Christmas Eve at Jumeirah Beach Hotel

Ed and I spent Christmas miles away from home for the 4th time! Though it's getting sadder and harder each year, we were able find ways to make our Christmas a merry one. It has been our yearly tradition to have a good Christmas Eve dinner, then hear carols at St. Mary's Church, followed by a High Mass at midnight. As we have managed not to have a holiday shopping spree this year (which took a lot of self-control), we rewarded ourselves with a Christmas Eve feast in a 5-star hotel. 

We booked a dinner buffet at Jumeirah Beach Hotel, a luxurious hotel along the coastline of Dubai. It is located beside the famous 7-star Burj Al Arab. The two iconic structures complement each other, Burj Al Arab is sail-shaped and Jumeirah Beach Hotel's design is wave-inspired.

A wonderful Christmas Eve at Jumeirah Beach Hotel

The amazing Burj Al Arab

We dined at Latitude, an excellent restaurant, well-known for their Friday Brunch, Theme Nights and live-cooking stations, at Jumeirah Beach Hotel. The Christmas Eve buffet was beyond my expectations. It was  so grand and massive that I can't even compare it to my previous buffet experiences. The feast was beautifully arranged in 4 large adjacent rooms. There were live-cooking stations tuck in each corner.  It was like a gastronomical journey around the world as they served almost every type of cuisines.  

Latitude's elegant interior

The first buffet section was filled with a spread of Chinese and Italian food

A chef making Peking Duck rolls

The Peking Duck with an authentic Oriental taste

A table of Dimsum

Shrimp Dumplings

a live cooking station for pasta dishes

The second buffet section was a great fusion; Indian and Arabic dishes on one side, Western on the other, with the Christmas staple: Roasted Turkey.

Lamb chops and other meat dishes

Prime Rib Roast Beef and Yorkshire Pudding

Ed and his slice of Roast Beef

The star of the night!

The third buffet section has the finest array of bread, appetizers, seafood and Japanese food.

colorful Gingerbread House

a large selection of bread

The exemplary spread of seafood: Smoked Salmon, Octopus,  Mussels, Clams
and Prawns

oysters arranged in a bed of ice

The best of the best Sushi Station

A very long table of Japanese delights

Greens at the Salad bar

delicious appetizers 

The fourth buffet section was overflowing with sweets!

fresh fruits

gelato counter

Chocolate Fondue

The making of my dessert at the Crepe Station

A table of cakes and gazillion calories :)

Along with the excellent feast was a lively, Christmassy ambiance. There were holiday decors everywhere, ice sculptures, sweet music filled the air  and we got a visit from Santa Clause and his elves. 

musicians at the hotel's lobby

A singer serenaded us with Christmas songs while we were having our dinner.

We had a superb Christmas Eve dinner, but it was not the highlight of our night. After our feast, we welcomed Christmas the best way we could, a solemn mass at St. Mary's. That made our holiday a  meaningful one, because Christmas is not about luxurious dining and not even about gift-giving, it is about God's love for all of us. I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas! 

For those who want to try the best buffet in town, check Latitude's rates below 

and click here for reservations.