New Year's Eve In Dubai: Hotels At Near-Full Capacity, Fireworks-View Rooms Sell Out Early

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times)

As Dubai prepares to welcome 2025 tonight, hotels across the city are operating at or near full capacity, with rooms offering direct views of New Year's Eve fireworks almost entirely sold out weeks ago. Hoteliers say demand this year has been stronger than last, driven by early planning, limited inventory and guests seeking to avoid traffic congestion and overcrowded public venues.

“We are expecting all hotels to be full on New Years Eve. Traditionally, it is the busiest period of the year, and judging by the pace, which is well ahead of last year, 2025 will be no different,” Jan Hanak, Managing Director of UAE, Oman, Bahrain, Qatar, Egypt and Iraq at Radisson Hotel Group, told Khaleej Times.“Naturally, with higher demand and higher rates, guest expectations are high, but our well-experienced teams are ready to deliver the best experience possible.”

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Dhs1,200 firework-view rooms

At Radisson Blu Hotel Dubai Deira Creek, most fireworks-view room categories are already sold out, with only two suites remaining. Sona Rawal, Director of Sales and Marketing, said demand has slightly increased year-on-year, with more guests opting to celebrate from within hotels.

“Interest in fireworks-view rooms has shown a slight increase compared to last year,” she said, attributing the trend to rising traffic congestion and higher costs associated with attending external events.“The average nightly rate for fireworks-view rooms during the New Year's Eve period is approximately Dhs1,200.”

Downtown Dubai sees strong early bookings

Hotels across Downtown Dubai are reporting similar patterns. At LEVA Hotels, General Manager Thomas Kurian said rooms with direct or partial Burj Khalifa views were fully booked about a month ago, mirroring last year's timeline.

“The announcement of 8 days of celebrations in and around Downtown Dubai has been a key driver, along with increased awareness of Dubai as a global New Year destination,” Kurian said. He added that most guests booked one and a half to two months in advance, particularly families and international visitors seeking proximity to the festivities.

Rates climb as availability tightens

A similar trend is evident in Deira, where all fireworks-view rooms across the Deira Waterfront Cluster of Hotels, managed by Valor Hospitality Partners, are fully booked. According to Roy Rajdeep, Cluster Director of Revenue, these categories sold out around a month earlier than last year.

“Demand for fireworks-view rooms is higher compared to last year,” he said, citing limited inventory and strong destination demand. Rates have also climbed, with average daily rates increasing by 12 to 15 per cent year-on-year.

Prepaid bookings limit last-minute cancellations

Across the market, hotels have tightened cancellation policies, with most New Year's Eve bookings fully prepaid. Hanak noted that while flexibility is offered where possible, stricter guarantees are necessary during peak demand periods.“Typically, NYE is booked well in advance, and not many guests leave their bookings to the last minute,” he said.

With staffing levels reinforced and suppliers prepared for peak operations, hoteliers say they are ready for one of the most anticipated nights of the year. As the countdown begins, Dubai's hotels are set to host thousands of guests who chose comfort, convenience and front-row views to welcome 2025.

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