remymartin

This hotel has really decent F&b offerings, nothing else. I would not call the sand a beach. Rooms are bad. Golds get Internet, if you forego the drink coupon and the points. Golds are not entitled to room upgrades according to the t&c, but rather "enhanced" rooms, e.g. a higher floor.

britbronco22

Stayed at this property last week. I didn't check the reviews beforehand, just booked it as the nearest spg property to my office on Al Reem Island and the rate was in policy.
No Gold recognition on arrival (apart from the key card wallet), but there was free internet anyway (though pretty slow). I got them to add the gold welcome points when I checked out.
Although Golds get 20% discount on food, they were actually running a 30% discount promo for all guests with a room, so the gold discount was no use anyway.
Rooms were old and shabby, no upgrade (not even to a spg floor), however the breakfast buffet was decent enough and the bars and restaurants are popular.
I wouldn't stay here again though.

frenchft

3 words : old, smelly, crappy. Shame for SPG to keep this property. Real value : 35USD MAX! One of the worst hotel from a chain (maybe the worst with Hilton AL Ain) in the emirates. Cross the street and stay at the ramada for 55USD, at least it's clean. What an horrible experience...

It's nothing else than a very cheap ressort for german middle class flip flop all inclusive style (and anyway majority of the customers are with tour operators).

skrosvik

I am here for the 4th time, and maybe I have bad taste, but I have to disagree with you all, I love this hotel

The reason? Have to compare the price to the product and it is an amazing value! I am paying 178 dirham ++ per night, which is less than 50 USD! For that I get a nice suite (on all my visits), premium wifi, restaurant breakfast, club lounge access, beach access, late check out, etc, etc. Maybe if I was a non-status guest paying 600 dirham I would avoid this hotel. But for ME this is a great hotel The view from the beach is not, as someone pointed out, beautiful, but it is still a beach whatsoever

SPG members get an 20% discount on food in all F&B outlets. They have done some changes to the club lounge as well. Now you can enter it 24hrs with your keycard if you'd like to bring some soft drinks to your room after a night out, which is great!

Yeah, it's old and outdated, but I still like it

stargold

The Le Royal Meridien, which is usually within +/- 50 Dhs of the Le Meridien (i.e. sometimes actually cheaper), offers everything which the LM has minus the beach, but is many categories better quality than the LM in every aspect. As a Plat I have always received a suite at LRM.

There's absolutely no way I would go LM unless it was a pure status run.

Keyser

staying here for 4 nights next month with my family....the 2 main reasons are the beach & close proximity to my client's office which i can walk to if the weather is nice....

another reason is that this is the only property which will allow 4 guests (2 adults & 2 infants) to stay in one room....i've attached suite nights so hopefully will end up getting a nice suite....

anything i need to look out for or any tips from the regulars who stay here????

khabah

Interesting that you're staying here but alas, the beach and location are important...

I was in Abu Dhabi a few months ago and walked by the site; it's completely surrounded by construction but there is a new bridge right next door connecting Al Maryah Island to the mainland. Fun fact: the hotel was actually meant to be demolished a few years ago to make way for the bridge and other road infrastructure works but they managed to find a workaround.

Other than that, just keep in mind that this hotel is DATED. I was evacuated from Kuwait in March 2003 following the onset of the Iraq War and spent a few days there and the lobby looks exactly as it does today as it did back then. The rooms have been renovated in 2006/7 but are now well worn down. There are actually two rooms, a twin-bedded standard room [number 305] and deluxe suite [forgot the number] which have been completely redecorated in the Le Méridien brand's current design direction, but I'm not sure why the hotel hasn't pushed the renovation property-wide yet aside from these rooms and the Latest Recipe restaurant.

You can see the renovated room/suite here:
https://www.oyster.com/abu-dhabi/hot...standard-room/
https://www.oyster.com/abu-dhabi/hot...-deluxe-suite/

Hope this helps!

khabah

Keyser

thanks for the update....will ask my ambassador to try & get me the renovated suite....

khabah

UPDATES: RENOVATIONS ARE FINALLY HAPPENING!

I exchanged e-mails with the hotel's Director of Rooms and he let me know the following tidbits:

• There will be two phases of renovation encompassing the entire property:
  • Phase 1: The hotel is currently fully renovating 90 rooms in one wing, which has been closed since the end of November and will reopen in April.
  • Phase 2: From April until the end of the year [around October-November], the main wing with the remaining 144 rooms along with the lobby and main entrance will be completely redone.
• Due to the closure of the lobby from April onwards, a temporary entrance will be set up and ready before Phase 2 begins to ensure a seamless transition.
• The hotel is keeping noise to a minimum but is expecting light to moderate disturbances for Phase 1 during the day and nothing at night. Phase 2 will be noisier and a bit more of a hassle due to the closed lobby, but that's what the temporary setup will be for.

Finally - this old girl needed all the help it could get. Perhaps the redo will get it back up to five-star status...

khabah

skrosvik

I am here now for 4 nights, I have here several times in the past. Its an old hotel, but I have always enjoyed it. Was quite surprises when I entered the lobby, it it completely different, gone are the fountain/statue in the middle of the lobby, the same goes.for the tent they had by the elevators. New colours and new furniture all over.

I was preupgraded to a deluxe suite. It is in the very far end of the corridor. I was pleasantly surprised when I entered the room, renovated from floor to roof. Nice greyish curtains and carpet. Nice desk with charging station, dinner table for four persons, sofa (which can be folded out), and a couple of random chairs and tables.

Bathroom is completely renovated, new tub, a brand new walk in shower, nice large mirror, and new toilet.

Bedroom has the same colourpatterns as the living room. Large tv here as well - and a closet with ample storage possibilities and of course the comfortable Le Meridien bed. Charging stations on both sides of the bed.

Club lounge on the 6th floor is now gone. They are constructing a new lounge on the lobby level, this might.include an outdoor patio as well. So right now they have set up a temporary lounge in a sealed off area of the main restaurant, there is also a designated outdoor patio for this use. Waiters from the restaurant serve you coffee, snacks etc. During Ramadan the happy hours have moved to Pappanello restaurant, on the 2nd floor, where they have set up a bar - spirirts, beers, wines etc, and a small buffet. You can also sit outside - even with alcohol. Waiters were superattentive....my glass never got empty

I have, like everyone else, thought that this hotel was rundown and dumpy, but that has changed now.

Update:

Arrival benefit was choice of either 1000 points OR a fruit basket.
Breakfast in Last Receipe served until 10:30 (included for all plats and above).
Lounge close at 11 PM.
Beach close at sunset.
Huge A/C tent in the garden, football matches on huge screen.
Outdoor pools close at 08:45 PM.

Any questions? I will try to answer