The Expo 2020 exhibition attracts visitors from all over the world to visit the UAE. The first thing a tourist needs to think about before visiting Dubai is where he/she will reside for the duration of their stay. Guests can check into a hotel or rent an apartment for a short period of time in the vicinity of the Expo 2020 site. We have prepared an article with a selection of the best hotels and residential complexes where tourists can find accommodation for the period of their visit to the world exhibition in Dubai. The article also contains information about short-term rental conditions in the emirate and the current COVID-19 situation in the country.

Top hotels near Dubai Expo 2020

Checking into a hotel is probably the most convenient way to find accommodation near the Expo 2020 site. The advantages of staying in a hotel include the overall service and the opportunity to obtain good promotions and discounts from the hotel or tour operator for a week’s stay. There are several hotel options in close proximity to the exhibition such as Rove Hotel on the territory of Expo 2020, Fortune Park Hotel and Premier Inn Dubai Investment Park.

Rove Expo 2020

Rove Expo 2020 Hotel is a brand-new hotel in the heart of the exhibition site. The complex includes a variation of 312 rooms from 1-BR to 5-BR and 19 suites. The amenities of the hotel comprise foosball tables, soundproof work booths, a sundeck, 24hr gymnasium, an outdoor infinity swimming pool on the roof, co-working spaces, and the Rove Café and The Bar. Rove Expo 2020 is right next to the Al Wasl Plaza and all rooms offer views of the Expo 2020 Dubai site. Visitors can arrive at Rove Expo 2020 Hotel through the Mobility Arrival Plaza (round-the-clock) and the Dubai Metro Arrival Plaza (during the opening hours of Dubai Metro). In addition, The Dubai Road Transport Authority (RTA) has allocated free Expo Rider buses for exhibition visitors. All 203 buses are equipped with a special ramp for strollers and wheelchair users who visit Expo 2020 from the 9 stations in Dubai: Al Baraha, Al Ghubaiba, Global Village, Dubai Silicon Oasis, Dubai Mall, Palm Jumeirah, International City, Etisalat and Dubai International Airport (Terminal 3). It should also be mentioned that their is currently no parking available at the Rove Hotel, however you may be able to park at the Mobility Arrival Plaza. Regardless of the point of entry, visitors must go to the Rove Expo 2020 hotel kiosk for a quick security check. The rates in Rove Hotel are from USD 231 per night. Check-in is normallu at 4:00 PM and check-out is at 2:00 PM. The complex is a non-smoking development, but smokers have unlimited access to the dedicated outdoor areas. Note! If you register on the official website of Rove Expo 2020 through U By Emaar, you can get a 10% discount on all hotel stays. If you book a stay of 3 nights or more, you can get a 15% discount directly from the hotel.

Fortune Park Hotel

Fortune Park Hotel is a 4-star Boutique Hotel, which was designed by American architect Reza Kabul. The hotels offers 114 rooms with four different options to choose from:

<ul><li>Executive Suites (4 per floor)</li><li>Junior Suites (6 per floor)</li><li>Deluxe Rooms (14 per floor)</li><li>Deluxe Twin Rooms (14 per floor)</li></ul>

There are plenty of facilities in the complex, such as 24-hour room service, to/from airport transfers (on request), a business center, valet parking, gymnasium, swimming pool, banquet hall and much more. Fortune Park Hotel is located in the Dubai Investment Park area. Taxis here are always available with the minimum fare set at AED 12 (USD 3). The trip by taxi from the hotel to the Expo 2020 site will take less than 20 minutes’ and will cost about AED 32—40 (USD 8.71—11). Dubai Investment Park Metro Station 2 (Red Line) is within walking distance and will take about 30 minutes from Fortune Park Hotel to the Expo 2020 Metro Station 2. After alighting at the station, you will need to walk about 10 minutes’ to the bus stop 500 (shuttle to the exhibition), which will take you directly to the Mobility 2 stop. Then it’s just a two-minute walk and you’re on the exhibition grounds. Tourists can also hire a car if they have a valid international driver’s license. The minimum cost of hiring a car in Dubai constitutes about AED 40 (USD 11) per day and AED 1,200 (USD 327) per month. The documents needed for tourists to hire a car in Dubai include submitting a valid passport, visit visa, home country driving license and International Driving Permit (IDP). Guests of the Fortune Park Hotel can check-in from 02:00 PM on the day of arrival, while check-out on the day of departure is 12:00 PM. Early check-in and late check-out are subject to extra charges: from 02:00 PM to 06:00 PM — 50% of the room rate and after 06:00 PM — 100%. A one night charge will be applicable for no-shows. Pets are not allowed at this hotel. More information about hotel terms and conditions can be found on their official website. Note! You can cancel your reservation without any charge up to 24 hours before your arrival date. The average rates in Fortune Park Hotel constitute AED 449 (USD 122) per night. The extra bed charges constitute AED 100 (USD 27) per night and the maximum number of extra beds in a room is only one. Buffet breakfast costs AED 60 (USD 16) per person. Children under 12 are entitled to a 50% discount on meal rates.

