
4 Eid Al Adha staycation offers for a guilt-free holiday getaway
Dubai really turns on the charm with festive vibes, lavish staycations and big family-style feasts that feel just like home.
This year, IHG Hotels at Dubai Festival City are joining the fun with staycation deals that have everything you need for a great escape. Expect plush rooms, stunning views of Dubai Creek and a shopping mall just steps away, turning a short break feel like a proper getaway.
Tucked right in the heart of Dubai Festival City, the IHG collection offers four different hotel experiences depending on how you like to unwind.
Whether you're after all-out fancy or something more laid-back and family-friendly, there's a staycation with your name on it, and yes, all four are offering 25 percent off room rates for Eid.
InterContinental Dubai Festival City
At InterContinental Dubai Festival City, it's all about enjoying your break in style.
You'll get one night's stay in a well-appointed room, a gourmet breakfast for two at Anise and access to voco Monaco Dubai the world islands for some well-earned beach fun.
Plus, the location is great, being directly connected to the mall means spontaneous retail therapy is always on the cards. And who doesn't love an impromptu shopping outing?
Prices vary depending on the room category and date, but this Eid offer comes with 1,000 IHG One Rewards points to sweeten the deal.
The offer is valid for stays between Sunday June 1 and Monday June 30, 2025.
Book now
InterContinental Residence Suites Dubai Festival City
Those looking for a bit more of that suite life might be drawn to InterContinental Residence Suites Dubai Festival City. The vibe is more relaxed but no less refined.
You'll get one night's stay with breakfast and dinner at MezzaLuna, plus the same generous 25 percent off the room rate.
Families will especially appreciate the 15 percent discount on full-day access to Leo & Loona Indoor Family Park, and if you're into shopping, the Dubai Festival City Mall voucher booklet has some surprises waiting.
Throw in 1,000 One Rewards points and your stay just became a mini adventure.
The offer is valid for stays between Sunday June 1 and Monday June 30, 2025.
Book now
Holiday Inn & Suites Dubai Festival City
For something playful and practical, Holiday Inn & Suites Dubai Festival City has put together a family-friendly stay that includes breakfast and dinner at Sirocco, along with one night in a comfy room.
There's a 25 percent discount here too, and the bonus extras are great – like the full-day access to Fabyland for just Dhs99 and shopping vouchers to use at Dubai Festival City Mall. You'll also collect 1,000 IHG One Rewards points, which is always a nice touch.
The offer is valid for stays between Sunday June 1 and Monday June 30, 2025.
Book now
Crowne Plaza Dubai Festival City
And finally, if you're after a polished retreat that blends business vibes with a touch of leisure, Crowne Plaza Dubai Festival City hits the mark.
The Eid stay includes a night's accommodation, breakfast, dinner, 1,000 IHG One Rewards points and Dhs100 credit to use at SPA InterContinental – ideal if your idea of unwinding involves a massage or two.
There's also a 15 percent discount on full-day access to Hello Park, giving the kids a reason to tag along. And if shopping is on your mind, lucky you, because booking the staycation offer here also provides you with a voucher to use at Dubai Festival City Mall.
The offer is valid for stays between Sunday June 1 and Monday June 30, 2025.
Book now
Call 04 701 1111 or email reservation.dfc@ihg.com to make a reservation.
