IC Dubai Festival City (Master Thread)
Apr 11, 2015, 12:40 pm
#136
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Sydney, Australia
Posts: 373
[QUOTE=Kubi;24592620] I have recently been at the IC Festival City.
The Club Lounge was one of the best in the past. Now the dinner offer is a shame for Dubai. NO hot offers. If it would be an InterContinental somewhere else, I would´t complain. But this is Dubai. And when I go to Dubai I expect something very special. That was what I got in the Club Lounge in Dubai in the past.
I would suggest that many of us should send E-Mails to the General Manager of IC Festival City and complain.
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Indeed!
When I go to Dubai or to Paris, I want and expect something special. There is only one Dubai and only one Paris. Why does the Dubai Club Lounge have to be like all the others? Charge us more money, but make is special and memorable. Or, lose customers as other Dubai hotels are doing very memorable and awesome things in their Club Lounges.
One that I particularly like the Fairmont's lounge. Even tho I like to earn IC reward points, I will go to where I get the most product.
The Club Lounge was one of the best in the past. Now the dinner offer is a shame for Dubai. NO hot offers. If it would be an InterContinental somewhere else, I would´t complain. But this is Dubai. And when I go to Dubai I expect something very special. That was what I got in the Club Lounge in Dubai in the past.
I would suggest that many of us should send E-Mails to the General Manager of IC Festival City and complain.
----------
Indeed!
When I go to Dubai or to Paris, I want and expect something special. There is only one Dubai and only one Paris. Why does the Dubai Club Lounge have to be like all the others? Charge us more money, but make is special and memorable. Or, lose customers as other Dubai hotels are doing very memorable and awesome things in their Club Lounges.
One that I particularly like the Fairmont's lounge. Even tho I like to earn IC reward points, I will go to where I get the most product.
Last edited by Oceanbound222; Apr 25, 2015 at 8:39 pm
Apr 30, 2015, 1:50 am
#138
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: Seat 1A, Juice pretty much everywhere, Mucci des Coins Exotiques
Posts: 34,339
If you read through this thread, you'll see that the properties are side by side. Same owner. Maybe try Google Earth to see it visually.
Apr 30, 2015, 2:38 am
#139
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: London
Programs: BA, VS, HH, IHG, MB, MR
Posts: 26,871
They are fundamentally the same complex - the pool is shared and you can cross charge.
If you want a hotel by water (but not on the beach) the Park Hyatt is better in my view as it is low rise and you can walk down the edge of the creek.
If you want a hotel by water (but not on the beach) the Park Hyatt is better in my view as it is low rise and you can walk down the edge of the creek.
Apr 30, 2015, 9:07 pm
#140
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 29
The IC group has no beach ...
... hotels in Dubai. The IC and CP Festival City are located at the Creek and the new IC Dubai Marina which will be bookable from June 1st ist located in a tower inside Dubai Marina with a view on the marina. It is, however, in walkable distance to the Jumeirah Beach Park. Living myself very close to Dubai Marina, I will have a look at it. While the location is nice, the traffic into and out of Dubai Marina is at least problematic to say it nicely. The is a Tram Station close by which connects to the Dubai Metro ... The rooms look nice but their opening special is far from the discounted rates of IC and CP Festival City. And never forget, you have not only 10 % for service and 10 % for municipality fees on top but since 31st March 2014 each night costs an additional 20 AED in those hotel, the so called "tourism dirham" (introduced to finance the EXPO 2020 developments). The nice thing about those two hotels is that they directly connect to Festival City Mall where IKEA is at home in Dubai. Close to both hotels is the IC Residental Suites which are very nice, too. Although taxis are cheap in general (3.50 AED basic charge plus 1.75 AED for every km), car rental could be an option depending on how much you move around. If you don't know Dubai at all, I recommend taxis for this first stay to get familiar with Dubai. The traffic outlay is sometimes a bit strange and you really, really have to follow signs to end up where you wanna go ... Making a wrong turn somewhere can cost you lot of time and people do get lost ...
May 1, 2015, 2:33 am
#141
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: London
Programs: BA, VS, HH, IHG, MB, MR
Posts: 26,871
Really, don't hire a car! Cabs are dirt cheap and they have Uber as well.
The problem with self driving is that, due to the odd one way systems, the route you need often requires heading in the opposite direction to where you need to go and signage can be vague unless you understand where different parts of town are.
The problem with self driving is that, due to the odd one way systems, the route you need often requires heading in the opposite direction to where you need to go and signage can be vague unless you understand where different parts of town are.
May 1, 2015, 2:55 am
#142
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: Seat 1A, Juice pretty much everywhere, Mucci des Coins Exotiques
Posts: 34,339
Yes cabs are cheap, but sometimes you want to drive yourself or go exploring out in the desert, etc. I rented my first time in Dubai, back in pre-smartphone days. I had a map and didn't have much of a problem figuring it out. You learn from a few wrong turns and become an "expert". That's part of the fun of travel.
May 13, 2015, 3:33 pm
#143
Join Date: May 2001
Location: TYO
Posts: 1,496
In regards to the Club "enhancements" down to a crappy evening spread and severe cutbacks on the liquids, I asked the new Club Manager (as in the last year or so) and she trumpeted "aligning with brand standards" poppycock.
When I asked her how many other ICs she has been to... ZERO!
When I asked her how many other ICs she has been to... ZERO!
May 13, 2015, 9:52 pm
#144
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Singapore
Programs: IHG Plat Amb, Accor Plat, Hilton HHonors Gold, Best Western Diamond, Club Carlson Gold, GHA Black
Posts: 278
In regards to the Club "enhancements" down to a crappy evening spread and severe cutbacks on the liquids, I asked the new Club Manager (as in the last year or so) and she trumpeted "aligning with brand standards" poppycock.
When I asked her how many other ICs she has been to... ZERO!
When I asked her how many other ICs she has been to... ZERO!
I asked her whether are they aligning to the the brand standards of HIX? She said there are no club lounge in HIX. i say exactly. with the type of offerings you are giving, might as well cease ur lounge.
May 26, 2015, 12:30 pm
#146
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold, EK Gold, GF Silver, IC Royal Ambass, Marriott Gold, TK Elite
Posts: 902
I've stopped booking there since the "enhancements".
Just arrived at IC Bahrain and same has happened this month here now. Again "brand consistency"; i said don't you mean "devaluation"?
So it will be the last time I stay here now.
Just arrived at IC Bahrain and same has happened this month here now. Again "brand consistency"; i said don't you mean "devaluation"?
So it will be the last time I stay here now.
May 28, 2015, 9:02 am
#147
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: DCA IAD BWI
Programs: AS MVP, Hyatt Diamond, IHG Spire Ambassador, Global Entry, Hertz 5*
Posts: 176
Going to Dubai for several days early next year; was going to book at IC Dubai FC, since I'm an IHG PlatAmbassador, but seeing all this fire and brimstone for the lackluster Club Lounge... Park Hyatt it is!
-AD
-AD
Oct 14, 2015, 3:33 pm
#150
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: New England
Programs: UA 1P, Hyatt Diamond, HH Diamond, Marriott Gold
Posts: 1,502
