Where to get free wifi in Dubai
What’s On teams up with Good for the definitive guide on where to get free wifi in Dubai, including the best cafes, best workhubs and hotels with free wifi.
The UAE’s increasingly mobile workforce is on a mission to find the perfect place to get some work done, away from the home, and out of the office. Our friends at Good compare some of the best, from minimum spend to food on offer.
THE WORK SPACE
MAKE Business Hub
Where: Dubai Marina.
What: MAKE is a café designed with the specific purpose of housing mobile workers.
Wi-Fi: They operate a package system. Packages start from Dhs39, which will get you three hours of internet browsing time, plus one free water and hot drink, and range up to Dhs849 for 6 days and meeting room access.
Other facilities: MAKE is catered to workers. Take a meeting at the sleekly curved table, flick through a book, attend a seminar on business start-ups, or just plug in and buckle down.
Price: Bottle of water Dhs5, cappuccino Dhs16.
Any food on offer: Breakfast is served until noon, with plenty of sandwiches and salads available after that. The home-made brownie hits the spot for that mid-afternoon slump.
Best for: Budding entrepreneurs in need of working and meeting.
Al Fattan Office Tower, Al Sufouh Road, Dubai Marina. Tel: (04) 3929216. makebusinesshub.com.
THE CAFES
Tom & Serg
Where: Al Quoz.
What: This popular warehouse-style café has an open kitchen and dining space downstairs, with a coffee bar and quieter mezzanine.
Wi-Fi: No minimum spend here; there’s free Wi-Fi, and internet speed is more than adequate. Be careful with these boys though, if you overstay your ‘laptop’ welcome during peak times, they may just show you the door.
Other facilities: Cool mags from all over the world, plus a growing library.
Price: Bottle of water Dhs10, cappuccino Dhs15, plus free filtered water in carafes.
Any food on offer: Loads, with menus for am, pm and all day, in addition to muffins and kick-ass coffee.
Best for: Caffeine addicts and being seen.
Street 15a, Al Joud Building (around the corner from ACE Hardware), Al Quoz, Dubai. Tel: (050) 3675332. tomandserg.com
The Magazine Shop
Where: Media City and DIFC.
What: This relaxed little hub, from the same team behind The Archive, has its main branch in Media City, and a pop-up style outdoor outlet among the art galleries in DIFC.
Wi-Fi: Feel free to park yourself on the communal table in the airy Media City branch, and make use of the free Wi-Fi for as long as you like.
Other facilities: The Magazine Shop focuses on bringing high quality independent magazines from around the world to Dubai, and the team are happy to give tailor-made recommendations.
Price: Bottle of water Dhs10, cappuccino Dhs17.
Any food on offer: Grab a sandwich or salad, but they’re really known for having some of the best coffee in town.
Best for: Young, creative professionals looking for inspiration in print.
Loft #2, Loft Offices Complex, Al Madaar St, behind the Showtime/OSN Building, Dubai Media City, and Gate Village 8, Podium Level, DIFC, Dubai. Tel: (04) 4574283. themagazineshop.me.
Pantry Café
Where: Wasl Square
What: A neighbourhood café and delicatessen, with an open kitchen, warm lighting, and plenty of choices for seating.
Wi-Fi: Ask your server for the password when you order.
Other facilities: It’s not a work space, but there’s indoor and outdoor tables, plus deli items that you suddenly can’t live without.
Price: Bottle of water Dhs12, cappuccino Dhs19.
Any food on offer: Pantry Café has a vast menu. Breakfast items are served till noon on weekdays, 3pm at the weekend; hot meals, sandwiches and salads are served from noon till close.
Best for: A light workload and a heavy lunch.
Wasl Square, Al Hadeeqa Street, Jumeirah, Dubai. Tel: (04) 3883869. pantrycafe.me.
Kino’s Café
Where: Dubai Mall.
What: You’ll find this little café tucked inside bookstore Kinokuniya, with great views on the balcony looking out over the fountains.
Wi-Fi: Free, so settle on a sofa and get working.
Other facilities: It’s in the middle of Book World, so you won’t be stuck for reading material, and there’s a great view of the fountains.
Price: Bottle of water Dhs8, cappuccino Dhs25.
Any food on offer: Light, modern Japanese favourites. Snack on sushi and teriyaki, sip on some green tea.
Best for: Bookworms stuck in Dubai Mall.
Level 2, Bookworld by Kinokuniya, Dubai Mall, Dubai. Tel: (04) 4340272. kinokuniya.com/ae.
Pain Quotidien
Where: Eight branches around Dubai, our favourite is in Marina Mall.
What: A continental bakery and café, with satisfyingly rustic wooden furnishings.
