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BUSINESS TRAVELLER MIDDLE EAST AWARDS
Don’t miss your chance to vote for the best in travel
The nominations are in, and voting has started for the Business Traveller Middle East Awards 2022.
Hundreds of nominations have been made across the 41 categories being contested, with readers now able to cast their votes for the best in travel at btme.ae is year’s programme is bigger and better than ever, with several new categories added and the event’s hotly anticipated awards ceremony taking place live for the rst time since 2019.
Now in its 20th year, the awards programme will culminate with a gala event on May 9, 2022, at a ve-star hotel in Dubai, with more than 200 guests set to attend.
Each year, the coveted ceremony attracts a high-pro le crowd comprising industry heavyweights, High Net Worth Individuals (HNWIs), C-Suite executives and key decision makers from the hotel, aviation, tourism and transportation sectors. e 41 awards categories for 2022 include 10 airline awards, four airport awards, 19 hotel awards and new for 2021, eight leisure and lifestyle awards.
Re ecting business travel trends and traveller priorities, categories contested at the 2022 awards will range from Best Airline in the World, Best Hotel Brand in the World and Best Serviced Apartment Brand in the Middle East to Best Dining Experiences in the UAE, Best Mobile Travel Application and Best Golf Club in the Middle East. e best business hotel category will be applied to every major Middle
The winners will be announced at a gala awards ceremony on May 9 East destination, recognising the high quality of accommodation and services to business travellers provided in each, with locations covered including Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Dubai, Egypt, Israel, Jeddah, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Riyadh and Sharjah and the Northern Emirates. e Business Traveller Middle East Awards 2022 celebrate the companies at the forefront of business travel and services, as well as the hard work of top-level industry executives.
e 2022 awards build on the momentum of the highly successful 2021 event, which took place virtually, recognising leading airlines, hotels, airports and other providers to the business travel sector across 33 categories.
Several travel companies were crowned with more than one title including Emirates Airline, IHG Hotels & Resorts, Dubai International Airport (DXB), Four Seasons and Hilton, all of which received at least three awards.
Notable achievements included Emirates being voted ‘Best Airline Worldwide’ and partner carrier, ydubai, recognised as ‘Best LowCost Airline serving the Middle East’; Rotana scooping ‘Best Hotel Brand in the Middle East’ and for its Centro Hotels by Rotana concept, ‘Best Budget Hotel Brand in the Middle East’; e Ascott Limited being crowned ‘Best Serviced Apartments Brand in the Middle East; and Marriott Bonvoy being named ‘Best Hotel Loyalty Programme in the Middle East’. e coveted ‘Best Hotel Brand Worldwide’ title went to Hilton Hotels & Resorts.
In 2022 we give you, our valued readers, the chance to vote for companies who you consider the best in travel – those who have gone above and beyond during what has been another challenging year for the sector. Get voting now!
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ZULAL WELLNESS RESORT BY CHIVA-SOM, the region’s largest holistic wellness resort and the world’s rst contemporary showcase of Traditional Arabic & Islamic Medicine (TAIM), opened on March 29. e resort is managed by Chiva-Som, a globally acclaimed pioneer in wellness and lifestyle transformation with 26 years’ experience honed at its agship resort in Hua Hin, ailand. e Zulal wellness experience is built on six pillars of wellness: Nutrition, Fitness, Spa, Physiotherapy, Holistic Health and Aesthetics. TAIM will be infused throughout each, together restoring body, mind and spirit to optimum health in a sustainable manner. At Zulal Wellness Resort, there are two distinct paths to achieving wellness goals.
Zulal Serenity is the adults-only area of the resort for guests aged 16 and above, with 60 rooms and suites and programmes tailored to individual health needs. Extensive wellness facilities include thermal and hydrotherapy suites, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, spa suites, a well-equipped gymnasium, exercise studios, a state-of-the-art physiotherapy studio and an aesthetics centre.
Zulal Discovery caters to guests seeking family experiences and to make wellness an integral part of the family bond, with programmes customised for multi-generations and speci c age groups. Facilities have been designed by child and family specialists. Accommodation is o ered in a range of set-ups across 120 rooms and suites.
New Taj on e Palm Jumeirah
Taj Exotica Resort & Spa on Dubai’s Palm Jumeirah has opened featuring 325 rooms and suites. The third Taj-branded hotel in the UAE showcases Taj’s award-winning Jiva spa, a private beach, the longest pool on The Palm Jumeirah, the Popsicle Kids Club, and F&B options including Indian fine dining at Varq; a unique gastropub experience at the Roaring Rabbit; Arabesque atmosphere at Raia, the rooftop bar and lounge; Palm Kitchen, serving international dishes; and The Coast, a beachside bistro o ering coastal delicacies. There are also two expansive ballrooms and multiple meeting rooms at the luxury resort.
EDITOR’S PICKS
Last month I was lucky enough to stay in five di erent hotels. Here’s a quick run-down what impressed me at each. Best for sustainability: Canopy by Hilton London City, where plastic and even glass water bottles are shunned and instead, guests fill up a carafe in their room from a water filter in the corridor. Best for a power shower: The walk-in rain shower at Hyde Dubai in Business Bay was phenomenal – hot and powerful, so a great start to the day. Best for bathroom amenities: Hyde Dubai, followed closely by Four Seasons Al Maryah Abu Dhabi. High-quality products make a big di erence to our travel-weary – and dehydrated – skin and hair and Hyde had the edge with (Malin+Goetz) products leaving my hair and skin super smooth and silky. Best gym: Fairmont Bab Al Bahr in Abu Dhabi, without a doubt. Guests have complimentary access to Volt Fitness, a standalone gym in the building next door, featuring extensive resistance, functional and cardio equipment. There was every piece of kit you could ever wish for in that gym, as well as takeaway co ee, protein shakes and bars, and other refreshments to maximise your workout. Best for co-working: 25hours Dubai (pictured), the most ‘out there’ hotel in Dubai. From dedicated co-working spaces in the lobby and on the first floor, to the dining venues, and even the rooftop spa garden, there are plenty of places to work, eat, drink, meet, or just hang out. The 25hours Social Hub – the lobby, which merges into the indoor and outdoor café, is a haven for those on remote work days. See our Tried & Tested reviews in the back of this issue for more details (P60-66)
