia hotel is worth a trip, just to see the amazing view. It is so beautiful and peaceful to visit this genuine hotel in Dalarna. The hotel room, SPA and food was also nice. http://www.dalecarlia.se/

Which is your favourite SPA-hotel in Sweden? Please leave a comment here.

Relax in Riga

I visited Riga, the capital of Latvia, for a weekend in the summer.
It is a historial city with a lot of beautiful buildings and the largest city of the Baltic states.

Some call Riga the world capital of Art Nouveau and its historical city center is a UNESCO world heritage site.


Top ten things to do in Riga

1. Take a walk in the old town and admire the beautiful buildings.Take a picture of the Maingaivju (Blackheads) house and the house of Three Brothers, some medieval residential houses. Pass by Smilšu Street 2 and see the goddess figure. It is considered to be the most
   beautiful Art Nouveau sculpture of a woman in Riga.
2. Buy amber and traditional russian wooden dolls on the market in the old town
3. Visit the Latvian Museum Occupations and get some insight to the history
4. Visit the Riga Cathedral
5. Take a walk around the Riga Castle built in 1497 and check out the home of the President.
6. Have pancakes / crépes in the old town
7. Get a fab view of Riga from the tower in the St. Peters church or from the TV-tower.
8. See the Victory monument (a Soviet monument)
9. If you like Wagner visit the Wagner Concert Hall where he used to have concerts when he lived in Riga.
10. Visit the central market, a large food market to see the local food

If you are in to shopping, visit Stockmann, a department store in central Riga
And if you like opera, there is an opera house - The Latvia National Opera- with great prices and operas.
If you are a spa-lover take go to one of the Spas in Riga, maybe the ESPA Spa. Or take the short trip to Jurmala. A spa retreat by the sea. The hotel Jurmala spa looks nice.

Where to stay?

• Clarion Collection Hotel Valdemars
• Radisson Blu Daugava Hotel Riga
• Reval Hotel Ridzene
• Grand Palace Hotel
• De Rome Hotel

Where to eat?

• Fine dining at the Vincents
• Medieval dinner at Rozengrāls
• Finest meat at the Restaurant C.U.T.
• Fine dining at the Grand Palace Hotel restaurant