Premier Inn Dubai Investment Park

This 3-star hotel offers amenities such as a swimming pool on the roof, a well-equipped gymnasium, free Wi-Fi, air conditioning and free shuttle transfers to the Ibn Battuta Mall and the Dubai Metro. A paid buffet breakfast is served for guests every morning. The average room rates in Premier Inn Dubai Investment Park Hotel constitute AED 325—368 (USD 88—100) per night. The hotel is situated in the Dubai Investment Park district, and as with the Fortune Park Hotel, the Expo 2020 site can be reached by taxi in about a 20-minute drive, or by taking the Dubai Investment Park 2 metro, which takes about half an hour. You will need to get alight at Expo 2020 Metro Station 2, and at the 2020 South Plaza 1 stop, then take bus 500 which will take you directly to the Mobility 2 stop.

Where to rent an apartment near the Dubai Expo 2020 site

Dubai Sports City, Jumeirah Golf Estates and Dubai Production City are the most sought-after communities for short-term rentals of apartments near the Expo 2020 site.

Dubai Production City (IMPZ)

The mixed-use area spans across 43 million sq. ft and is adjacent to Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road. There are all necessary facilities within the district such as supermarkets, schools, retail centers and more. The most in demand complex for rental apartments in Dubai Production City is Midtown. The development offers 1-BR and 2-BR residences to rent. The minimum rental price for a 1-BR apartment  is AED 6,900 (USD 1,800) per month, while a weekly lease cost AED 2,750 (USD 748). There are various amenities here such as basketball and tennis courts, swimming pool, a running track, health club, community parks and green spaces. You can get from Midtown to the Expo 2020 site by taxi in 25 minutes’ at an approximate cost of AED 50—60 (USD 13.6—16.4). Public transport will take around 90 minutes. The route includes a trip by bus (F34), which is within walking distance from Midtown. After 13 stops you will need to alight at Dubai Internet City Metro Station 2. Then take the metro and go through 10 more stops to get off at EXPO 2020 Metro Station 2. From here you can take the free direct shuttle to the exhibition site. The residential development consists of 4 towers, each with 22 floors and a common podium: A, B, C and D. Tower D of the complex offers a spacious 1-BR apartment for rent, the cost of which constitutes AED 8,500 (USD 2,300) per month. You can also find some rare daily rentals here for AED 200—300 (USD 54—82). No other rental options are available in this area. The amenities of Lakeside comprise swimming pools, BBQ areas, a gymnasium and a tennis court. You can get from Lakeside to the Expo 2020 exhibition by taxi in less than 25 minutes’ at an approximate cost of AED 48—56 (USD 13—15). The Expo 2020 site can be reached by public transport in less than an hour and a half. You need to take bus F34, go through 9 stops and get off at the Dubai Internet City Metro Station 2. Then alight after 10 metro station stops and take the free shuttle bus to the exhibition site.

