3 minute read
Fairmont Bab Al Bahr, Abu Dhabi
BACKGROUND Fairmont Bab Al Bahr was the first Fairmont hotel to open in Abu Dhabi in 2009. The beachfront property has stunning views of Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque – a selling point that has stood the test of time with the hotel ranked 10th on the list of 25 of the most snap-worthy stays as part of TripAdvisor’s annual Travellers’ Choice Awards 2021.
WHAT’S IT LIKE? “Fairmont Bab Al Bahr boasts a prime location at the mainland gateway to the cosmopolitan city of Abu Dhabi. With its striking, contemporary design, this hotel o ers the highest level of comfort and elegance throughout its 369 rooms and suites,” says TripAdvisor in its description of the property. I agree; it’s a luxurious and comfortable hotel because it’s big on space and facilities and the entrance to the property, as well as its lobby, are grand, which create a real sense of arrival. What really makes this hotel stand out though, is its service. Sta are not only genuinely helpful, friendly and knowledgeable, but intuitive.
WHERE IS IT? Known as the “hotel between the bridges”, this urban resort is situated between Al Maqta and Mussafa bridges (‘Bein Al Jesran’) on the creek at Khor Al Maqta. Abu Dhabi International Airport is a 15-minute drive away.
ROOMS I stayed in a Fairmont Gold View Room with creek and mosque views. Fairmont Gold is the brand’s lifestyle hotel experience with extra privileges including complimentary Wi-Fi, twice daily housekeeping, a dedicated concierge and private dedicated check-in and checkout and butler service 24/7. Access to the Fairmont Gold lounge is included, but due to the pandemic, was closed during my stay. However, the Fairmont Gold area (floor seven with the best views) had lots of spaces to relax or work and admire the views. Complimentary breakfast was served in all-day dining venue Cuiscene and during my stay, the complimentary afternoon tea and sundowners were served in the Lobby Lounge and Marco’s New York Italian restaurant respectively. My room was spacious and comfortable with a great king-sized bed, large bathroom with walk-in shower and bathtub, a sofa, table, and work desk and chair, plenty of electrical sockets, and all the luxury in-room amenities I needed.
FOOD AND DRINK The hotel o ers nine venues and 24-hour in-room dining. Stand outs for me were dinner on the outdoor terrace at Majaz, with authentic Lebanese cuisine, shisha and a great atmosphere. Here, even a salad is a tasty feast, full of flavour and extras like warm bread and pickles. Lunch at Marco’s was a refreshing experience because the service was truly personalised. The fantastic host made menu suggestions cooked to suit my lifestyle preferences. She realised I like to keep fit and healthy, so asked the chef to grill my fish without the butter or sauce and prepared a special salad. I really appreciated it. Sundowners and snacks at
the same venue, part of the Fairmont Gold experience (5pm-7pm), were a great start to the evening. Watching the sun set over the mosque was a special moment.
BUSINESS The flexible function space includes six meeting venues, an outdoor lawn and beach venue, and an elegant ballroom that can accommodate up to 1,100 guests.
LEISURE If you are into training, the standalone gym, Volt Fitness, open to members and guests, is fantastic, with every piece of cardio and strength kit you could wish for. There’s also a large beach and a large pool with plenty of sunbeds around both, a kids’ club (closed at time of writing) and a beauty salon.
VERDICT You can seamlessly blend work and leisure into a stay at Fairmont Bab Al Bahr, so it’s my kind of hotel. You have all the facilities you need to work, rest or play and I fitted in all three within my short stay.
Gemma Greenwood
BEST FOR Bleisure and service
DON’T MISS Outside dining with Insta-worthy creek and mosque views
PRICE From AED525 ($143) per night
CONTACT Khor Al Maqta, Abu Dhabi; +971 (0)2 654 333; babalbahr@fairmont.com
