Dubai Self-Catering accommodation. 
Part 1: Tips for tenants… 

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. 
It is clear that the travel industry hence the local accommodation providers are riding the biggest wave of their life as the request for holiday accommodation has clearly overtaken the supply.   
Quality wise, there is a wide choice of accommodation available in Dubai ranging from hotels or hotel apartments to self-catering villas and apartments with this latest option being much sought after in recent days.  
Renting a furnished apartment or villa on self-catering basis proves to be a cheaper option then staying in many hotels 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.   
One of the most popular areas of Dubai is the Dubai Marina that delights residents and visitors with its cosmopolitan atmosphere and unique refreshing lifestyle, challenging the most exclusive waterfront developments in the world's leading cities.   
Booking a Hotel in Dubai Marina is out of reach for many travelers who would rather spend their budget on shopping, for this reason renting a self–catering apartment or villa can be a smart option, more affordable, more 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 design of the individual property.  
When planning to book a holiday apartment or villa in Dubai on self-catering basis it is necessary to carefully select the right 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 a little extra but in the end is your accommodation on the line.   Some properties are equipped with every amenity you could think of, from the bread toaster to the kettle, from the coffee maker to the microwave some even offer a complimentary twice weekly house keeping service, fresh towels, fresh bed sheets and extra amenities such as shampoo, 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 water pressure, rusted cutlery items, lack of glassware or cooking items, poor hygiene level and the list can go 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, accessories and services to a level that can meet and in some cases go beyond the standard of a 5 stars hotel.  
Probably the best way to go about it, when possible, would be to actually inspect the premises before making any payment, in this way you will have a direct understanding of the quality of property you are about to reserve and you will also be able to check the consistency with the information (photos or descriptions) that were displayed on the agent website or catalogue.   
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 at least emergency calls? Will you be awaited at your arrival in the early ours of the morning and will you be escorted to 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 pharmacy? How far is the closest supermarket? How far is the closest restaurant or coffee shop? Are the utility bills included in the rent? Is there a house keeping service provided? Is there an emergency assistance number that you could call in case it was required? Is there an Internet connection in the apartment? Is there a cable TV in the apartment? 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 does the apartment/villa have double-glazed windows to serve this purpose? Are taxis easily available? Etc etc…. In the end it all comes to experience and professionalism… There are many companies offering holiday villas and apartments in Dubai and 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 and you don’t want to jeopardize it just to save a few bucks.   

The author is Alessandro D’Ubaldo, Sales Manager at www.DubaiFurnishedApartments.com in Dubai, U.A.E.

Dubai, 13th June 2006 

Dubai apartments for rent on Self-Catering basis.
Part 1: Tips for Landlords…

Following my last article Tips for tenants, in this issue I would like to cover some interesting guidelines for those Dubai landlords adventuring into the Short-Term Rental business.

It is a very common and old practice, especially in the Italian, Spanish or French Riviera to rent out a personal property as a holiday-home to tourists. The short-term rental business has proven pretty successful in those countries with strong tourism affluence and since Dubai is working on becoming an international holiday destination, it is interesting to consider this investment opportunity.

By renting out a property on short-term basis a landlord has the chance to use the property for his/her own personal use, generate a high return of investment by letting it out to holidaymakers and at the same time benefit from the property value appreciation.

The short-term rental concept could be applied anywhere in the world but the real key to its success lays in its implementation within the local market in fact any successful business idea can be brought to Dubai and prove a complete disaster, the concept by itself is nothing new and certainly not invented in Dubai so the actual heart of the business is not much in the idea as it is in its execution.

Having the idea and the product (the property) is just about 10% of the business, what really matters is the marketing which I would value at 70% and the actual daily running which could be valued at 20%

Setting up an apartment for the short-term rental requires experience, interior designing skills, attention to details and plenty of time and resources to follow up the actual furnishing process, utilities connections, daily running and marketing.

Some details are extremely important and if overlooked, will compromise the stay of your guests hence it is essential to set up the property with the guests needs in mind rather than following a questionable personal taste.

One detail that is consistently overlooked is the actual efficiency of the bedrooms curtains, which in the majority of the cases do not block the windows light properly, this is usually due to lack of experience or to good bargain ready-made curtains resulting in a horrible 6 am daily wake up call for your guests.

Another important aspect to acknowledge is the considerable investment to be made in purchasing the bathrooms face and body towels, it is in fact necessary to provide a high number of these so to allow a twice weekly replenishment and the same goes for bed sheets, quilt covers, pillow cases etc

In most cases the do it yourself schemes work pretty well when you do have experience, knowledge and passion about what you are engaging with, other wise it will simply result in complete frustration to say the least.

Without considering the daily management issues and the inevitable guests complaints even the twice-weekly house keeping service is a far more demanding task then what it seems

A reasonable solution to this, especially if you are handling more then one property, is to refer the entire marketing and management to a professional agent who for a fee (usually 20% of the rental) will take the weight off your shoulders with a smile.

In the current market a 5 stars marina-view one bedroom apartment in Dubai Marina Face 1 (where all the cafs and restaurants are) will rent for approx AED 95.000/- per year if unfurnished, the same property can fetch up to a AED 235.000/- a year if rented out furnished on short-term basis and after deducting the 20% agency commission plus about AED 40.000/- for the 5 stars furnishing and approx AED 8.000/- a year for the utility bills, this will live the owner with a net AED 142.000/- (on occupancy rate of 79%)

The numbers speak for themselves however is important to remember that where there is a good return there is also a certain risk and many will agree that the most delicate figure of the above calculation is the occupancy rate which cannot be guaranteed in any property short-term rental management contract.

Keeping the above consideration in mind, would you wish to engage an agent for your short-term rental requirements, it would be wise to commit for an initial trial period of maximum six months, this period shall allow you to gather enough details and should give you a good idea about the reliability and actual potential of the agent/marketer you are dealing with.

Would you rather get more hands-on with the business, you could opt for a non-exclusive marketing agreement, also available in the market and you will be able to market your property through other agent/marketers and potentially increase your exposure however this is not necessarily the optimum solution in fact many agents will give priority to the properties of those clients with whom they have contractually committed with.



The author is Alessandro D’Ubaldo, Sales Manager at www.DubaiFurnishedApartments.com in Dubai, U.A.E.