Dubai: Rooftop cocktails at Shades

Recently, Poul has been working a lot, but now he has a couple of days off, so yesterday, we decided to go out for a drink. We went to Shades, which is a roof top bar/pool bar/chill out lounge at the beautiful The Address Hotel in Dubai Marina.

Although the bar is only on the fourth floor, it had a fantastic view of Dubai Marina and the backside of JBR. A former colleague, Jessica, is visiting Dubai this week with her boyfriend David, so we met up with them after dinner yesterday. It is several years since we saw each other last time, so it was really nice to finally get to meet each other again.

There were almost no empty tables at Shades but since the place is located outside, it never felt crowded. The DJ was playing lounge music at a volume, which made it possible to have a conversation without shouting our lungs out and the ambience was really cool and relaxed. I was still affected by the aftermath of Thursday’s night out at Long’s Bar, so I decided on a mocktail evening and had a strawberry milkshake.

This evening, Rikke and I have planned a shopping trip to Dubai Mall. Generally, shopping in Dubai is not particularly cheap compared to Denmark, but most of January, it’s Dubai Shopping Festival, which means crazy sales all over the city and lots of opportunities to spend your dirhams.

Nothing beats a good cocktail under a starlit sky, and Shades at the classy The Address Dubai Marina, is certainly one of the better places to indulge in such pleasures.

Although Shades is only located on what corresponds to the 4th floor, the pool bar/chill-out lounge has a stunning view of Dubai Marina, if you should get tired of staring at the infinity pool’s beautiful blue water.

The lounge music is kept at a volume that makes undisturbed conversation at the tables possible, and if you get hungry, there are lots of delicious snacks to choose between.

Shades is basically just a pool bar, but nobody shows up in bikini and snorkeling equipment (unless you stay at the hotel). Except from that, almost everything from smart casual to very up-dressed goes.

• Cocktails cost around 50dhs and snacks around 35dhs.

• Shades is best for early evening drinks and nibbles, or as the first stop on a night out.

Shades at The Address Dubai Marina, level 4, Dubai Marina, Dubai