Brian CunninghamTRAVEL
UAE staycations · Travel further afield

UAE staycations.
Personally recommended.

UAE staycations are my speciality. I draw on my own stays and hotel visits to recommend places I feel confident about, with a particular interest in good service, dining and the overall experience. My travels across the UK, Europe, Asia and the US East Coast also inform the advice I give.

Explore staycations & travel ideas ↓Already know your hotel? Book through my portal
Beach, turquoise pool and sea on Palm Jumeirah, photographed by Brian
PALM JUMEIRAH · DUBAIA beach break on Palm Jumeirah.
Your next UAE staycation

My recommendations
for a UAE staycation.

There is a great deal of choice in the UAE, but the right hotel depends on what you want from your stay. These are places I have stayed at or visited, with my thoughts on who they would suit.

My UAE hotel collection

More hotels to discuss
for your next stay.

From a city stay in Dubai to a beach break in Abu Dhabi, Ras Al Khaimah or Fujairah, these hotels are part of the conversation. Tell me what you are looking for and I can help you narrow the options.

Dubai

Abu Dhabi

Ras Al Khaimah

Fujairah

From the notebook / Two sides of Palm Jumeirah

Two very different stays
on Palm Jumeirah.

Having stayed at both properties, I would recommend them for different reasons. The atmosphere and overall resort style are important parts of that conversation.

A calmer stay: The Retreat Palm

During my May 2026 stay, the warm service, comfortable room and relaxed beach atmosphere were the strengths. The view from my Premium Room with Balcony and Palm Sea View was a highlight.

The resort was alcohol-free during my stay, an important part of deciding whether it suits you. I would consider it for a quieter, wellness-leaning break; dining was more mixed, so I would set expectations accordingly.

Overnight stay · May 2026
A livelier base: Marriott Resort Palm Jumeirah

On my May stay, West Beach access and the nearby boardwalk restaurants were strong reasons to choose this larger resort. Bal Harbour Beach felt more relaxed than the busier main pool, and MYAMI was a dining highlight.

I would discuss it with families and guests who enjoy a lively resort. Communication around benefits and room expectations could have been clearer during my visit, so I would confirm those details carefully before booking.

Overnight stay · Review submitted June 2026
Find the right beach stay for you ↗
Further afield / A wider travel perspective

Further afield,
from my own travels.

UAE staycations are my specialism. My travels across the UK, Europe, Asia and the US East Coast also inform the way I help you plan further from home.

Stone buildings and flowers overlooking the Tuscan countryside, from Brian’s July 2025 trip
EUROPE / TUSCANY, ITALY

Planning time in Tuscany.

My own travels in Tuscany are a useful starting point. We can discuss the places you want to visit and whether one hotel base or a few different stops would work best.

From my Italy travels · July 2025Explore this starting point ↗
Asia / Cambodia & Thailand

Cambodia and Thailand, with time to explore.

I have travelled in both Cambodia and Thailand. Tell me what interests you most, whether that is culture, dining or time to relax, and we can discuss a trip that gives each part enough time.

Explore one country in more depth, or discuss whether combining them fits your time and pace. For substantial ground arrangements, we can consider a suitable destination specialist.

Talk through an Asia trip ↗
Carved stone towers and columns at Angkor Thom, photographed by Brian
Angkor Thom, Cambodia · My travels, February 2013
CAMBODIA / A SENSE OF HISTORY

Angkor Thom, Cambodia.

This photograph is from my visit to Angkor Thom in February 2013. If Cambodia is on your list, we can discuss the places you want to see and the right local support for the trip.

Vertigo rooftop at Banyan Tree Bangkok overlooking the city at sunset
Vertigo, Banyan Tree Bangkok
THAILAND / CITY AFTER DARK

Bangkok, including the evenings.

Banyan Tree Bangkok forms part of my own Thailand experience. A rooftop evening at Vertigo is one idea to discuss alongside the hotel location and the rest of your plans.

Further afield / Oman

Oman: mountains or Muscat.

Two options to discuss when planning time in Oman. We can look at either as a stay in its own right, or consider whether combining them would suit your trip.

Al Jabal Al Akhdar

Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar Resort

For a mountain stay, this is an option I would include in the conversation. We can work through the room choice, time at the resort and the practical arrangements for getting there.

