Affordable hotel in Dubai

Q: Dubai has become a convenient short stopover on the way to South East Asia. Can you recommend a three-star hotel and advise me what special sights and places I should visit to get the most out of a two-day stay. - Eliza Hui
A: Depending on which airline you use, you can often get a discounted hotel rate along with your flight ticket. You can also check out what two-night packages are offered by the major travel agencies. Their packages often include airport-hotel transfers, city tours and breakfast. Finally, you can also get great rates from the discount hotel websites. A popular three-star choice is the Golden Sands Hotel Apartments, priced from around US$80 per night.
You will have no problem finding interesting things to do in Dubai. It's impossible to list all of them here, but here are some of the most popular attractions. Take a desert safari to learn about the Arabic culture and have fun dune-driving, sand-skiing and camel riding. Or you can go on a tour of the Dubai creek in a traditional wooden dhow, visiting the old-world souks of Bur Dubai. Delve into the city's history at the Dubai Museum, which is housed beneath the 180-year-old Al Fahidi Fort in Bur Dubai. Spend some time on the beach or visit Wild Wadi, a watersport theme park with 23 amazing rides. And, of course, you can even go ice-skating or ski-ing on a giant indoor snow slope in this intriguing city. Finally, leave some time for shopping. Scouting for designer gear or bargains in the vast malls and markets remains the top attraction for most visitors to Dubai.