Does anyone know if we can have paid access to a lounge in DXB airport?? My wife is travelling via there and has a 8 hour stop. Not sure what she will do for that long!

We don't have tier level status yet with any airline program...but just looking to pay and rest up for her.

I believe that the Marhaba lounge has pay-in access, though it's not too interesting. Plus there are hotels in each terminal which, though not cheap, are quite nice.

The Dubai airport offers good amenities to just walk around. Though of course 8 hours is a long time. Is she there during the day? If she has a U.S. passport, I would recommend that she leave the airport and take a tour of the city. Or go to Souq al Bahar and enjoy the atmosphere.

She is EU and she lands around 5 or 6pm. I just want her to have a good rest and someone that will wake her up for her flight at 2 or 3am.

I will check out Marhaba...funny...I was just there this past Sunday myself...slept on those long lawn chairs type thingy...didn't occur to me to look for a paid lounge! D'oh! But for wify, have to think of these things for her comfort.

As long as she can sleep in the Marhaba lounges, she will be good.

The Marhaba lounge while not amazing is not bad at all. If she just wants a place to sleep, DXB has some nice "lounge" chairs in the main terminal and at 5 or 6 she should be able to easily grab one. She won't be able to get up from the chair though because by 9 or 10pm people will be hunting for them.

There is also Snooze Cube (in T1 I think I saw it)

http://www.snoozecube.com/?page_id=596

There's also the Civil Aviation First Class lounge which is apparently cheap and OK. Never been there though. Marhaba also has access with some premium credit cards.

Ah, my friend, I have been in the T1 Civil Aviation First Class lounge many times. It's really very nice and I would recommend it wholeheartedly. It's free if you are a Diners Club card holder (as my wife and I both are), but I don't know what the cost is if you're not.

It certainly is much nicer and quieter than the two Marhaba lounges, and also has very nice shower facilities. And it's also hugely nicer than that disgusting Emirates Business Lounge in T3 (the worst lounge I have ever been in). Pity that EK has stupidly used this lounge as an excuse to bar my wife. They don't seem to worry about the lost revenue. Perhaps they should...

Thanx everyone.

Just so that this may help someone in the future, I checked out Emirate's site online and hidden in there deep there is a procedure for getting Emirates to provide a hotel stay if over 8 hours.

You have to call the local emirates office and then ask for it. Obviously there are restrictions but luckily I was able to secure one for my wife. (Too bad I didn't know this when I was there...I really needed it...was very sick).

THough with in airport lounges vs. outside hotel, I am not sure which she would prefer...but now she has options. Thanx all!

I agree, they should at least let wives into the lounge. Usually women will not storm the buffet and drink one bottle of champagne by themselves.

A life-partner is here to support the husband. If a husband enjoys himself and leaves the wife alone she won't be happy at all. What does it mean in return: Emirates is shooting into their own legs, the wife is unhappy with the husband and the husband cannot achieve performance because there is a person complaining, "why you left me alone and why I cannot accompany my husband"? - outcome, wife will say: "I don't want to travel with Emirates anymore, why you need that gold card and stay loyal?" - outcome: "customer lost, short-term thinking".

My wife didn't even want to fly with me on Emirates no more, because she thought we cannot stay together at the airport and we might get lost. Now she finally get silver card and I got my gold card, still she cannot get into the lounge with me and of course, this also counts for instant upgrades to first class and business class.

Is it something like a middle-east culture not to treat a wife, a life-partner, with respect?

Please.

EK took away to the guest allowance due to overcrowding nothing to do with "middle east culture."

If a man and his wife both have a Gold card they can both enter. What next, a man buys J for himself and Y for his wife and complains when they can't get seats together?

I am sure you will have seen this overcrowding issue if you were at the lounge. You and your wife can stay together outside the lounge if you wish. EK is not forcing one person to enter while keeping the other out.

Seriously? That's how you think? What does the culture have to do with Emirates?

And just to answer your question, in middle-eastern cultures, husbands treat their wives as queens.

You can both use the Silver lounge in T1 in this scenario - so what's the problem? If you buy a J ticket you can guest your wife into lounges at outstations.

you've clearly never met my Wife

If you want to show your respect for your wife, buy her a Business Class ticket.

Ultimately the Captain has full authority, so have a word with him - he may be able to help.