Originally Posted by
illico
It would seem to me that this hotel is being positioned to compete with something like the Four Seasons DIFC, with similar pricing, room sizes and maybe in some people’s eyes, a better city location. If they manage to address the brand “deficiencies” and this turns out to be a great hotel (we’ll see if yes/no, sounds like a dubious start to me), then why wouldn’t they be able to keep the price level? Edition brand doesn’t seem to me as targeting the Elite benefit seeking membership, but maybe the member with disposable income, that says “Let me try it and get some Bonvoy points too”. If they suck, we’ll see the results soon enough (*cough, St Regis Downtown, cough*).
Good summary. It may well be trying to compete as a luxury hotel with the Four Seasons (it bears some similarities) and of course it isn't on that level, though I appreciate its positioning as more intimate and more upscale (probably with better service) than the several highrise The Address properties nearby. It's also somewhat comparable to the Ritz-Carlton DIFC, though also more intimate and with fewer amenities. This hotel isn't really designed for the demographic I represent -- the decidedly non-hip older Lifetime Titanium road warrior who probably wouldn't have chosen it if it wasn't affiliated with the program -- but that's OK and they certainly didn't make me feel less than welcome.
I had a pretty positive experience that exceeded my modest expectations. I booked a decent rate (less than AED 1,000 all-in) that included breakfast, and they gave me an upgrade to a one-bedroom suite on a middle floor with two balconies with Burj Khalifa views. The room was large, attractive, and clean with good lighting and TVs in each room (though it was hard to control them independently; the remote tended to change both at the same time -- why can't hotels figure out how to prevent that?). Plenty of nice touches like electronic curtains, a refrigerator, and sort of a dining table with a sofa for seating. Front-desk and bell service were excellent and breakfast quality and service were solid.
A few minor quibbles: There isn't really self-parking here. They said I could park myself if I insisted but there is no elevator from the garage, only stairs. The stairs wouldn't be a deal-breaker but I took their hint. The breakfast, while good, was limited to a set menu with narrow offerings: "choose one" of each course, one of which was an omelette, in which you could "choose three" of a list of toppings. I despise this micro-management; why not just, "please order whatever you want"? They didn't have brewed coffee, only the Euro-style machine. Besides a bar of soap, the toiletries are full-size dispensers, which are helpfully available for purchase for AED 350 ($95). Nice Le Labo amenities, but the ones in the shower didn't really work; I had to wrestle them out of their brackets and remove the pump to pour out the contents.
The only significant downside in my view was the lack of bar options. The only bar other than the outdoor pool terrace, which seems to be open til 11:00pm, is a loud, super-cool (I guess) lounge populated with young people in t-shirts and sneakers genuflecting in-place to the DJ. The host asked if I was on the guest list, I said no, and he said, well, we try to be flexible for in-house guests, so they let me in. It was not that crowded. There was no wait service as far as I could tell, so after waiting forever at the bar (where the couple of bartenders seemed to spend most of their time typing on the POS), I managed to get some drinks. I asked for the menu, there was none -- "we can give you whatever cocktail you want." How about wine by the glass? Only one low-end Italian white, he said. I ordered a not-very-generously-poured double whiskey, which ended up being a Makers Mark for AED 156 (around $42).
Originally Posted by
lost_in_translation
I disagree that it's meaningless - it generally means the hotel has a limited range of facilities / services but is instead trying to spin this lack of choice as a positive!
Yeah, but the word "curated" is idiotic and I agree that it's a code for "limited." By definition, any menu or really any service offering is "curated" (except, ironically, the bar with no menu).
This is a decent option in a good location, which manages to find a somewhat unique niche in a city with so many five-star hotels, so I don't regret staying, but I doubt I will return.