With over 5.8 million visitors in 2005 and occupancy rate in excess of 83% Dubai is fast becoming one of the world’s premier tourist destinations in the world with tourism business reaching unprecedented levels.

Dubai is a cosmopolitan city with a population over 1 million that offers a wonderful taste of Arabia, seamlessly combining some of the world’s most exciting tourists developments in a distinctive blend of modern city and desert. Where else can you spend a vacation that combines sand dunes and Middle East culture with stunning high rise hotels overlooking pristine beaches and the warm turquoise waters of the Persian Gulf?

Dubai is also a shopper’s paradise. The tiny emirate is a duty-free zone and during its Shopping Festival, two million visitors arrive looking for discounts on gold, electronics, clothing, and Persian carpets.

Dubai has a subtropical arid climate and the weather is sunny pretty much all the year round… Dubai has experienced a total of 4 days of rain in 2005!

Given all the above reasons and keeping aside many others, is clear that the travel industry hence the local accommodation providers are riding the biggest wave of their life in fact in many cases the request for holiday accommodation as taken over the supply and it’s not breaking news for frequent travelers to hear that the hotels are fully booked and capable of offering only the most expensive suites (whatever left available).

There is a wide choice of accommodation available in Dubai ranging from hotels, hotel apartments and private villas or apartments for more exclusive retreats.

Renting an apartment might be a cheaper option then staying in a hotel especially if you intend staying in Dubai for longer then the usual package holiday or if you are a large group or simply wish to have greater flexibility and privacy, this latest option being the most sought after in recent days.

One of the most popular areas of Dubai is the Dubai Marina which creates an awe-inspiring city-within-a city that delights residents with its cosmopolitan, free-spirited atmosphere and unique, invigorating lifestyle.

It is a urban center on the water, comparable to the most exclusive waterfront developments in the world’s leading cities. Dubai Marina is the place where people meet, laugh, live and enjoy life to the full, always alive, with the glittering Marina at its heart.

Booking a Hotel in Dubai Marina is out of reach for many travelers who rather spend their budget on shopping and dining, for this reason renting a self-catering apartment in the Dubai Marina itself or a self-catering villa on the world famous Palm Island can be a much cheaper option, more affordable, comfortable and also more exciting….

There are many villas and apartments available for short term rental on self-catering basis and can cater from a minimum of 1 guest to as much as 15 guests according to the number of bedrooms available.

When planning to book a holiday apartment or villa in Dubai on self-catering basis it is necessary to carefully select the right real estate agent to deal with.

The most recommended would certainly be those actually based in Dubai that can guarantee you full assistance on a 24 hrs basis.

It’s really the quality that matters when you choose your holiday home in Dubai, yes you could be spending some extra bucks but in the end it will pay off.

Some properties are equipped with every amenity, from the bread toaster to the kettle, from the coffee machine to the microwave and also include a twice weekly house keeping service, fresh towels, fresh bed sheets, miniature shampoo and shower gel etc. some other properties that come across as a good bargain could end up being a bad surprise to say the least and you might experience issues such as faulty air conditioning, lack of cutlery items or crockery or cooking pans or lack of water pressure, poor hygiene and the list can go on and on to a point where your vacation could get badly compromised.

Professional agencies maintain and check on the properties on regular basis in addition to supply amenities and accessories to a level that can meet and in some cases go beyond the standard of a 5 stars hotel.

When booking a self catering apartment or villa there are few questions that you might want to ask such as:

How far and where is the nearest hospital? Does the property have a telephone line to make outgoing calls in case of emergency? Will you be awaited at your arrival in the early ours of the morning and will you be escorted and checked in your apartment by professional and English speaking staff? Will you find first hand groceries in the fridge at your arrival? How far is the closest supermarket? How far is the closest pharmacy? How far is the closest restaurant or coffee shop? Are the bills included in the rent? Is there a house keeping service provided? Is there a maintenance number that you could call in case it was required? Will you be able to receive international calls from your loved ones? How far is the beach? How far is the closest mall? Is the area fully developed or is it still under construction? How noisy or quite is it and do the windows have double glazing to serve this purpose? Are taxis easily available? Etc etc….

In the end it all comes to experience and professionalism…

There are many companies over the internet offering holiday villas around the world which is a great advantage as it keeps the competition alive and the rates affordable however be always careful and do your homework before making your final choice, at the end of the day it’s your holiday on the line.

The author of this article is Alessandro Dubaldo, Managing Director at www.DubaiFurnishedApartments.com