Dec 12, 18, 7:51 am
Al Maha Desert Resort & Spa, Dubai [Master Thread]
Jul 12, 23, 6:14 pm
#1741
Join Date: Apr 2023
Location: Toronto, Canada
Posts: 26
We found them to be embarrassingly stingy with the meals when you consider the price point. We arrived at 2pm for a 2-night stay and were asked to choose if we wanted to have lunch that day, or just have dinner later on and save the lunch for the day we were checking out. We chose to save the lunch for our checkout day. When that day came, the staff acted very confused and insisted that we had already had lunch the day we checked in, and would therefore have to pay for lunch if we wanted it again. Really disappointing and left a sour taste in my mouth.
Jul 13, 23, 2:39 am
#1742
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: AUH
Posts: 8,173
We found them to be embarrassingly stingy with the meals when you consider the price point. We arrived at 2pm for a 2-night stay and were asked to choose if we wanted to have lunch that day, or just have dinner later on and “save” the lunch for the day we were checking out. We chose to “save” the lunch for our checkout day. When that day came, the staff acted very confused and insisted that we had already had lunch the day we checked in, and would therefore have to pay for lunch if we wanted it “again”. Really disappointing and left a sour taste in my mouth.
That said, hassling you to argue about whether you did, in fact, have lunch on the first day or not is annoying and surprising - it should require no more than a firm response clearly stating your position, to let the staff then figure out the issue in the background.
Jul 13, 23, 4:14 am
#1743
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 349
We found them to be embarrassingly stingy with the meals when you consider the price point. We arrived at 2pm for a 2-night stay and were asked to choose if we wanted to have lunch that day, or just have dinner later on and save the lunch for the day we were checking out. We chose to save the lunch for our checkout day. When that day came, the staff acted very confused and insisted that we had already had lunch the day we checked in, and would therefore have to pay for lunch if we wanted it again. Really disappointing and left a sour taste in my mouth.
Jul 13, 23, 9:00 pm
#1745
Join Date: Sep 2018
Posts: 206
IMO sunset Camel Ride (evening on day of arrival) and Falconry (early next morning) is what I would pick.
Jul 14, 23, 2:23 pm
#1746
Join Date: Apr 2023
Location: Toronto, Canada
Posts: 26
Yeah, that was exactly our thinking. It would have been pointless to have lunch on check-in day, given the high tea option. Im willing to accept that it may have been just an internal miscommunication, but I certainly did not enjoy their insistence on charging us. It was also our third time visiting the property, so I like to think Im pretty well-versed with the meal rules by now.
Jul 14, 23, 6:16 pm
#1747
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Southern Cali
Programs: AA ExPlat, Marriott Titanium, HH Diamond
Posts: 1,966
Jul 14, 23, 7:17 pm
#1748
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Here there everywhere
Programs: Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, Hilton Diamond, IHG Plat, BA Silver, Aegean Gold, Aeroplan 25k, AA EXP
Posts: 2,798
We found them to be embarrassingly stingy with the meals when you consider the price point. We arrived at 2pm for a 2-night stay and were asked to choose if we wanted to have lunch that day, or just have dinner later on and save the lunch for the day we were checking out. We chose to save the lunch for our checkout day. When that day came, the staff acted very confused and insisted that we had already had lunch the day we checked in, and would therefore have to pay for lunch if we wanted it again. Really disappointing and left a sour taste in my mouth.
It might be that the staff confused you with another customer (or possibly the departing customer) or someone changed rooms. In 5 stays at Al Maha I've never had it happen to me.
Jul 16, 23, 9:30 am
#1749
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Huntington Beach, CA
Posts: 229
I also booked this trip for January. Maybe I see you there 😀. I think one of the activity I will choose is a camel 🐪 ride. We will not get a chance to do it that often plus this is a perfect place to do it.
Aug 13, 23, 3:18 am
#1750
Join Date: Jun 2023
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA Gold, Marriott Titanium, IHG Diamond Ambassador, Hilton Gold
Posts: 40
I just came back from an amazing stay here, would really recommend it to anyone who's thinking about going. It was very hot, but the pool was great, and all activities are either early morning or around sunset when it cools off. Staff, food and setting are all amazing and well worth the money. Already thinking of coming back!
I don't have much to add to the many comments in this thread, from the looks of it nothing much has changed. But if anyone has specific questions, let me know.
A few photos:
I don't have much to add to the many comments in this thread, from the looks of it nothing much has changed. But if anyone has specific questions, let me know.
A few photos:
Sep 14, 23, 12:41 pm
#1751
Join Date: Jun 2020
Posts: 107
I know late in on this, but airporttaxitransfers made a complete fist of our return to DXB. They got lost, wrong gate, said they were nearly there, and then 50 minutes later, said can we meet them at the security gate - which is 9km from reception. The hotel staff kindly drove us down to meet the driver else we would have been really pushing it for check in. My advice - to Al Maha, ATT are fine, on the way to DXB / AUH, use the hotel transport for peace of mind.
Sep 14, 23, 1:09 pm
#1752
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Naples, Florida
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold, Hyatt Platinum,Marriott Silver,Hilton Honors Gold
Posts: 582
Just returned and was very pleased with the resort. They do send out a final email about 72 hours prior to arrival addressing what seems to be the logical entry way and to ignore GPS instructions that your driver will want to use. The meals I felt were excellent and the staff in the dining room could not have been more polite at all times!
Sep 14, 23, 3:19 pm
#1753
Join Date: Feb 2005
Programs: Starwood, AA
Posts: 802
it's extra cost, but we loved the SUV ride through the desert. it's seriously trippy and you can do it in addition to your other morning activity. You should be able to do falconry and then to the SUV ride (forget the actual name). When they recommend don't eat before, take it seriously.
Nov 23, 23, 8:44 am
#1755
Join Date: Feb 2020
Programs: British Airways Executive Club Gold, Marriott Bonvoy Titanium Elite, Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond Amb
Posts: 1,687
