Request Advice: 8 hours in DXB - stay in lounge or take hotel offer?

[kevinkhchan]

We are lucky to be ticking of another item off our bucket list next February.

We have been able to secure EK F from SYD - SEA with an 8 hour pause in DXB (arriving at midnight). We are leaning towards slumming it out in the lounge (with some quality time on the daybeds) but were wondering if we should bother with taking the hotel and chauffeured limos on offer.

Any other recommendations for our 8 hours in the airport would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

[serfty]

IMHO, with access to the DXB Flounges you are better off staying at the airport.

By the time you factor in immigration, transit to hotel, check in, sleep (or try to), wait for transport back to airport, emigration you'd get just as much sleep as with a couple of 1 hour power naps in the daybeds.

 

[serfty]

The day beds are provisioned eye masks, ear plugs, blankets, pillows etc.

 

[serfty]

The day beds are provisioned eye masks, ear plugs, blankets, pillows etc.

 

[jetpack]

I had a 6.75 hour transit on my first visit to the F lounge. To kill time I went to both F lounges and ate at the restaurant twice. Still plenty of time in between to get bored. If there was a next time, I would take a hotel room if there was a free one on offer.

 

[kevinkhchan]

IMHO, with access to the DXB Flounges you are better off staying at the airport.

By the time you factor in immigration, transit to hotel, check in, sleep (or try to), wait for transport back to airport, emigration you'd get just as much sleep as with a couple of 1 hour power naps in the daybeds.

Thanks serfty.

That was what we were thinking. And once we factor in some time for a massage (if open and available), a shower or two, some meals in the various locations and most likely relocating from A to B we should be ready for a good rest when we board our flight to SEA. Most importantly we won’t need to stress about getting back to the airport in time. Thanks for confirming our thoughts.

 

[kevinkhchan]

I had a 6.75 hour transit on my first visit to the F lounge. To kill time I went to both F lounges and ate at the restaurant twice. Still plenty of time in between to get bored. If there was a next time, I would take a hotel room if there was a free one on offer.

Thanks jetpack.

I was a little concerned with some reports I read elsewhere about the time it took to get through immigration (in a worst case scenario) and waiting for the chauffeured ride to the hotel. And my biggest fear is sleeping through any wake up calls / alarms as we would possibly get 4 hours at the very best.

 

[serfty]

I have spent a couple of 7 hour transits there, both off QF9 (~7am) to EK3 (~2pm); shower, 2-3 hour power nap, spend some time is the business centre, lunch, fly away ...

 

[Oscarq]

Approx. 4-4.5hrs sleep out of the 8hr stop with hotel/chauffeur drive last year. Immigration, customs, short wait for car, check into hotel, shower, wait for car, extensive line of pax at priority immigration back into airport, arrive 1.5hrs before flight to enjoy F lounge meal. Better to go for a walk enjoy the lounge or take an airport hotel room.

 

[kevinkhchan]

Approx. 4-4.5hrs sleep out of the 8hr stop with hotel/chauffeur drive last year. Immigration, customs, short wait for car, check into hotel, shower, wait for car, extensive line of pax at priority immigration back into airport, arrive 1.5hrs before flight to enjoy F lounge meal. Better to go for a walk enjoy the lounge or take an airport hotel room.

Thanks Oscarq.

I didn’t consider the immigration queue back into the airport. Looks like staying in th Flounge and keeping ourselves occupied with the food, massages and showers are the order of the day.

 

[dajop]

Well it might be midnight DXB time, but your body will be telling you it is time to wake up, being what 6 or 7am in Sydney. And it will be still early afternoon in Seattle.

So another way of looking at it is that you’re either spending the morning and early afternoon in the lounge OR the afternoon and early evening So wouldn’t be too worried about getting too much sleep.