Arriving: The airport provides your first opportunity for shopping, whatever the hour, and your last chance to buy retail alcohol before leaving the United Arab Emirates, reports economist.com. Taxis from the airport to the city centre will be about Dh50 (£7.10), up to Dh95 if you’re staying at a hotel on the beach. Some hotels will collect their guests on arrival, so it’s worth asking about this when you book.

Staying: There’s plenty of choice for people who have access to generous travel expenses. Burj Al Arab, a spectacularly yacht-shaped hotel located on a man-made island 300 metres off Jumeirah Beach, has a fleet of ten Rolls-Royces and promises “a brigade of highly trained butlers”. Prices for a room at what Institutional Investor magazine called “the best hotel in the world” range from Dh4,600 for a night in the one-bedroom deluxe suite to Dh9,200 for the deluxe twin two-bedroom suite. In 2004, Condé Nast Traveller readers voted the less pricey One & Only Royal Mirage (Jumeirah Beach Road) the best business hotel in the UAE and the 13th best in the world.

Eating and drinking: Don’t worry, you can get a drink as long as you buy it in a bar, club or restaurant that’s located in a hotel, says DubaiCityGuide.com. Variety and choice: plenty of both when it comes to food. Restaurants recommended by Time Out Dubai include Peppercrab, in the Grand Hyatt Hotel, and Al Nafoorah, in the Emirates Towers Hotel. Al Nafoorah didn’t impress the reviewer with its ambience, but if it’s delicious Arabian food that you’re after, it’s worth a try.

Business etiquette: Economist.com advises businesspeople to be prepared to make small talk at the start of meetings — women should be prepared to talk about their children and/or husbands, while the weather and how fabulous Dubai is are other popular topics — and to address and be addressed by an honorific and given name: Miss Clare, Mr Abdul. When it comes to business hours, be aware that Friday is a holy day.

Weekends are Thursdays and Fridays for government organisations, while private companies tend to close on Fridays and Saturdays, says DubaiCityGuide.com. Business hours also vary if you are visiting during Ramadan.

After hours: Don’t expect to be invited to your host or contact’s house, says economist.com. It’s more likely that you’ll follow a restaurant meal with a trip to a nightclub. Take your host’s lead when deciding whether or not to drink. DubaiCityGuide.com has a list of concerts, shows and live music gigs for people who want to strike out on their own, though unfortunately you ’re probably too late to book tickets to see the Darkness, Sepultura and their friends “turn the city into one big moshpit” for Dubai Desert Rock 2005.

Shopping: Dubai’s malls are luxury-brand heaven thanks to low import duties and tax-free prices, says pilotguides.com. Gold, jewellery, designer clothes and electronic goods are all popular choices. Step outside the air conditioning to visit the souks and to haggle for goods such as spices, perfume or carpets.

Women travellers: While the UAE is not as conservative as some of its neighbours, says economist.com, women visitors should still dress modestly — knees and elbows covered — and be prepared for the possibility that strict Muslim men will not shake hands with them (press the palm of your hand gently over your heart instead). Avoid direct eye-contact, which can be misinterpreted as an invitation. Some parts of the city are known for prostitution, so ask your concierge or a business contact which areas to avoid. At the airport, if you’re travelling alone, take a taxi that has a female driver.

Essentials