Jumeirah Golf Estate (JGE)

The world-class residential neighbourhood is a popular golf destination in Dubai and houses 2 championship golf courses on the territory of the community called Earth and Fire. The sub-community offers 1-BR and 2-BR apartments with golf course views for rent with all residential units having spacious covered terraces. The minimum rental price for a 1-BR residence constitutes AED 13,000 (USD 3,500) per month. You can also find rare daily rentals here for AED 300 (USD 82). No other rental options are available. The area of the complex is 10 hectares and the facilities of the Al Andalus development include a mosque, all-inclusive clubhouse, retail outlets and a 130-key boutique hotel. If you decide to take public transportation, you should be prepared for the trip to take about two hours as it will take you 20 minutes to reach Sports City, Victory Heights West Gate 2, then you will need to pass 7 stops and alight near Dubai Internet City Metro Station 2. Then you will need to take the metro and go through10 more stops, get off at EXPO 2020 Metro Station 2 and walk 10 minutes’ to the free shuttle stop which will take you directly to the Mobility exhibition pavilion. It is recommended to reach the Expo 2020 venue from Al Andalus complex by taxi. This option is faster and will be more comfortable than taking public transport. The taxi fare will cost between AED 46—53 (USD 12—14) and the journey will take about 20 minutes.

Dubai Sports City

The residential community offers residents various facilities and a well-developed infrastructure that includes a 25,000-seat outdoor stadium, an International Cricket Stadium, Els Club, retail malls, restaurants and many other sports facilities. The area also often holds different community events throughut the year. This is a residential tower of 16 storeys, that offers studio apartments and 1-BR apartments to rent. You can rent a property here for a minimum of one month at a price of AED 5,000 (USD 1,361) for a 550 sq.ft studio or at least AED 6,000 (USD 1,634) for a 750 sq.ft 1-bedroom apartment. Modern amenities of the development comprise a sauna, steam room, spa, BBQ area, gymnasium, swimming pool, a children’s playground and a jacuzzi. You can get from Oasis Tower to the Expo 2020 site by taxi, with an approximate cost of AED 45—52 (USD 12—14) and the trip will take around 20 minutes. The route to the exhibition by public transport will take less than an hour and a half. You will need to take the F34 bus, which is within walking distance of the tower, go through 3 stops and get off at the Dubai Internet City Metro Bus Stop Landside. Then take the Dubai Internet City Metro Station 2 (Red Line), and get off after 10 stops at EXPO 2020 Metro Station 2. You can then use the free shuttle service to take you to the Mobility Pavilion. The residential complex comprises 2 towers: A and B. The development offers 1-BR and 2-BR apartments to rent. The minimum cost of a 1-BR residence to rent constitutes AED 5,500 (USD 1,500) per month and the starting price of a weekly lease is AED 1,800 (USD 490). Daily rentals are extremely rare but can range from AED 250—350 (USD 68—100). The facilities of Najma Towers comprise a shared swimming pool, gymnasium, central air conditioning and on-site car parking. You can get from the complex to the Expo 2020 site by taxi in 20 minutes’ at an approximate cost of AED 44—51 (USD 12—14). Using public transport will take a little over an hour and a half as the route includes a trip on the F37 bus, which is a 10-minute walk from the complex. You will then need to take the bus from Sports City, ICC Headquarters 2, get off after 2 stops at the Dubai Internet City Metro Bus Stop Landside. Then take the Dubai Internet City Metro Station 2 and alight after 10 stops to the EXPO 2020 Metro Station 2. There will be a shuttle bus directly to the exhibition hall within a 10-minute walk.

Short-term rental conditions in Dubai

Unlike a long-term lease, a short-term lease can be for a day/week/month or six months. You do not need to register in the Ejari system to sign a contract, as short-term rentals are managed by Dubai Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM). It is worth noting that for short-term rentals, there are no standard registration templates between the guest and the operator yet, other than the basic requirement that the operator must register with the DTCM system for all persons who reside in the property for a set rental period. To do this, the tenant must provide a scanned copy of an ID (for GCC citizens) or a passport and visa (for foreign nationals). In addition, visitors of hotels, private hotels and some apartments in Dubai are charged a daily “tourist dirham” tax. The tax depends on the class of property and can be AED 10 (USD 3) for a standard, or AED 15 (USD 4) for a suite per day. While in hotels this tax can be automatically included in the accommodation price. For short-term rentals this is calculated through the DTCM system duringregistration. The tax fee is charged to the guest as a separate fee on the bill or invoice. Note! The Tourism Dirham is charged only for the period of the first 30 consecutive days of the guest’s stay. You can get more detailed information about short-term accommodation in the emirate by contacting Dubai Tourism and Commerce Marketing on 600-555-559. The rental price for short-term apartments includes internet, electricity and water utilities as well as in-house maintenance and housekeeping. But the rental price doesn’t usually include the Tourism Dirham fee, VAT and refundable deposits. Moreover, in Dubai, the majority of short-term lease contracts require the stay of guests for a minimum number of nights. The necessary documents required to rent property on a monthly or weekly basis include a valid government-issued ID card/passport.