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The Sun
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Times
23-07-2025
- Times
19 of the best places to visit in December
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The six-month rainy season that allows all this to happen lifts in December, so this month is an obvious (and in-demand) time to visit. Backwater cruises in a kettuvallam (houseboat) are a highlight in Kerala, and the city of Alappuzha is a starting point for many. Purity at Lake Vembanad overlooks the famously long lake outside Alappuzha, and offers Ayurvedic treatments and morning yoga classes in its serene grounds. Great for Kerala first-timers, G Adventures' affordable group tour combines a Backwaters cruise with beaches and the elegant city of Kochi. • Best places to visit in India Why go in December? For Auld Lang Syne, and other ways to light up the night While the biggest party in the Scottish capital comes with the Hogmanay celebrations to see in the New Year, there's much to raise the spirits during the other 30 days of the month. With the sun gone before 4pm, it's up to the Christmas lights to brighten Edinburgh's old stone facades; the most spectacular decorations are on George Street. Out of the centre, the Royal Botanic Garden and Dalkeith Country Park are also transformed into night-time wonderlands. Back in the New Town, Christmas market stalls bring mulled wine and more to Princes Street Gardens. Set in two Victorian villas just outside the city-centre bustle, the Roseate Edinburgh showcases seasonal Scottish produce and rare single malts. Newmarket Holidays operates guided group tours focused on Edinburgh at Christmas, with plenty of time for exploration. • Best things to do in Edinburgh at Christmas Why go in December? For New England villages decked out in baubles and snow Russet-coloured leaves might be New England's signature seasonal look, but the region is a winter beauty, too. In the mountains of Vermont, around one in three December days are snowy, and the lead-up to the 25th sees many of the state's small towns decorated to the nines. Ski resorts such as Stowe usually start their season towards the end of November, and other winter activities away from the groomed runs include cross-country skiing, snow-shoeing and dog-sledding. It's enough to justify more maple syrup on your breakfast pancakes. Running since 1833, the Green Mountain Inn is set in a complex of historic buildings in the original centre of Stowe, seven miles from the ski resort, and is filled with four-poster beds and other traditional touches. Arrange a private, self-drive itinerary tailored to your preferences through American Sky. • Discover our full guide to the US Why go in December? For tropical Christmas traditions at the start of the dry season Christmas festivities may look a little different in an equatorial country, but Colombia's temperatures are graded less by month and more by altitude: from ones that nurture coconut palms on the coast, to cooler climes in the highland capital Bogota or among the aromatic plantations of the Zona Cafetera. On the night of December 7, the festival of Dia de las Velitas sees towns and cities adorned with little candles and coloured lanterns. Centuries-old Cartagena is queen of the Caribbean coast, where the nationwide tapering off of the September-November rainy season is especially marked. Graceful, antique-filled Hotel Casa del Arzobispado is a colonial-era original in the walled city of Cartagena, with a pool in the central patio. Crystal Cruises has a seven-night, pre-Christmas Caribbean voyage that heads south from Barbados to conclude amid the majesty of Cartagena. • Is Colombia safe for travellers? Why go in December? For big-ticket spectacles and mild winter days National Day on December 2 marks the independence of the United Arab Emirates in 1971, celebrated today with fireworks, LED shows and displays of heritage in this Gulf state where the contrast between old and new is so marked. It's also usually around this time that the most populous of the emirates, Dubai, hosts its part of the Rugby Sevens series. With the oppressive summer heat gone, and average temperatures in the 20Cs, this month is generally a more pleasant time to venture beyond air-conditioned spaces. Building traditional Arabian elements into a modern design, Hotel Boulevard, Autograph Collection is super-close to the action around the Dubai Mall and the world-record skyscraper Burj Khalifa. If you'd like to see more of the Arabian Gulf, the affordable, independent line Celestyal Cruises operates eight-day tours in the region, visiting several of the Emirates as well as Qatar. • Best things to do in Dubai Why go in December? 