Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: United Arab Emirates & Arizona, USA
Programs: UA MM/1P, EK Au, QR, TK, Marriott Life Ti, Hilton Dia, IC Dia, Hyatt Glob, Accor Pt, Shangri-La
Posts: 4,521
I would guess that a taxi from the airport to The Palm would be about AED 75 (USD 20). Taxi drivers all speak English, and will certainly know major destinations like your hotel. Dubai is one of the easiest places in the world to catch a taxi. They are cheap and efficient in general.
You can get around (food, transport, local shopping) cheaply in Dubai. As others have mentioned, alcohol is expensive, and western restaurants have similar prices to the west. But in general I don't think that you would spend London- or New York-level money on a typical day in Dubai.
Dubai is also one of the safest places in the world. There may technically be a requirement to carry your passport, but you won't need it. I always leave mine at the hotel. Shorts are fine for any type of place that they would be in the U.S. or U.K.; you would be slightly out-of-place in the lobby of a five-star hotel in shorts, but it's not that big of a deal.