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Five-star accommodations include a fleet of opulent yachts that bob in the harbour as Dubai goes all out to accommodate wealthy soccer fans who want to watch the World Cup in style. Without tickets but with thousands of dollars to spare, fans may watch games on a giant screen while seeing the skyline of the Gulf financial center from the upper deck of a $ 20,000-per-night yacht.
The three-story, 140-foot (43-meter) vessel boasts a huge screen, jacuzzi, bar, a stylish lounge with L-shaped couches, and a sparkling crystal leopard statue. It also has more than a whiff of Dubai’s signature glitz.
One of the Gulf locales hoping to benefit from a spillover of fans looking for more lodging options and easier access to booze is the United Arab Emirates city, which is within an hour’s flight from the World Cup host country Qatar.
The vessel, which has a capacity of 125 passengers, is one of several immaculate white boats at Dubai’s Marina Harbour that are docked and prepared for the influx of spectators when the tournament begins on Sunday.
A big dining table with glass plates and silverware is put up in one of the house’s rooms, accompanied by cushioned seats and white rose bouquets.
A standing space costs $21 to enter one fan zone in Dubai Harbour, which has screens measuring 330 square metres.
However, an eight-person lounge table costs more than $920, while a luxury suite for 15 guests costs $3,676, including unlimited alcohol.
The upscale offerings support Dubai’s well-established reputation as a luxurious travel destination, a reputation enhanced by a number of reality TV programmes, notably the hugely popular “Dubai Bling” on Netflix.
Although some people take issue with the portrayal of a metropolis that also houses large populations of low-skilled migrant workers, the show, which follows a cast characterised as millionaires, has topped the platform’s watching charts across the Middle East.
The UAE is giving multiple-entry visas to World Cup supporters at the low cost of 100 dirhams ($27).
As part of the daily airlift of 160 shuttle services from Gulf towns planned for the World Cup, low-cost carrier flydubai will operate at least 30 roundtrip flights per day to Doha.
