Wild fights between partying Brits were captured on video last week as multiple brawls broke out inside a flash Dubai hotel.
Visitors at the Five Palm Jumeirah hotel in the UAE were filmed brawling in a lobby, in a lounge area and outside the entrance in footage posted on social media.
The hotel’s owner told Mail Online that videos captured two separate incidents that took place on Thursday and Friday night that had been ‘blown out of proportion’.
Wild fights between visitors at the Five Palm hotel in Dubai were captured on camera at the weekend, with one showing guests brawling in the lobby (above)
Aloki Batra said social media users had stitched videos together to make it appear like one large brawl, adding that it was actually two ‘isolated incidents’.
He also claimed that one of the fights had been staged between two friends as a social media stunt.
‘These posts combined some minor incidents to try and create a major incident out of nothing,’ Mr Batra told The National.
‘The main issue is the false information about a stabbing. This is very serious and it just did not happen, it is nonsense.
‘We have beefed up our security considerably based on the new coronavirus regulations as every venue must be empty by 3am.’
He suggested that kicking everyone out at the same time was partly responsible for the fighting, causing crowds to gather at the exits where tempers flared.
Hotel management said a ‘series of isolated incidents’ took place after ‘an event’ at the hotel last week
He added that departures will now be staggered to ease the tensions.
Meanwhile Charlie Sloth – a British hip hop DJ who has a residency at the hotel on a separate night – issued a statement denouncing the violence, and accusing people of trying to ruin the venue’s reputation.
‘Bringing down the name of the Penthouse venue… is the most worrying and saddest thing,’ he said.
Sloth departed the UK to start his residency at Five Palm in October shortly after signing for Jay Z’s record label, and now hosts ‘Charlie Sloth and Friends’ at The Penthouse every Saturday from 1pm until 8pm.
A week ago he uploaded a photo of a bar receipt from the hotel, claiming to have blown £200,000 in one night on 53 bottles of champagne, a bottle of vodka, two bottles of tequila, a bottle of cognac and Japanese food.
One of the videos shows two men brawling in a lobby while groups of others and security watch on, before trying to intervene.
Another shows two men brawling in what appears to be a lounge area, again while security stand by.
More footage shows people brawling in a beach area to the rear of the hotel, and crowds gathered outside the main entrance, after another scuffle took place.
Social media users were quick to blast the Five Palm, with many likening it to infamous European party resorts of Benidorm and Aiya Napa.
More footage showed visitors brawling in a lounge area as bouncers appeared to stand by, with hotel management saying security will be increased
Another piece of footage showed a brawl on the beach located behind the hotel
Twitter user Emma Brain wrote: ‘There always seems to be issues at these properties. It’s like Benidorm.’
Darren Bell added: ‘Do not need all these idiots ruining Dubai …. hope Ibiza and Marbella reopen soon!’
Roxy Smedley said simply: ‘The Five Dubai is done, man.’
Sloth issued a statement, saying there is no place for violence at his events and accusing brawlers of trying to ‘bring down the name of the Penthouse venue.’
Five Palm is well-known to tourists and expats alike as one of the most popular destinations in Dubai, and specialises in all-inclusive holiday packages marketed at Europeans – Britons chief among them.
However, it has started to garner a reputation for trouble, with a British businessman knocked out in a bathroom in March last year.
The man said he had asked three men – two Somalis and a Sudanese – to give him some space in one of the bathrooms when he was punched unconscious.
The 38-year-old was then assaulted again by the same group as he left the bathroom, leaving him missing a tooth and with a deviated septum in his nose.
The attackers, aged 23, 26 and 28, were jailed for six months each in January this year for assault and consuming alcohol without a license, Gulf News reported.