Sky High: Dinner in the Sky UAE.

While my first chance at paragliding in Nepal last year didn’t go so well (I felt incredibly sick the entire time — oops!), the feeling wasn’t enough to put me off from trying out Dinner in the Sky UAE.  The concept is relatively simple: strap into a floating restaurant and go up 50m to enjoy lunch, tea, or dinner.  As I said when we went up, in a city of one of a kind experiences, Dinner in the Sky really is one of a kind.  ‘Flights’ are available daily from 2:40 PM until 11:10 PM on weekdays and from 11:50 AM until 12:35 AM on weekends.  Interested guests can book their seats today through an online booking system, but I would imagine seats are going to be limited at this point.

The price tag on this one is well up there — which I guess goes to supporting the number of people it takes to get this show off the ground (pun intended).  Starting at AED700 for lunch and AED800 for dinner (per person! Not including booze!  For under an hour!), I’m not sure the amount spent lives up to the hype.  For AED1600 there are a number of hotel stays I would check out with Hubs instead (including a trip back to Banyan Tree).  However, if I tell my inner pessimist to quiet down, I imagine Dinner in the Sky would be a memorable place for an anniversary or birthday (skip the engagement or proposals folks, you could easily lose the ring from up top).  Be aware, that if you’re going for the food, you’re going to be disappointed, and should really look at the event as an experience, with a bit of a snack while you’re up floating around the Marina.

My tips and observations?

• Go to Barasti first.  While I’m not saying a glass of wine would’ve increased my enjoyment, I do think that something that would take the edge off would be appreciated.  Just remember that there are no bathrooms 50 meters up…  (I also think they should offer a glass of bubbly in the lobby or in the waiting area before going up, but that’s just me).
• Wear closed-toe shoes or sandals that close.  My slip on shoes felt dangerously close to falling over more than once.  Flips flops would be particularly unsuitable.
• If you’re going to go, know that lunch was fun, but I think dinner would provide the most dramatic view of the marina.
• I’m really glad they relocated from City Walk (the original location) to the Marina.  The views were super dramatic (especially with the SkyDive Dubai guys coming in).
• AED350 for lunch and AED500 for dinner seem a much more accurate pricing structure.  Similarly, if they offered a 20 minute up and down experience for AED150, I bet people would enjoy that as well.

So, is it worth the high (pun intended) price point?  Honestly, I think you’re better off heading over to Weslodge.  The JW Marriott Marquis the tallest hotel in the world, and Weslodge does a much nicer job with their food for a far cheaper price point.  Skip this experience and go to a venue that focuses on food.  Either that, or lean in and accept that you’re going to overpay to make your friends jealous.  The choice is yours.

A to Za’atar was invited as a guest of Dinner in the Sky.  Opinions are my own, just ask my husband.
[googlemaps https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m18!1m12!1m3!1d3613.3434904342507!2d55.14297725146928!3d25.090231383867163!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!3m3!1m2!1s0x3e5f6b4dc6fa9355%3A0xb5a2924ba15f0467!2sDubai+International+Marine+Club!5e0!3m2!1sen!2sae!4v1484027424279&w=600&h=450]