All visitors to the UAE require passports that are valid for at least three months from the date of arrival in the UAE (for tourism purposes) and six months from the date of arrival for those seeking employment or residence. Entry is not granted to Israelis.
All visitors require visas except for the nationals of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. British citizens who reside in UK may stay without a visa for 30 days, renewable for another two months. Transit passengers who do not leave the airport building do not require a visa.
You can get your visa through hotels that will agree to sponsor you. This means spending a few nights with them. The hotel delivers your visa to the airport from where you pick it up on your arrival. But do get the hotel to fax you a copy of the visa before you leave for UAE. Usually the bigger hotels get you the visa without any hassles.