If you are tired of gray rainy everyday life, and therefore you urgently want to go to the sea, there are not many countries where at this time there will be warm weather and comfortable water temperature. In addition, the list of visa-free countries for Russians is not so great.
If we exclude the usual for all Egypt and distant exotic countries with a long flight, you should pay attention to resort hotels in the UAE. A visa to this country is issued easily and quickly (within a week), and the pricing policy has changed markedly in recent years.
If you do not consider pathos expensive hotels like Atlantis, located on the artificially erected island of Palma, you can choose quite acceptable options for quality holidays at an affordable price.
So, you have decided to go to the UAE. Tours, the prices of which are more democratic (from 20,100 rubles for two for seven days and nights), offer accommodation in hotels located far from the beach, where you can get on the hotel's shuttle bus or on your own.
It must be taken into account that in Dubai, hotels located on the first line cost quiteexpensive. That is why a significant part of tourists choose an emirate called Sharjah, located just a twenty-minute drive from Dubai.
Sharjah features
Of the seven emirates that make up the UAE, Sharjah is the most ancient and therefore conservative. City streets and public beaches do not allow women in very revealing clothes, and men in shorts.
This does not mean that you should cover yourself with a veil, but you still need to cover your shoulders, neckline and knees. Sunbathing without the top of a bathing suit is prohibited even on closed hotel beaches. The press mentions cases when European tourists were arrested for appearing on the street in provocative clothes.
The Emirates is an Islamic country and require compliance with Sharia law from both locals and guests. Drinking alcohol in public places is absolutely unacceptable. Even with the all-inclusive system, alcoholic drinks are taboo in hotels.
Therefore, in the UAE, and even more so in Sharjah, it is very difficult to buy alcoholic beverages. This makes holidays for families with small children even more comfortable.
If you want a really calm and measured holiday without noisy drunken parties in the neighborhood, Sharjah, which has only good reviews from tourists, is perfect for you.
The only drinking place in Sharjah is the Wanderers Club, opened in 1977 for rugby and diving enthusiasts. There is a British bar with classic English food andtraditional alcoholic drinks. Only members and their guests are allowed to enter the club.
Sharjah weather
One of the main reasons for choosing a holiday in the UAE is the weather. Sharjah is most convenient to visit from October to April, when the air temperature does not rise above thirty-five degrees. During the rest of the year, the weather in all emirates is very hot and hard to bear by our tourists. The water temperature is comfortable all year round and is +19-24 degrees.
Description of the Emirate of Sharjah
Sharjah is the most unusual emirate in the UAE, located in several geographical areas, with deserts, mountains and endless sandy beaches of the Persian and Oman Gulfs, green parks and beautiful gardens.
Tourists are attracted by a rich history and cultural traditions, many museums and monuments, cozy restaurants and colorful oriental bazaars. Prices in Sharjah are much lower than in other Emirates (by 15-20%). So, for example, excursions to the UAE are very expensive, on average $100 for a trip or a sightseeing tour of the city. In Sharjah, you will pay no more than $70 for an adult and $30-50 for a child.
If you are interested in a budget quality vacation in the immediate vicinity of the beach, there are a large number of three-star hotels that are not inferior, but often superior in comfort to Turkish and Egyptian ones. One of these hotels is Al Seef Hotel Sharjah 3.
Location and description of the hotel
Al Seef Beach Hotel 3 is located in Sharjah, not far from the picturesque coast of Al Khan Bay,at a distance of three kilometers from the city center. The popular aquarium can be reached in just a few minutes.
Small friendly hotel combines elegant design, traditional Arabic comfort and modern conveniences to satisfy travelers with children and business travelers.
The hotel has 97 rooms, the beach is located across the road, just a few minutes walk. There is an indoor pool, sauna, gym, children's playground. There are two restaurants and a cafe in the lobby. There is an internet cafe and free internet access with high-speed Wi-Fi.
Smoking is prohibited in public areas of the hotel. Laundry and dry cleaning services are available at an additional cost.
