Allure
Closing time: 4.15am
While other folks are sweeping up the broken glass and waving a big stick at the guy passed out on the bar, over at Yas Marina the party’s just getting started. With big-name international DJs regularly booked in at the weekends, you’ll usually have to stump up at least Dhs100 to get past the doorman. But, as officially the latest party in the city, frugal clubbers needn’t worry about value. Prone to getting headaches after more than 20 minutes’ exposure to banging house tunes? Grab a moment’s respite on the outdoor terrace before heading back into the fray.
Best night: Head down on the last Thursday of the month for the club’s semi-regular ‘Hat Party’. We’ll leave you to figure out what that might entail.
Yas Marina & Yacht Club (02 565 0050)
Étoiles
Closing time: 4am.
Girls dancing in cages, bass-heavy R&B tunes and monstrous bottles of bubbly are all regular sights at Emirates Palace’s image-conscious hangout. Good news, then, that these days the debauchery goes on well into the early hours. Nobody wants to be on their feet all night, of course, so it’s worth calling ahead and trying to swing a plush VIP booth. Just say that one of your group was in a hip hop video once or something. Hey – it worked for us.
Best night: Tuesday. Free drinks for ladies from 11pm. Gents, remember to pack your extra-long straw.
Emirates Palace (02 690 7999)
Rock Bottom
Closing time: 3.30am
Brace yourself – this isn’t going to be pretty. But what this rough and ready favourite may lack in the way of glamour, it more than makes up for in hedonistic stamina. The house band soldier on all the way till 3am (before, presumably, collapsing in a sweaty heap), after which you’ve got another 30 minutes to get your last orders in at the bar. Wise to the hunger that’s brought on by a busy night’s gyration, the management has also taken the ingenious step of setting up a hotdog stand at around 2am, which is well worth taking advantage of. At least twice.
Best night: Friday – or indeed any night that’s not a school night. Nobody wants to trudge into the office with the taste of stale hotdogs in their mouth.
Al Diar Capital Hotel (02 678 7700)
Yacht Club
Closing time: 3am
You’ll need to smarten up a bit (there’s no entry for those in T-shirts or trainers), but once within the classy confines of the InterCon’s modern watering hole, you’ll be glad you made the effort. As with Allure, there’s the option to escape the madness and chill on the large outdoor decking area. Lost your buddies? We find that gazing out across the marina and pretending to check that your yacht is still where you left it is a surefire way to make some new friends.
Best night: The big DJs tend to drop in on Thursday nights and, unlike some of the city’s other prominent night spots, there’s no cover charge. Check out DJ Greg Boust coming up on March 24 and DJ Calypso the following week.
InterContinental (02 666 6888)
Sax
Closing time: 3am
It may not be the newest joint in the city, but you’ll still find Sax packed with well-heeled party people way beyond midnight on most nights of the week. Neighbouring bar Oceans also enjoys a busy trade and goes somewhat easier on the decibels, meaning those with a short attention span can make the most of their night out by flitting between the two venues.
Best night: If your vocal chords are feeling limber, drop in on a Tuesday night, when karaoke is the order of the evening. The quality of those taking part is surprisingly high, and if you fancy having a warble yourself, there are English, Arabic, French and Spanish tracks to choose from.
Le Royal Méridien (02 674 2020)