Wi-Fi: Set your laptop up on the communal table; they have free Wi-Fi for all customers.
Other facilities: None, but don’t forget to stock up on jams and spreads from their pantry.
Price: Bottle of water Dhs12, cappuccino Dhs18.
Any food on offer: It’s all about those baked goods. Get yourself a sticky fruit pastry, or one of PQ’s famous open sandwiches, such as the avocado, chickpea, cucumber and spicy tahini.
Best for: The sweet-toothed, and working over breakfast.
lepainquotidien.ae.
More Café
Where: Five locations across the UAE, including Dubai Mall and DIFC.
What: Expansive resto-cafés, with large communal tables, and a buzzing atmosphere.
Wi-Fi: Free.
Other facilities: Up-to-date newspapers and magazines.
Price: Bottle of water Dhs8, cappuccino Dhs17.
Any food on offer: More live up to their name – they do it all, from hearty home-style stews and schnitzel, to Som Tam salad, or a shawarma to go.
Best for: People watching and big portions.
morecafe.co
Jedoudna
Where: Media City and JBR.
What: Casual Lebanese eateries. The Media City branch has an outdoor terrace.
Wi-Fi: Ask your server for the password, and you’re free to while away as long as you like browsing the web, and smoking some shisha.
Other facilities: None.
Price: Bottle of water Dhs8, cappuccino Dhs 17.
Any food on offer: You’ll start with some hummous, maybe a little fattoush. Then before you know it, you’ve ordered a whole mixed grill.
Best for: A chilled out work sesh.
Gateway Building Block A, Dubai Media City, Dubai. Tel: (04) 4356131. jedoudna.com.
May’s Café
Where: Dubai Marina.
What: On the mezzanine floor of new gourmet grocery store Maybury, you’ll find May’s Café.
Wi-Fi: You get the password when you order.
Other facilities: May’s Café offer cooking classes in a fully decked-out kitchen area, and you can treat yourself to some deli items from the store downstairs. There’s also valet parking.
Price: Bottle of water Dhs15, cappuccino Dhs18.
Any food on offer: Home-made soups, quiches, salads and curries will fill you up.
Best for: Relaxed vibes and a friendly welcome.
Ariyana Tower Building, next to Dubai Marina Metro station, Dubai Marina, Dubai. Tel: (04) 4238073. mymaybury.com
Java U
Where: JLT.
What: A Canadian favourite coffee shop, transported to a JLT location.
Wi-Fi: Spend minimum Dhs10 for one hour of Wi-Fi.
Other facilities: None.
Price: Bottle of water Dhs10, cappuccino Dhs18.
Any food on offer: Italian-inspired paninis, sandwiches and salads, as well as Canadian coffee.
Best for: Marina-dwellers who don’t fancy a journey.
Dubai Marina Cascade Building, Dubai. Tel: (04) 4224303. java-u.com.
Caribou Coffee
Where: 20+ branches across the UAE.
What: Cosy American chain with reliably comfy armchairs to sink into.
Wi-Fi: Make a purchase and they’ll give you a passcode.
Other facilities: Depending on the location, some branches have large communal tables suitable for meetings.
Price: Bottle of water Dhs5, cappuccino Dhs15
Any food on offer: Standard coffeeshop fare.
Best for: Popping in to pass a quick half hour’s work.
cariboucoffee.com.
Urban Bistro
Where: Media City.
What: A stylish little bistro-style café filled with warm, wooden furniture, and an outdoor seating deck overlooking the water.
Wi-Fi: Free.
Other facilities: A whole wall of stuffed bookshelves is a welcome sight.
Price: Bottle of water Dhs5, cappuccino Dhs15. There are also carafes of free water.
Any food on offer: All options from takeaway snacks, fresh sandwiches from the deli counter, or sitting down with a wagyu beef burger.
Best for: Meetings in Media City and a great menu.
Ground Floor, Building 2 (CNN Building), Dubai Media City, Dubai. Tel: (04) 3624330. urbanbistro.ae.
Costa Coffee
Where: Everywhere.
What: A stalwart on the coffee shop scene.
Wi-Fi: Make a purchase, and you’ll get a Wi-Fi code on your receipt, good for one hour’s browsing.
Other facilities: None.
Price: Bottle of water Dhs10, cappuccino Dhs14.
Any food on offer: Plenty of sandwiches, wraps, muffins and cookies.
Best for: A convenient coffee fix.
costacoffee.ae.
Caffé Nero
Where: All over the UAE, but we like the JLT location.
What: Cosy intimate café with an Italian vibe.
Wi-Fi: Buy anything and you get a password, but you can stay as long as you like.
Other facilities: Local newspapers.
