A 1.5kg lasagne challenge is calling your name.
There are sensible ways to spend a weekend. This list contains relatively few of them. Among the best things to do in Dubai and Abu Dhabi this weekend are racing against the clock to finish 1.5kg of lasagne and watching Formula 1 with Dutch fried cheese on the side.
For those with less competitive appetites, there are family daycations, hotel deals, a back-to-school market and brunches that require considerably less physical preparation. Whether you want to keep the family entertained, escape the heat or turn Sunday lunch into an event, here’s what’s happening across the UAE this weekend.
Centara’s daycation puts the fun first
A hotel room is useful for sleeping. If you’re not planning to do much of that, Centara’s Family Daycation gets straight to the fun. The package includes access to the waterpark, pools, private beach, kids’ club and gaming zone, without the need to pack an overnight bag filled with 14 things nobody uses.
Even better, Dh170 of the Dh220 adult pass can be redeemed as credit for food, dinner or spa treatments, while children receive Dh70 credit with their Dh110 pass. In other words, everyone gets entertained while someone else handles the towels. That counts as a holiday in our book.
Price: Dh220 for adults (Dh170 credit); Dh110 for children (Dh70 credit)
When: Until August 31
Where: Centara Mirage Beach Resort Dubai
Cucina dares you to tackle a six-person lasagne
Cucina has created a 1.5kg lasagne designed to feed six people, then taken things one step further by challenging one person to finish the entire dish. You have 90 minutes to tackle five layers of pasta, ragù, béchamel and melted cheese. Finish it and your Dh580 bill is wiped out. Fail, and you’ll have paid Dh580 to discover exactly where your personal lasagne limit lies.
Of course, you can order the Gigante Lasagna and share it like a rational human being. But rational people don’t get their photo taken after conquering a slab of pasta.
Price: Dh580; free if finished solo within 90 minutes
When: Daily
Where: Cucina, Palm West Beach, Dubai
Flavours Hub makes back-to-school shopping easier
Nothing says “summer is over” quite like suddenly becoming emotionally invested in pencil cases. Flavours Hub is easing the transition with a weekend market featuring stationery, school bags, personalised accessories and other back-to-school essentials, along with DIY activities for children.
There’s food, too. Ten homegrown concepts will serve everything from poke and dim sum to burgers, Thai and Turkish dishes, meaning you can settle lunch debates without leaving the market. Entry is free, and you could have most of September’s school shopping sorted before the Sunday-night panic begins. Your children will probably still lose half their stationery by October, but that’s beyond the market’s control.
Price: Free entry
When: August 22-23, 1pm-8pm
Where: Flavours Hub, Masdar City, Abu Dhabi
Hilton Dubai Palm Jumeirah lets kids stay free
Children are famously expensive travel companions for people with no income. Hilton Dubai Palm Jumeirah is temporarily addressing this economic injustice with its Flex Stay offer. Families can save up to 25 per cent on half-board stays, while children aged 11 and under stay and dine free when they follow the same meal plan as the adults.
With the beach right there, your itinerary can largely consist of deciding between the pool and the sea until someone inevitably demands food. It’s a straightforward Dubai staycation with one particularly appealing perk: several members of your booking can eat without repeatedly appearing as extra charges on the bill.
Price: Up to 25 per cent off half-board stays; children aged 11 and under stay and dine free
When: Limited-time summer offer
Where: Hilton Dubai Palm Jumeirah, Dubai
Lakeview combines F1 action with Dutch treats
No ticket to Zandvoort? Lakeview has a Plan B: watch the Dutch Grand Prix beside Dubai Creek while sampling some of the Netherlands’ finest bar snacks. The Dh90 package includes a beverage and one bite, with options such as bitterballen, kaassoufflé, kibbeling and assorted croquettes.
The races will be shown on the big screen throughout the weekend, giving you the perfect excuse to analyse tyre strategy with the confidence of someone who has never driven an F1 car. The golf course outside should remain peaceful. The clubhouse may be a different story when someone attempts a last-lap overtake.
Price: Dh90, including one beverage and one bar bite
When: August 21-23
Where: Lakeview, Dubai Creek Clubhouse, Dubai Creek Resort
The Bench Brunch packs plenty into a Dh99 deal
Dh99 doesn’t usually get you very far at brunch. At The Daily, it gets you an unlimited spread of salads, sandwiches and desserts, plus a main course and tea or coffee. That’s enough food to turn a Saturday afternoon into a scheduling problem.
The offering is casual and unfussy, with none of the theatrical extras that sometimes come with unlimited dining. Come hungry. Bringing a spreadsheet to calculate exactly how much value you’ve extracted is entirely optional.
Price: Dh99 soft package; Dh198 with select beverages; children aged 4-12 half price, under-fours free
When: Saturday, 12.30pm-3.30pm
Where: The Daily, Rove City Walk, Dubai
