If you have a long stopover in Dubai (over eight hours) you get a free stay at the Millenium hotel. This is how it works. On landing in Dubai, and before leaving the airport, stop by at the emirates help desk. Show them the voucher you have from Emirates for your hotel stay and visa. (If your travel agent has not given you this voucher with your ticket then make sure you collect it from Emirates when you check in). The help desk will see the voucher and stamp it and send you to the bank. This might sound confusing and first timers might think there is something to pay but there is nothing to pay. You just go to the bank counter as directed and they will give you a stamp on the voucher. From there you have to go for a security iris scan. Get in line for that (women and men have separate queues) and finish the iris scan. After this you are on your way out.

As you exit the passenger area it might seem confusing as to where to go for the free hotel pick up bus. Just ask and somebody will tell you. Go to the hotel pick up desk and they will take care of you from there. You will be asked to be seated and wait till the hotel bus arrives. Usually maximum wait is about twenty minutes. When the bus arrives you will be guided to the bus and the bus will drop you off at the hotel. Check in is quick and simple. At the check in you will be given free cupons for meals at the buffet which is very good. If you want to buy anything else just step out of the hotel and cross the street for a supermarket. The return trip is also free with the hotel bus which runs every fifteen minutes. There is an emirates desk at the hotel in case you want to re-check anything. Also there is a three hour sightseeing tour of Dubai for about thirty dollars which is worth taking if you feel like it.

Your check in luggage should be booked through to the final destination. Do not take it out at Dubai and make sure that at check in you specify that it goes on to your final destination. Just go to the hotel with your carry on.

The Marhaba meet and greet service is there but its really not necessary as everything is very smooth and all you have to do is follow instructions from stage to stage.

On the flight itself - if you have a 14 hr flight you might want to take some snacks along just in case you feel nippy. You will get a meal at the beginning of the flight and one at the end. Depends on whether you feel you can last some ten hours inbetween with nothing to eat except free juice and water in the galley. No small snacks. Some people can and some cant. If you are the kind who can, in a normal day, have breakfast in the morning and dinner at night with no lunch and nothing inbetween then you will have no problem. Otherwise take a snack bag with you.