Price: Bottle of water Dhs5, cappuccino Dhs15.
Any food on offer: Muffins, cakes, salads, etc.
Best for: Classical music lovers wanting some peace and quiet.
caffenero.com/uae
THE UNEXPECTED
The Archive
Where: Safa Park.
What: A café, library, and community space in a converted 1970s park facilities building, The Archive has a large central table often populated with laptop-toting freelancers.
Wi-Fi: Free, open Wi-Fi. No password, and no minimum spend necessary.
Other facilities: Take a break from your work to browse the library of books, which focus on the arts and culture of the Middle East and North Africa.
Price: Bottle of water Dhs5, cappuccino Dhs15.
Any food on offer: Food is served all day, 8am to 10pm. Try the all-day breakfast items.
Best for: Meetings and escaping the city for some productive park life.
Gate 5 (on the side of the park facing 55th Street), Safa Park, Dubai. Tel: (04) 3494033. thearchive.ae.
Book Munch
Where: Wasl Square.
What: A cosy haven combining two of life’s greatest pleasures – books and food.
Wi-Fi: Free for all customers.
Other facilities: A plethora of lovingly selected fiction and non-fiction books for sale (you’ll find plenty on food, in particular) as well as regular literary events like signings and readings.
Price: Bottle of water Dhs7, cappuccino Dhs17.
Any food on offer: You’ll definitely find something that piques your interest on this menu – they have everything from hearty burgers and pastas, to fresh salads and tempting desserts. If you’re having a meeting, platters of baked goods are available “From the Mad Hatter’s Table”.
Best for: Getting lost in literature. Then attempting to get some work done.
Al Wasl Square, Al Wasl Road, Opposite Al Reef Lebanese Bakery, Jumeirah, Dubai. Tel: (04) 3884006. bookmunchcafe.com.
Zabeel Park
Where: Karama.
What: Dubai’s biggest park just happens to be “technology themed”.
Wi-Fi: Zabeel Park has free Wi-Fi all over. Chill out under a tree and get some work done, until your laptop battery dies.
Other facilities: An ice-rink, should you fancy it.
Price: Entry to the park costs Dhs5.
Any food on offer: There is a couple of cafés in the park, but you’re best off packing up your own picnic.
Best for: Families and fresh air.
Karama, Dubai. Tel: (04) 3986888.
THE LIBRARIES
Where: The UAE’s public libraries are dotted around the country, from Ras Al Khaimah to Rashidiya.
What: The original workspace, libraries have stood the test of time for a reason. There’s no other environment so hushed and work-conducive. You’ll be able to concentrate here.
Wi-Fi: Free of charge in most branches, though it may be limited to a couple of hours.
Other facilities: Thousands of reference books, photocopying, lamination, bookbinding services, and much more.
Any food on offer: No, but that’s not what you came here for.
Best for: Academics, research, and buckling down to meet a deadline.
libraries.ae.
THE HOTELS
Media One Hotel
Where: Media City
What: A stylish and modern hotel built with business in mind. Head to Café M on the ground floor for a stress-free meeting spot in futuristic surroundings.
Wi-Fi: Free Wi-Fi is available across the whole hotel.
Other facilities: The range of meeting and conference rooms available at Media One is massive.
Price: Bottle of water Dhs12, cappuccino Dhs19.
Any food on offer: There’s a daily salad buffet, or just stick to the classic deadline remedy of coffee after coffee.
Best for: Mingling and meetings with fellow media types.
Media One Hotel, Dubai Media City, Dubai. Tel: (04) 4271000. mediaonehotel.com.
Ritz-Carlton DIFC
Where: Dubai International Financial Centre.
What: The sleek lobby to this luxury hotel houses The Lobby Lounge & Terrace.
Wi-Fi: Free, but you’ll be splashing out on the beverages here.
Other facilities: Plenty of swish meeting rooms available in the hotel.
Price: Bottle of water Dhs28, cappuccino Dhs40.
Any food on offer: Light snacks and sandwiches, plus afternoon tea.
Best for: A popular Wi-Fi-catching spot for the DIFC workforce.
Gate Village, DIFC, Dubai. Tel: (04) 3722323. ritzcarlton.com.
JW Marriott Marquis
Where: Business Bay.
What: The world’s tallest hotel.
Wi-Fi: High speed wireless internet is offered in the lobby and all public areas of the hotel.
Other facilities: 32 meeting rooms.
Any food on offer: Plentiful dining options available throughout the hotel, with 12 restaurants.
Best for: Work get-togethers, bashing out ideas over a few drinks and snacks.
Sheikh Zayed Road, Business Bay, Dubai. Tel: (04) 4140000. marriott.com.