The hotel offers complimentary shuttle service to Sharjah and Dubai to visit famous shopping malls and entertainment complexes. Independent travelers can rent a car by contacting the desk at the reception to avoid schedules.
Hotel Rooms
Guests of the hotel can choose from the following types of rooms: standard rooms, executive suites, junior suites. Each room has a balcony and individually controlled climate control, which is very important in hot weather.
In the rooms you will find a standard set of furniture, bed linen and toiletries, a telephone, a modern 42-inch flat-screen cable TV, a refrigerator, tea and coffee making facilities.
You can use an individual safe to store valuables. Smoking or non-smoking rooms can be selected upon your request. It is possible to install a third bed or a crib for a child according to your desire. Room service is available 24/7.
Power system
Hotel guests are offered a system of BB (breakfast) and HB (two meals a day). In the case of half board, you choose whether it will be lunch or dinner. This option is ideal for people who want to be on the beach before lunch, and go on excursions or shopping in the afternoon or evening.
Restaurants and cafes of the hotel
The main restaurant of Al Seef Beach Hotel 3 is luxuriously decorated in a marine style, which is located in the lobby of the hotel and has an open kitchen area.
The restaurant serves international cuisine and gourmet seafood delicacies that you can choose from the window. Buffet or à la carte meals available.
You can also have lunch or dinner at the private restaurant Kazan, serving the best of Russian and traditional Oriental and European cuisine. This establishment is not part of Al Seef Hotel 3.
If you want to spend time in a relaxed atmosphere with a cup of aromatic strong coffee, a glass of freshly squeezed fruit juice, enjoy your favorite desserts and traditional pastries or just have a quick bite of homemade sandwiches, Pearls cafe invites you.
Here you can watch your favorite programs or sports matches on a large 55-inch screen in the company of other vacationers.
Beach
Vacationers of Al Seef Hotel 3can use the beach and the infrastructure of the Beach Hotel Sharjah or the public one located across the road. The public beach does not provide sun loungers, umbrellas, towels or cabanas. We must not forget that Sharjah is a puritanical city, so you should be dressed on the way to the beach.
Conditions for families with children
For younger guests, the hotel provides a baby cot in the room (on request), the use of a children's corner. The restaurant has meals for kids, it is possible to call a nanny.
Conditions for sports
Besides the indoor pool, the hotel has a modern gym. There is also a good sauna and steam room.
Excursion program offered by the hotel
To explore Sharjah's attractions, you can contact the tour desk at the hotel, where you will be offered a variety of programs.
Notably, in 1998 UNESCO declared Sharjah the Arab Capital of Culture. In memory of this event, a column was erected in front of the Desert Park and Wildlife Center.
The ancient fort Al Hish now functions as a museum. It was rebuilt by the current Sheikh of Sharjah after his brother almost completely destroyed the structure. A visit to the fort will give tourists an idea of the history, traditions andthe emirate's social fabric.
People interested in the history of world religions will be interested in visiting the Museum of Islamic Civilization, which houses the letters of the Prophet Mohammed, hand-copied copies of the chapters of the Koran and various artifacts brought from Mecca. There you can also see an exhibition of Arabic handicrafts.
It is proposed to visit the Museum of Arabic calligraphic art, representing the works of Persian, Turkish and Arab creators. There are calligraphy schools operating at the museum.
You can admire the majestic King Faisal Mosque, which the emirate received as a gift from the ruler of Saudi Arabia and can accommodate 15,000 Muslims.
Every tourist visiting Sharjah traditionally visits the Blue Market, sometimes called "golden" for the color of its walls. Mosaic was generously used in the decoration of the building. The market is considered the best place to buy gold and silver items, souvenirs and carpets, which are sold by about six hundred shops and shops. Shopping here is a long and entertaining process, with the obligatory condition to bargain.
Opposite the Gold Souk there is a fish market where you will see a variety of seafood.
The oldest and most colorful bazaar in the emirate is Al-Arsa, where it is interesting to just wander around or sit in a national cafe with a cup of mint tea.
