by Dara Morgan
Your Reason To Dress Up: 13 Dubai Spots To Welcome 2026 In Full Glam
17 Dec 2025
You can hear it in the air already — and on Instagram — helped along by the countless Christmas trees scattered across the city. Yes, 2026 is speeding towards us with the enthusiasm of someone who has definitely over-booked their December calendar. Which means it is time to prepare for the only moment that truly matters: the New Year’s Eve party. Choose your sharpest outfit, secure your reservation and decide exactly how glamorous you intend to be when the clock strikes midnight. After all, New Year’s resolutions are optional, but having fun is absolutely compulsory. And Dubai, as always, is ready to deliver the spectacle.
Mama Shelter Dubai — Flashback Party
Time: December 31, from 8 pm till late
Price: 695 AED minimum spend per person
Mama Shelter Dubai is throwing her biggest night yet, and she is doing it with full nostalgia-fuelled swagger. Each hour the DJ switches decade, sending guests from disco to grunge to glitter in one evening. Expect electric energy, plenty of champagne, and shots that appear with suspicious enthusiasm. With prime views of the Burj Khalifa fireworks and an à la carte menu that features Wagyu Tomahawk and Lobster Thermidor, the night is a technicolour, time-travelling celebration with all the playful chaos Mama is loved for.
Source: Press assets
Lion in the Sun — New Year’s Eve
Time:
- First Seating: 6 pm–8.30 pm
- Second Seating: From 9 pm till late
Price:
- 1,500 AED per person (first seating)
- 2,750 AED per person (second seating, adults-only)
Lion in the Sun sets the stage for a night oozing open-fire Mediterranean warmth and refined glamour high above the city. The first seating offers a serene, family-friendly dinner with a full set menu and soft elegance. The second transforms the space into a polished adults-only soirée complete with a champagne welcome and pristine views of the Burj Khalifa fireworks. Whether you dine early or glide into midnight dressed in black tie, this is New Year’s Eve served with effortless sophistication and thoughtful calm.
Source: Press assets
Vera Versilia — Viareggio Carnival New Year’s Eve
Time: 8 pm–1 am
Price: 900 AED soft | 1,250 AED house | 1,500 AED premium | 450 AED kids (6–12) | Kids under 6 dine complimentary
Vera Versilia brings the riotously joyful spirit of the Viareggio Carnival to Dubai for one night only. Guests hide under creative masks, embrace Tuscan flair and wander through a vibrant buffet lined with Italian favourites crafted by Michelin-starred Chef Marco Garfagnini. Live entertainment and a playful party atmosphere bring the festivities to life, while families enjoy a relaxed, spirited environment. It is a colourful, boisterous and entirely charming way to welcome 2026, Tuscan-style.
Source: Press assets
Raspoutine Dubai — New Year’s Eve Celebration
Time: From 11 pm
Price: 1,000 AED minimum spend per person
Raspoutine Dubai doesn't do subtlety, especially on New Year’s Eve. Expect a sultry, high-octane night packed with international DJs, glamorous dancers and a dinner party atmosphere steeped in late-night allure. The venue’s signature red velvet drama sets the tone as guests celebrate into the early hours. It is moody, decadent, and unapologetically bold — perfect for anyone entering 2026 with maximalist energy.
Armani/Amal — Terrace New Year’s Eve Dinner
Time: 5 pm–10.30 pm
Price: 1,485 AED (soft beverages) | 700 AED (kids 4–6)
For a New Year’s Eve that feels impossibly cinematic, head to Armani/Amal’s terrace inside the Burj Khalifa. A refined Indian feast awaits, offering everything from butter-poached Andhra lobster to caviar, langoustine and saag paneer. Live musicians add elegance while Downtown Dubai buzzes below you. With uninterrupted views of the legendary fireworks, it is a serene, indulgent and beautifully orchestrated start to 2026.
Atlantis, The Palm — Maroon 5 NYE Gala Dinner
Time: From 7 pm
Price: From 8,000 AED (adult) | 6,500 AED (kids 4–13)
Atlantis raises the stakes with a gala dinner headlined by Maroon 5 — a New Year’s Eve statement if ever there was one. The sprawling buffet spans lobster, caviar, sushi and dessert creations, while live cooking stations add glossy flair. Younger guests enjoy their own dedicated party kingdom with slides, cinema and crafts. With a global superband on stage and fireworks bursting over the Palm, this is New Year’s Eve dialled to absolute maximum.
