Mrs t and myself are flying CPT/LHR at the end of this month. As we are coming back on different days, we are on two different bookings. I am J Saver and she is J Flex (on the outbound). In order to get the best fares, we had to choose a long connection, 8:30, in fact the longest connection available. So I was very surprised to see DC/STPC offered on MMB for both bookings! Just checked, and it's still there, I have made the booking and it shows. We are both Skywards Gold, but I don't believe that makes a difference.
Looking through this thread, I picked up that sometimes the vouchers (which I understand we'll be given at check in at CPT) may not be honoured by the hotel (as technically we should not qualify). Is that correct? We have travelled though DXB numerous times, but this is the first time we were offered DC, so decided to try it (even though 8:30 seems a bit short).
Aside question: how is transport to / from the hotel organised? Just regular CD? How to order it for the return from hotel to airport? I guess it's worthwhile to register for smart gates on arrival in order to speed up immigration on departure? Also for future use. We have EU passports.
Newbies, not to EK, but to CD/STPC (and to Dubai outside DXB)

You go to the regular CD desk at DXB and get a car to the hotel. The hotel will have a EK CD desk or the front desk will organise the car, whenever you're ready to go, they may even call you in your room to advise that it's time to leave. I've not heard of vouchers not being honoured and I highly doubt the hotel cares or knows who is eligible. Getting the voucher at CPT would be the bigger issue. Assume you're on 773, so midnight arrival? Else if you were arriving on 771 at 6am if the hotel didn't honour you could store luggage and tour DXB instead/go for breakfast, but not feasible for 773 arrival.

Yes, 773/29 so 1am arrival (stupid combination, but it saved R15K...).
Assuming we get the vouchers at CPT, we'll chance it. Worst case (if the hotel play up) back to the airport....

And as Gold $100 gets both of you into F lounge

Yep, but at today's ZAR exchange rate that's an expensive breakfast....

(although I guess one could use the snooze rooms there...)

The hotel won't play up. The voucher is like cash to them.

As SH says, just go to the EK reception and they'll phone for a car. It takes 5-10 minutes.

You'll also get meal vouchers to be used at any of the Le Meridien restaurants (no booze unfortunately) :)

Thanks (also to SH). Meal will be breakfast but apparently there is quite a nice buffet. Long visit will be short this time, probably miss the 'traditional' ice cream and Moët bar ;)

Guess the immigration formalities on departure don't take much time? Will probably register for smart gates on arrival (assuming this does not add a lot of time to the arrival process, is it done at the normal immigration desk?).

Immigration is a bit of a lottery. I arrived at 10pm on Wednesday, no queue at all. Another hour or 2 and it would have been mad.

Well worth registering for Smart Gates. It costs nothing (other than a few minutes time), and saves lots of time in the future.

Emirates stopovers
 

I was wondering if anybody who has ever booked a stopover package in Dubai with Emirates could tell me more about the benefits.

It looks to me like they just act as a travel agency, is there any advantage by booking through them instead of booking direct?

Good point - just doing the same (from BAEC Silver to EK Silver) but unfortunately I am subject to a challenge (2 Eco Flex/ Flex Plus returns or 1 Business return). Might be as they have matched me 3 years ago to Silver and was not holding the status; so always worth a try.

Just to give you my recent experience. Upon check in at DPS, I was given a voucher for the Crown Plaza, I asked if I could get the Dubai Intl Hotel airside and said I would have to ask when I landed. I got to the F lounge around 1am and my departing flight was at 815am. The nice lady gave me a voucher for the airside hotel I listed above. Went smoothly and decently quick. The room was very quiet and had what I needed for a quick few hours of sleep.

You have to use one of the immigration desks at the far right side and registration takes less than 5 minutes. Yet, departing from the Business gates at T3 i found that often the machines dont work..but doesnt make a difference timewise anyway

I've seen reports before that it takes several hours to process. In AUH I was able to exist using one of the electronic gates (not sure if smart) without getting a stamp, several years ago, without having requested anything extra and on a SA passport which requires a visa to enter. I was surprised.