Discuss this stay with me ↗
Muscat

The Chedi Muscat

For time in Muscat, The Chedi is another hotel to consider. Tell me how much of the trip you want to spend at the hotel and how much you want to explore, and we can plan around that.

Discuss this stay with me ↗
Further afield / Sri Lanka

Two very different stays
in Sri Lanka.

Saman Villas and Shangri-La Hambantota answer different briefs. The first is a boutique retreat; the second is an option for a family holiday. I would start with who is travelling and the experience you want.

A boutique retreat

Saman Villas

I would discuss Saman Villas for a trip centred on a boutique hotel retreat. It is a different starting point from a family resort holiday, so getting the brief right matters.

Discuss this stay with me ↗
A family retreat

Shangri-La Hambantota

For a family retreat, I would put Shangri-La Hambantota into the conversation. We can look at the room arrangements and check the current family facilities against the ages and interests of everyone travelling.

Discuss this stay with me ↗
Pool and thatched pavilion beside the sea at Kuda Huraa, photographed by Brian
Four Seasons Kuda Huraa · My travels, October 2023
Further afield / The Maldives

The Maldives,
from firsthand experience.

The choice of resort is a significant part of a Maldives holiday. I can draw on experience across four properties when discussing what would suit you.

My firsthand Maldives experience includes:

  • One&Only Reethi Rah
  • Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa
  • Soneva Fushi
  • Anantara Veli

We can talk through your room preferences, the dining experience you are looking for and how you want to spend your time. I would then narrow the options around your priorities and check the current details for your dates.

Talk through a Maldives stay ↗
Travel Notes / A starting point

Choose the setting first.

A desert resort, a beach stay or a city weekend will each give you a different experience. Before recommending hotels, I like to understand which of those appeals to you and what you want from the break.

From there, we can look at the details that make a difference: the room, the dining, the service and whether the overall atmosphere is right for you.

Tell me about your next trip ↗
Two ways to begin

How I can help
with your next trip.

01 / PERSONAL TRAVEL PLANNING

Personal advice and trip planning.

Whether you are considering a UAE staycation or a longer trip, tell me your dates, budget and what matters most. I can help you work through the hotel options and the practical details.

Start a conversation ↗
02 / DIRECT HOTEL BOOKINGS

Know your hotel?
Book it directly.

Browse eligible direct hotel rates and book through my Fora Client Portal. This self-booking option is for hotels only, with third-party rates excluded.

Book a hotel through Fora ↗For existing clients: sign in with the email or phone number on your client profile. New to working with me? Request access first.
Travel Notes / On Instagram

Recent Travel Notes
and hotel recommendations.

A handpicked selection from @brian.cunningham.travel, with UAE stays at the heart. Open a post for the full story.

SAMPLE ITINERARIES · IN PREPARATION

A closer look
at the journey.

Sample itineraries will show how a trip comes together, from the choice of hotel to the shape of each day.

Selected examples will be built in Fora and added here once ready.

Meet your advisor

Firsthand experience.
Specific advice.

I’m Brian Cunningham, a Dubai-based Independent Travel Advisor with Fora Travel. UAE staycations are my niche, with a particular interest in the setting, dining and details that make a short break feel worthwhile.

My wider experience comes from travel across the UK, Europe, Asia, the US East Coast and the Maldives. I aim to be clear about what I have experienced personally, what stood out and who I would recommend it to. Matching the right hotel to the right client matters more to me than recommending somewhere simply because it is well known.

My Fora profile & client reviews ↗
Before you begin

A few useful details.

Can anyone use the hotel portal?

The portal is for contacts marked as Clients in my Fora account. If we haven’t worked together yet, email me to request access. You’ll sign in with the contact details held on your client profile.

What can I book myself?

This website’s self-booking route is for hotels. Third-party rates are hidden. Non-refundable rates currently require you to contact me before booking.

Are hotel benefits guaranteed?

Benefits depend on the property and the rate selected. Check the inclusions, payment terms and cancellation conditions shown for your booking; upgrades and other availability-dependent benefits are not guaranteed.

Do you book flights?

I do not book flights. For travel involving substantial ground arrangements, we can discuss working with a suitable destination specialist.

Start with a conversation

What do you have in mind?

If you are considering a UAE staycation or a trip further afield, email me with the details. I would be happy to talk through the options.

Email Brian ↗