Kempinski Palm Jumeirah — 007: New Year’s Eve Gala Dinner
Time: 8 pm–12 am (with afterparty continuing into early 2026)
Price: From 2,800 AED per person (early bird) | 3,300 AED per person (standard) | 1,500 AED per child (6–12 y/o) | Kids under 6 dine complimentary
Slip into your finest tuxedo or evening gown and step directly into a Bond film — minus the car chase but with considerably better dining. Kempinski Palm Jumeirah transforms its beachfront into a sleek 007-inspired gala, complete with a lavish international buffet and live culinary stations. A world-class band, a striking vocalist and energetic dance performers add cinematic rhythm to the night, while children enjoy a dedicated programme of entertainment. As midnight approaches, the sky erupts into 360° fireworks over the Palm, followed by a lively DJ-led afterparty that carries guests stylishly into 2026.
Above Eleven — New Year’s Eve Carnival
Time: 8 pm–12.30 am
Price: 1,500 AED (restaurant) | 1,700 AED (lounge) | 2,250 AED (terrace), all with bubbly
Above Eleven channels Peruvian–Japanese festivity with a vibrant carnival celebration across its terrace and lounge. A curated set menu pairs beautifully with free-flowing drinks, while a DJ keeps the atmosphere buzzing through the final hours of 2025. With sparkling views and a lively, upbeat crowd, it is the ideal choice for anyone who prefers their New Year served with rhythm, colour and a touch of tropical mischief.
St. Regis Downtown Dubai — Golden Era Soirée
Time: From 8 pm onwards
Price: From 2,250 AED (adult) | 1,650 AED (child)
St. Regis Downtown Dubai throws a Golden Era–inspired celebration dripping in glamour. Guests wander through a curated buffet of foie gras terrines, nigiri, charcuterie, oysters, Canadian lobster and wagyu beef, with live cooking stations adding theatre to the evening. Signature drinks and bubbles flow freely as live performers set the tone. Once the clock strikes midnight, the Burj Khalifa lights up the sky in a spectacle perfectly befitting the venue’s spirit.
Mimi Kakushi — New Year’s Eve Dinner
Time: From 8 pm till late
Price: From 550 AED (à la carte) | 1,100 AED (set menu)
Mimi Kakushi delivers Japanese opulence with a sharing menu featuring seafood gyozas, Otoro caviar nigiri and Pacific oysters. Guests enjoy a fluid musical journey from piano to commercial beats, all accompanied by a live singer. With its sultry interiors, refined dishes and celebratory atmosphere, the evening feels both intimate and indulgent — ideal for those entering 2026 with understated flair.
La Mar by Gastón Acurio — New Year’s Eve Dinner
Time: From 7pm
Price: 1,950 AED (indoor) | 3,500 AED (terrace second row) | 5,000 AED (terrace front row)
La Mar fuses Peruvian vibrancy with an unbeatable view of the Skyblaze fountain and city skyline. Guests enjoy an à la carte dinner of signature dishes before the countdown leads into Dubai’s dramatic fireworks display. After midnight, the celebration continues across Atlantis The Royal’s renowned nightlife spots, including Studio Frantzén, En Fuego and Ling Ling. It is a chic, colourful and deliciously spirited way to greet the new year.
Mercury Rooftop, Four Seasons — New Year’s Eve Celebration
Time: From 7 pm till late
Price: From 1,000 AED per person
Perched high above the city, Mercury Rooftop offers one of Dubai’s most stylish panoramic celebrations. A gourmet meal, a live DJ and uninterrupted views of both the resort and Burj Khalifa fireworks set the tone for a lavish evening. With the sea shimmering on one side and the skyline on the other, it is an effortlessly glamorous way to usher in 2026.
Flamingo Room — Cirque Afrique Soirée
Time: From 8 pm
Price: 1,900 AED minimum spend per person
Flamingo Room invites guests to a Cirque Afrique–themed night filled with theatrical flair, live music and elegant dance performances. The evening begins with oysters and bubbly before guests order from an elevated à la carte menu. At midnight, everyone moves down to the beach for a close-up view of the Burj Al Arab fireworks — a dramatic, dazzling finale to a beautifully vibrant evening.
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