01 October 2026
What to do in Dubai this October
October is when Dubai properly starts moving outdoors again. As temperatures ease, beach clubs return to full swing, terraces fill up and the city’s dining, hotel and events calendar becomes noticeably busier. If you are looking for what to do in Dubai this October, this is the month to start making more of beach days, staycations, rooftop evenings and longer dinners outside.
This month, we are also looking slightly beyond Dubai, with a Saudi detour for one of the region’s most interesting new resort openings. Alongside that, we have rounded up the places, offers and experiences we would genuinely recommend making time for in Dubai this October.
Hotels – Holiday Recommendation
Nammos Resort AMAALA
For October’s holiday recommendation, we are taking a short detour to Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast. Newly opened Nammos Resort AMAALA marks the brand’s move into resort hospitality, bringing its Mediterranean-inspired approach to dining, wellness and socialising to Triple Bay. The result is a more social take on the traditional Red Sea escape.
What to Expect
Rooms, suites and villas sit alongside a private beach, infinity pools, Nammos Spa and water-based experiences. Dining includes Nammos Restaurant, Ilios and NALU Restaurant & Sky Bar.
Offer
Daily breakfast is currently included with accommodation, with stays available across rooms, suites and private-pool villas.
Price
Rooms start from approximately AED 2,250 per night.
Why We Like It
It brings Nammos’ social, lifestyle-led energy to a setting that still feels genuinely remote and resort-focused.
Insider Tip
Make time for the private-island Nammos Beach Club, but leave room to explore AMAALA’s Red Sea coastline and water activities.
Hotels – Summer Staycation Recommendation
Anantara The Palm Resort
For an October staycation that feels properly removed from the city, Anantara The Palm Dubai Resort is built around beach time, lagoon living and villa stays. Set on the eastern crescent of Palm Jumeirah, the resort has three swimming lagoons, a 400-metre private beach and some of Dubai’s most distinctive over-water accommodation.
What to Expect
A resort-led weekend with plenty of time around the water. Stay in a villa, start the day with breakfast, then move between the private beach, lagoons, spa and restaurants without needing to leave the property.
Offer
The Anantara Villa Retreat includes up to 30% savings on selected villas, daily breakfast for two, AED 200 spa credit and up to AED 500 resort credit when booking direct.
Price
Villas start from AED 2,995 per night.
Why We Like It
The villa setting and added resort credit make this feel like a proper escape rather than a standard Dubai staycation.
Insider Tip
Choose the Over Water Villa for privacy, or the Beach Pool Villa for your own pool and easier beach access.
Restaurant Recommendation
WINDOW
WINDOW brings a more intimate dining concept to Alserkal Avenue, with just 32 seats and a menu centred around live-fire cooking. The compact restaurant keeps the open kitchen at the heart of the experience, with seasonal dishes moving from smaller plates and flatbreads through to steak, fish and smoky comfort food.
What to Expect
An informal dinner where the cooking is very much part of the atmosphere. The menu includes dishes such as steak tartare, empanadas, flatbreads, Canarian seabass, steak frites and smoky lasagne, with the fire bringing a consistent thread through the menu without making every dish feel the same.
Offer
À la carte menu.
Price
Expect to spend around AED 250–400 per person.
Why We Like It
The restaurant has a clear point of view without becoming overly complicated. From vegetables and flatbreads to larger plates, everything feels connected by the live-fire approach, while the small dining room keeps the overall experience relaxed.
Insider Tip
Beach Club Recommendation
DRIFT Dubai
Back for a new season, DRIFT Dubai returns to its Riviera-inspired setting at One&Only Royal Mirage, with an infinity pool, private shoreline and French-led restaurant making it an easy choice for a full day by the water.
What to Expect
A relaxed beach day centred around the infinity pool, private beach and a long lunch at the restaurant. The pool and beach operate from 10.00am to 7.00pm, giving you enough time to settle in properly rather than treating it as a quick stop between plans.
Offer
Ladies Who Drift runs every Tuesday and Thursday from 10.00am and includes sun lounger access and a welcome drink.
Price
Ladies Who Drift is AED 99 per person, while regular sun loungers start from AED 150 per person on weekdays.
Why We Like It
It is a straightforward way to spend a weekday at one of Dubai’s more polished beach clubs, with the flexibility to keep the day as relaxed or as long as you like.
Insider Tip
Bar Recommendation
High Society at The Lana
High Society sits at the top of The Lana with uninterrupted views across Downtown Dubai and the Burj Khalifa. The rooftop combines an open-air terrace, poolside setting and a menu by Jean Imbert, making it particularly suited to October as evenings become comfortable enough to spend outside again.
What to Expect
An open-air rooftop experience built around skyline views, drinks and small plates. The atmosphere is polished but relaxed, with the poolside setting and direct outlook towards the Burj Khalifa making it well suited to a longer evening rather than just a quick drink.
Offer
Golden Hour features a selection of cocktails at a reduced rate before the evening gets busier.
Price
Golden Hour cocktails are AED 60 each.
Why We Like It
The view is the obvious reason to go, but the setting, drinks and food give High Society enough substance for a full evening rather than one quick sunset drink.
Insider Tip
Book shortly before sunset and request an outdoor table facing Downtown for the best transition from golden hour to the city lights.
Spa Recommendation
Sofitel Spa with L’Occitane
For a more treatment-led wellness recommendation this October, Sofitel Spa with L’Occitane at Sofitel Dubai The Obelisk has two Arabian-inspired rituals built around hammam treatments and massage. Both experiences take their cues from ancient bathing rituals, combining a traditional spa element with the more contemporary L’Occitane approach to wellness.
What to Expect
A calm, polished spa setting within Sofitel Dubai The Obelisk, with treatment rooms, hammam facilities and relaxation areas designed for a slower few hours away from the city. The atmosphere is more restorative than social, making it well suited to a proper wellness afternoon rather than a quick treatment stop.
Offer
Both the Queen Cleopatra Arabian Experience and Pharaoh Arabian Experience include a 30-minute hammam ritual, 60-minute massage and complimentary pool access.
Price
Both experiences are AED 900 per person.
Why We Like It
The packages feel more complete than booking a standard massage, with enough built into the experience to turn it into a proper wellness afternoon.
Insider Tip
Book earlier in the day and leave time afterwards to make use of the pool rather than treating the massage as the final stop in your plans.
Event Recommendation
Yashoku Night Brunch
Zuma’s Yashoku Night Brunch brings a later and more social take on Dubai brunch to DIFC every Wednesday evening. Originally introduced through Zuma Hong Kong, the Dubai edition takes over the lounge with a sharing menu, free-flowing drinks and a DJ from the beginning of the night.
What to Expect
A 2.5-hour night brunch with hot and cold starters, sushi, signature mains and dessert served for the table. A DJ sets the pace throughout the evening, giving it more of a night-out feel than a traditional brunch.
Offer
Choose between soft, house or premium drinks packages alongside the sharing menu.
Price
Packages range from AED 445 to AED 745 per person.
Why We Like It
It fills the gap between dinner and a full night out particularly well, combining Zuma’s signature dishes with a livelier late-night format.
Insider Tip
Book for the 9.00pm start rather than arriving late. The brunch runs until 11.30pm, and the bar continues afterwards if you want to keep the evening going.
