DJ Sam Young on Dubai nightlife

London-based celebrity DJ Sam Young has been a resident DJ at Boujis for 10 years. It is the nightclub favoured by princes Harry and William, Pippa Middleton and the Chelsea soccer team. In fact, Prince William sometimes goes up to the booth to request tracks. ("He likes classic dance music, stuff that's current, nothing cheesy".) Young also DJs at Chinawhite in London and has spun the discs at parties for Elton John, Naomi Campbell, Justin Timberlake and Guy Ritchie.

One of his favourite places to play, however, is Dubai, where the club scene is increasingly vibrant.

"I've deejayed in Dubai loads and I love it out there," says Young, 33, son of celebrity photographer Richard Young. "I first went out on a family holiday. I was in my early 20s and it was before there were so many clubs and shops. Then, after I won the 2007 best DJ award, I played at a club called Mix at the Grand Hyatt. This was Dubai in the early days. It wasn't a great night, but I was just happy to be there."

He has since played at Boudoir, an exclusive venue on Jumeirah Beach Road, and Armani, Trilogy and Okku - which is run by some friends from London.

With more than eight million international visitors a year, Dubai is one of the most cosmopolitan places in the Middle East. But strict laws on alcohol consumption confine the nightlife to the big hotels along Sheikh Zayed Road and the Jumeirah Palm, the man-made palm-tree shaped island that juts out of Dubai Marina. The scene is small, but exclusive, and focused around the expat community.

"It is not like London, where the majority can go out and party," says Young. "Dubai is not cheap, so only the wealthy few go out and party."

As a result, many of the venues are ultra chic. "The Armani Hotel is just amazing, incredibly stylish. It's probably my favourite place after Okku. Okku has this wonderful Japanese restaurant, which does superb sushi. I think it's better than Nobu or Zuma's, but those places are available, too."