A bigger triangle emerging
Analyzing recent reports (last one year or so) and ofcourse based on my last trip, I've noticed some interesting developments which I believe will answer atleast some basic queries of those visiting Dbx for the first time or getting in p4p for the first time.
We keep talking about the golden triangle and yet if you notice, reviews on the golden triangle are getting fewer by the day. One now hardly gets to read a report on once popular joints like cyclone (dominated 2005 and earlier), York (dominated 2005 and earlier), Rockafellas (dominated 2006) and other similar places like TGIT, Staying alive etc.
Today we have raving reviews on places like the Jules Bar, the Broadway (hyped a lot by me ;)), Rattlesnake and even occasional reports on Amnesia. I seriously see a bigger Dubai triangle emerging, infact Dubai itself is now a triangle with the three reference points being Deira, Bur and Sh.Zayed road. Now you would say "come on...you just described the entire Dubai" but from a punters point of view:
1. Hotels are plenty but have accommodation problem...one seriously, most of the times is dependant on which hotel will have a vacancy rather than where one would like to stay. Most common query on the forum is that "I'm staying in so and so hotel...where do I pick up girls?"
2. With traffic increasing and far flung residencies opening up even residents don't find it convenient to hit particular spots frequently.
So the bigger triangle I am referring to is as follows:
Deira:
3 corners, where ever you stay...you are always near to a popular joint
1st corner: Jules Bar in the Le-Meridian near the airport
2nd corner: Broadway near the Clock tower/Ghurair Center/City center
3rd corner: Premiere in Old Hayat
Plus a lot of small joints some discovered and others to be discovered in the middle such as the african bar I discovered in Sandras inn on Nasr Sqaure, the daytime chinese bar in the hotel next to it and the russain night club within the same hotel. Not to mention one or two reviews on the Sheraton diera bar/club.
Then comes BUR:
The 2nd point of the Bigger triangle. Bur in the bigger picture I believe is pretty small, so where ever you are...you are always close to the golden triangle. Deira had three points within it...Bur has a cluster...called yup you guessed it "the golden triangle" comprising of the three heavy weights Seaview, York and Rockafellas, with a host of others in between (RTFF for the remaining bars...reviewed to death) and ofcourse the great Cyclone which lies outside the triangle but is still convenient to reach from both Bur and Deira.
Even hotels such as the Capitol in Port Rashid which are supposed to be out of the way are actually not so far of, I checked this time around and found out that seaview is pretty close and York, Rockafellas are just 2 minutes drive away from Seaview.
The third point is Sh-Zayed Road (from the Emirates Tower onwards)
This is the newly developed area, where most of your newer, fancier hotels are. Again this is a fairly simple area as it is one long road and everything is based on it.
You have Rattlesnake in the Metropolitan Hotel (it is not that deep inside Sh-Zayed road and is relatively closer to Bur and most of the hotels). Most recent reviews are on this bar, so it is a happening place.
Then you have a very frequented GF high end hotel Fairmont. Again closer to Bur, Fairmont has a basement club for pick up (mentioned in one of the FRs), no review yet on it but we know it exists.
For dwellers further down this road near the Media city, Ibn bututa you have Amnesia near the Hard rock cafe.
So you see in Dubai, where ever you may be, there is a p4p joint near you as Dubai itself is now a one big Golden Triangle. Ofcourse, the convenience of walking down to a p4p joint is not there everywhere or the convenience of bar hopping on foot may also not be there. But then again look at what your objective is...Bar hopping as a tourist or picking up a girl.
At every bar there are good nights and then there are bad...infact I'll go further and say that it is all about timings. Punters who have walked in and then walked out have complained about quality but those who have decided to stick in one place always walked out with the girl of their choice (the bar has nothing to do with what actually happens in your bed).
IMHO, with all recent concerns of the talent thinning out due to the LE situation, I'd say hogwash!!! The trade is thriving more than ever (with inflation ofcourse but then that is true for everything including the prices of hotels), you just have more p4p venues now. The girls have now spread all over. Just look at this forum, it was mostly about York, Cyclone, TGIT, Imperial, Premiere and Seaview till 2005. 2006 saw the entry of Rockafellas as a hot joint and today we have reports coming on Jules bar, Broadway, Rattlesnake, Amnesia (sounds like Deja Vu - am I repeating here). Ofcourse most of these places existed before as well but are now getting more attention because of better and more girls, more punters and so on.
With so much to offer, I don't think anyone visiting Dubai should complain or have the concern of no convenient p4p. Even in the furthest corner, one has all the options (Amnesia is expensive but it saves on the 3 way taxi fare; one way for you to get to main action venue, return with girl is another one way and then to send the girl back is your third taxi trip fare...might make sense for LT but definitely not in ST).
If one still WANTS to play further, might I suggest Abu Dhabi. Speaking of Abu Dhabi, is it my imagination or has Abu Dhabi also seen an increase of wgs and p4p venues, I remember a couple of years ago the reports used to speak of limited venues where one had to discreetly pick up girls from the vicinity of KFC and just this week piper submitted a long list of clubs with wg options. Secondly, Bahrain has also now picked up with places like Phoenicia. So I seriously believe that the wg trade has not decreased in the area, it has just spread out. Spread out within Dubai and to other places in UAE. For those complaining and constantly asking about as to where have the wgs gone...simply explore and you'll find more than you can handle.
Damn I wish I was there right now.
oh well...keep exploring!
Doc!