The most fun and carefree place in Sharjah is the Al Kasbah pedestrian area, which is located near the canal and is clearly visible from afar on the Ferris wheel. It offers great views of the city andbay.
You can visit many cafes and restaurants, including those belonging to world-famous chains. Children will enjoy visiting various attractions and playgrounds. You will admire the singing fountain, take a ride on the water tram.
Sightseeing double-decker buses depart from Al Kasbah.
Sharjah features the Art Museum, Airport Museum, Classic Car Museum, Science Museum, and the Maritime Museum and Aquarium, which is most loved by visitors with children.
Desert Park, which is 28 km away towards Al Daeed, is very popular. Arriving here, you will visit as many as three museums: national history, the Arab Wildlife Center and the Children's Farm.
In this park, you will learn about the animal and plant world of the desert, see more than a hundred species of animals, and get close to the tame animals at the children's farm.
Recommended hotel
Al Seef Hotel 3 is recommended for a relaxing and comfortable stay for travelers with children, people who come for business purposes, lovers of beach holidays at low prices.
Shopping lovers also often stay at this hotel to get a quality inexpensive holiday and the opportunity to easily get shopping in the emirate's eastern markets and neighboring Dubai.
For those who decide to combine a rich excursion program with a comfortable beach holiday, Sharjah Al Seef Hotel 3is one of the most acceptable options.
Reviews abouthotel
On travel forums, travelers have become more and more interested in holidays in the UAE. Tours with more affordable prices often offer accommodation in Sharjah.
Experienced tourists advise not to neglect the opportunity to relax in good conditions and calm atmosphere in hotels located near the beach.
Those of them who have already visited this hotel consider it one of the most convenient options for this, having an ideal price-quality ratio. So, a seven-day tour for two with accommodation in a standard room will cost 26,500 rubles.
Most visitors who visited the hotel with children note the calm, friendly atmosphere, cleanliness and order. Mention is made of the hotel's good facilities for staying with children.
Al Seef Hotel 3, in their opinion, should be chosen if you plan to spend most of your time at sea. At the same time, it is advised to choose the breakfast-dinner food system.
Family tourists with children celebrate the opportunity to swim in the pool, send the children to play in the children's corner, the presence of a large selection of dishes for children's food and a good selection of desserts in the hotel cafe.
Tourists with children recommend visiting the Aquarium, where members of the whole family will be happy to look at colorful fish, turtles and other inhabitants of the deep sea.
Your kids will love the Desert Park Kids Farm where they can feed, play and just watch the funny little animals. Trip to the areaEl Kasbah will impress them the next day.
Solo travelers visiting the UAE for business purposes also rate this hotel positively. They note the proximity to Dubai, the availability of transfers to administrative and shopping centers, the ability to rent a car and use an individual safe.
Such tourists recommend using the BB system due to the fact that most often they dine and dine in other places. However, they appreciate the selection of dishes offered for breakfast by the Al Seef Hotel 3 restaurant.
Reviews about visiting the gym and sauna are also quite good. Tourists note low prices for taxis and gasoline.
Travelers who like to combine a beach holiday with a rich and entertaining excursion program also appreciated Al Seef Hotel 3. The UAE is a country where there is something to see. With close proximity to Sharjah and Dubai, Al Seef residents can visit famous Dubai attractions.
In the morning, after having breakfast at the hotel restaurant, you can soak up the beach, and after lunch or in the evening go to the entertainment mecca of the country. There, experts advise visiting the promenade green promenade of the Marina, look at Palm Jumeirah, Atlantis, Wave and Sail, as well as visit the observation deck of the tallest building in the world, Burj Khalifa.
In order to see everything interesting, you will not have enough for a month, so it is irrational to settle for this in expensive hotels in Dubai, according to lovers of holidays in the Emirates. The best option for a long stay in the UAE is Sharjah.
Reviews of tourists suggest that rest in the Emirates, which was previously considered an unaffordable luxury, is becoming available to the general public thanks to the existence of good three-star hotels in Sharjah, one of which is Al Seef Hotel 3.