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For a glamorous, eco-friendly holiday, how about travelling to Rome by rail with the flight-free specialist — perhaps also exploring Turin or Venice? • Best hotels in Rome Why go in December? For a wonder of nature at its fullest flow The world's largest waterfall system is a year-round wonder, but December marks the start of its mightiest performance. The trade-off is having to dodge heavy rain showers and sweat out the height of tropical heat, as well as working around busy South American Christmas holidays. Though the Argentine side accounts for the greatest share of the falls, and the best trails to their thunderous heart, the Brazilian portion has more spray-free viewpoints, helicopter rides, and a bigger choice of facilities in its gateway town. The answer, of course, is to visit both national parks. Of the two hotels right by the falls, the Belmond Hotel das Cataratas on the Brazilian side edges it for its country-estate style and chance to stroll to viewpoints ahead of the tour buses. Along with Machu Picchu, Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro, the Falls are one of the headliners on Riviera Travel's three-country Grand Tour of South America. • Guide to Iguazu Falls: everything you need to know Why go in December? For summer adventure in epic scenery The start of the southern hemisphere summer brings changes all across New Zealand, but nowhere more so than in the mountains of the South Island. Although Aoraki/Mount Cook and the other highest peaks should keep their crowns of snow, at middle altitudes the way is open for hikes such as the legendary Routeburn Track. Visitor attractions get particularly busy as Christmas holidays approach, so if you can, go earlier in the month to enjoy outdoor activity hotspots such as Queenstown and Te Anau. Queenstown Park Boutique Hotel offers sophisticated rooms, some with views of the peaks of the Remarkables, a short walk from the centre of Queenstown. On Titan's country-crossing Best of New Zealand tour, you'll gasp at Mount Cook's Tasman Glacier — one of the biggest outside the Himalayas. • Best things to do in New Zealand Why go in December? For old-world atmosphere in an under-the-radar European capital The square at the historic heart of the Slovak capital is less well known than its Prague old town equivalent, but visit in December and you'll also find it cheerily decked out with Christmas market stalls against a backdrop of stately baroque and art nouveau buildings. There's no guarantee of white rooftops (snow-seekers should add on a trip to the peaks of Tatra National Park on the border with Poland), but this is definitely the time of year when typical dishes such as goulash most hit the spot. And with Vienna just 75 minutes or so by boat along the Danube, what better chance for two-in-one, compare-and-contrast Christmas market shopping? A short stroll from the old town and the Danube riverside, Marrol's Boutique Hotel has the vibe of a traditional club with a crackling fireplace and deep armchairs. Alternatively, stay in the old town on a cost-effective break with Expedia which includes flights to the city. • Discover our full guide to BratislavaWhy go in December? For street parties and beach time in the Caribbean The islands of St Vincent and the Grenadines are a trusty ticket to winter sun, but also bring a uniquely Caribbean twist to Christmas. The shimmying starts on December 16 and the Nine Mornings Festival rewards early risers with dances and steel band concerts, and the all-important tradition of a sea bath. The country is divided between St Vincent, mountainous and jungle-clad, but also where most Vincentians live and play, and the Grenadines — smaller islands such as Canouan and celebrity magnet Mustique, where you're more likely to find white sands. Bequia (pronounced 'beck-way') is one of the largest islands, and a happy compromise of glorious beaches and local culture. It was affected by Hurricane Beryl in July 2024, but the Foreign Office says that 'services have returned to normal' there. Bequia Beach Hotel gives right on to the crescent-shaped beach at Friendship Bay, and is decorated inside to evoke the era of steamer trunks, rattan armchairs and slowly twirling ceiling fans. From Kingstown, the country's capital, ferry-based excursions to Bequia are available on P&O's Caribbean Islands Fly-Cruise. • Best hotels in St Vincent and the Grenadines Why go in December? For beaches and nature With summer just beginning in South Africa, temperatures are at a manageable average high of 27C in Cape Town. It's warm enough if you want to head to the coast — and there are some gorgeous beaches just outside of the main centre — but also affords some cooler days if hiking up Table Mountain is on your agenda. Don't restrict yourself to city perimeters, though. Hire a car and you're in the Cape winelands in under an hour, or go further south to the tip of the Cape Peninsula where, at the Cape of Good Hope, you'll feel like you're at the end of the world. Radisson RED Cape Town V&A Waterfront is moments from the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa, and there's a great collection of bars and restaurants in the area. Tui has a welter of package holiday options in Cape Town, from apartments to luxury hotels lining Table Bay. • Best things to do in Cape Town