FLYING SLIVERJET   One of the reasons for Dubai's success is the number of direct flights, and that has increased further with Silverjet's daily departure from Luton. Eos have recently announced their intention to fly there too.

Luton airport isn't the easiest to get to or even find coming across country but once there, the Silverjet experience is a revelation. If you drive you must do their valet parking. You practically drive up to the front door of their private terminal, someone greets you by name and takes your bag. The usual check-in formalities/questions take place just inside the door and within moments you are sat down with a glass of something in your hand. A member of staff then searches you out within the lounge and returns your passport. You really can arrive 45 minutes before take off, the contrast with Heathrow is unbelievable. The flight leaves at 2130 hours and arrives at 0730 hours which is fine except your body clock tells you it's the middle of the night. My tip is to switch off the entertainment system and go to sleep as soon as you board.

On board there's a buzz created by the fact all the seats are club class, travelling suddenly feels a bit special again. On the downside the seats weren't quite as comfortable as I'd hoped (although I was comparing to BA club class) and the old planes are noticeably noisier than ones I've flown on recently but I've not heard of anyone complaining. By contrast the food is good, the entertainment system offers a good choice of films/music on demand and it must be said the Silverjet staff the friendliest I've come across for a long time. On balance, a very good experience and great value.

STAYING IN DUBAI   We stayed at the Arabian Court at the One and Only Royal Mirage for 2 nights before decamping to the Mina A' Salam in the Madinat Jumeriah. Apparently the Royal Mirage was almost full but you wouldn't have known, it felt calm and tranquil - at least on the inside. On the outside, however, was the rumble of the Palm being built, and although it wasn't too bad by the pool, it was hard to ignore on the beach. However, they have a huge amount of repeat business and no-one seems to mind. Indeed, watching the Palm being built seems to be part of the experience.

Before checking in at the Mina we were allowed up the Burj al Arab, Dubai's most iconic hotel. The red and gold decor along with mirror's on the bedroom ceilings and your own butler whether you want it or not seems to appeal more to other markets than the UK but let us book you into the restaurant at the top and you'll get the best view in Dubai!

As well as staying at the Mina A' salam we also toured the whole Madinat complex taking in the Al Qasr and Dar Al Masyaf. In photos the Madinat looks intimidating but when you're there it's hard not to be impressed. It is essentially three hotels run as one property, sharing facilities, restaurants etc.

The waterways around the resort set the tone and you find yourself smiling as you step on to the water taxis that take you round. It is also cleverly designed whereby rooms situated at the rear of the hotel have a water view as opposed to no view. Set beside the water are lots of small restaurants and cafes including the likes of Starbucks operating concessions. That means lots of choice and a different feel entirely to a traditional resort hotel. This is more like a small town. There's even a souk with shops and eateries. Everything is done so well and there is no building work!

The pool at the Mina is rather ordinary as if it were forgotten in the planning but the one at the Al Qasr, a short walk away, is huge and anyone can use it. Numerous lifeguards are on duty which means parents can relax while children enjoy the pool. Most of the Dar Al Masyaf have access to smaller pools shared between just a few rooms. The decor and style of this complex is more understated than the Burj and Jumeriah Beach and seems more geared to the European market. All in all it's a fantastic complex but not as tranquil and discreet as the Royal Mirage despite the building work there which perhaps explains the latter's attraction.

THE PALM   And so to the Palm Jumeriah, which I was lucky enough to be allowed to visit. Is it an eyesore? To be honest it's hard not to be fascinated by what they're doing, it's scale and speed of construction. I visited the site of the new Atlantis resort situated on the crescent at the apex of the palm. It's being constructed by the Kerzner group who also own the one in the Bahamas. Scheduled to open this autumn it will have 1,500 rooms, a 40-acre water park that will dwarf the existing Wild Wadi, an aquarium, a spa, 16 restaurants and a private beach. It will be linked with the rest of Dubai by monorail or road but many people will probably never leave especially as admission to the water park is included in the tariff. No expense is being spared and for sheer entertainment it will be hard to beat. Until Dubailand is built that is... There's also an 11 acre dolphin bay. Some have questioned the ethics of capturing wild Dolphins in the Solomon Islands and transporting them to provide this experience but it will undoubtedly be a huge draw for many.

THE VERDICT   Dubai is impressive, awe-inspiring even and the quality of food and service levels are very high. It has something for everyone or at least it soon will have... However, it feels a bit like a film set that hasn't been finished and even when it has I think it will still seem a bit unreal. You could almost have walked onto the set of the Truman Show. There's little of local interest to see except the desert perhaps, almost everything to see and do is imported, be it premiership football showing everywhere, shopping malls full of European chains to the ultimate oddity, the ski slope. If you want to get away from it all then go to the Maldives or Seychelles. Alternatively do both. Emirates airlines incredible expansion means it's very easy to stop in Dubai on the way to and from almost anywhere. Whatever your feelings I think Dubai's a place you should see and see it now while it's being built bizarrely enough. Where else in the world would I recommend because of the building work?

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