This week while traveling in Dubai, I am staying at the InterContinental Dubai Festival City. The InterContinental experience started when we were picked up by the hotel’s car at the Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH) a little after 8 p.m. Saturday night. Since we were staying on the club floor, the car was complimentary, even though we arrived at the Abu Dhabi International Airport an hour and 20 minutes away from the hotel rather than the much closer Dubai International Airport (DXB) (just 15 minutes away).
Upon arrival at the hotel a little after 9 p.m., we were directed to the club level check-in on the 26th floor. Knowing our energy level following the transatlantic flight, the staff quickly checked us in and showed us the club lounge where we could find breakfast, all-day snacks and cocktails in the evening. Even with low energy, we had to stop and take in the view.
Diego, the floor manager, showed me to my room, a large suite with a living area and bathroom. The vast room features a separate bedroom, giant closet and bathroom with separate shower and large bathtub. Be it the second wind from experiencing a new hotel or the sheer charm of Diego, I found myself chatting with him about his time at InterContinental and his hotel experiences in his home country of Brazil, rather than heading directly to bed as I had expected.
Though the room design, plush bedding, 24-hour fitness center and multiple restaurants are outstanding features of this hotel, I think the most notable and endearing quality is the staff itself. I thought the conversation with Diego had been a somewhat unique experience at the time, but since then, I found myself in interesting conversations with just about every member of the staff I encountered. Their diverse backgrounds make staying at the InterContinental as multicultural of an experience as Dubai itself.
With seven meetings scheduled a day, I found it nice to return to familiar and friendly faces after only a short stay. I will be sorry to leave and hope to return again very soon.
— Danielle Hudena, executive vice president
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