How to book a short-term rental or a hotel in Dubai

You can use the AirBnB website or app for booking a short-term apartment lease in Dubai. The AirBnB app is available on the AppStore (for iOS) and Play Store (for Android). The procedure of booking uses the following steps:

<ol><li>Registration or Sign-in on the AirBnB website.</li><li>Completion of profile with a valid government ID card and a profile picture.</li><li>Selection of check-in and check-out dates, number of guests and location of the property in order to obtain an accurate price.</li><li>Confirmation of booking.</li></ol>

Hosts must approve the reservation within 24 hours and your booking will be confirmed only after this. The payment for the booking in full will be available after the approval. You can contact your host if you have any questions. You can use booking.com, Expedia or Hotels.com websites for booking hotels in Dubai that are in close proximity to the Expo 2020 site. The procedure of booking consists of the following steps:

<ol><li>Register or Sign-in on one of the websites.</li><li>Enter location, check-in and check-out dates and the number of guests. Then click on ‘Search’.</li><li>Choose a suitable hotel, enter details and click on ‘Check booking’.</li><li>Complete final details such as your phone number, preferred payment and preferred mode of payment.</li><li>Complete your booking. A confirmation document of your reservation will be sent to your email.</li></ol>

COVID-19 situation in Dubai

All tourists from any country, including GCC countries, apart from South Africa, Vietnam, Ethiopia, Zambia, Bangladesh, India, Nigeria, Uganda, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, have to hold a negative COVID‑19 RT‑PCR test certificate for a test taken no more than 72 hours before their departure. It must be an official printed or digital certificate in Arabic or English, which must be issued by an authorized institution in the departure country of the passenger. SMS certificates will not be accepted. Tourists arriving in Dubai from the following countries are required to take one more COVID‑19 PCR test at Dubai airport: Afghanistan, Angola, Argentina, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Brazil, Cambodia, Chile, Croatia, Cyprus, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Georgia, Ghana, Greece, Guinea, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Ivory Coast, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Maldives, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, Morocco, Myanmar, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, Poland, Philippines, Qatar, Rwanda, Russia, Senegal, Slovakia, Somaliland, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Zimbabwe. Tourists have to remain in their places of residence until receiving their test results. In the case that the result is positive, the individual will need to undergo isolation. Children under 12 years old and passengers with a moderate or severe disability do not have to take a COVID‑19 RT‑PCR test.

Summary

<ol><li>The advantages of staying in a hotel are the general hotel services and the opportunity to obtain promotions or discounts from the hotel as well as a tour operator for a week’s stay.</li><li>The best hotel options in close proximity to Expo 2020 include Rove Expo 2020 Hotel, Fortune Park Hotel and Premier Inn Dubai Investment Park.</li><li>Rove Hotel is a brand-new hotel on the territory of the exhibition site.</li><li>Early check-in and late check-out are subject to extra charges in Fortune Park Hotel.</li><li>Dubai Sports City, Jumeirah Golf Estates and Dubai Production City are the most sought-after communities for short-term apartment rentals near the Expo 2020 site.</li><li>In Dubai, short-term rental contracts do not have to be registered through the Ejari system, because rentals of this kind are regulated by Dubai Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM).</li><li>The AirBnB website or app can be used for booking a short-term apartment rental in Dubai. And booking.com, Expedia or Hotels.com websites can also be used for booking a hotel in the emirate.</li></ol>