Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

The Cranley Report®: Emirates Palace

Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi

Hotel Address

Emirates Palace
Corniche Road
PO Box 39999
Abu Dhabi
United Arab Emirates

Cranley Rating

National Rating

Emirates Palace

Photo 1 of 35. Click to enlarge

Hotel Summary

Category	Resort Hotel
Awards Won	MENA Middle East 2006 Awards: - Best 5 Star Hotel in Middle East - Best New Project - Best Conference Hotel

Hotel Opened	2005
Refurbishment	Forthcoming Additions: - Two Mandara Spas (opening late 2006) - Marina (opening late 2006) - Further restaurants - Four floodlit tennis courts (opening October 2006)

Cranley Summary

Emirates Palace is a landmark development located a few miles from Abu Dhabi City Centre on the Abu Dhabi Corniche, placing it in a quiet setting but conveniently for quick city access. It is a unique architectural masterpiece designed around an 'Arabian Nights' Palace scene and is set in 85 hectares of landscaped gardens with over 8,000 trees and its own 1.3 kilometer private beach. The Palace took over four years to build and is over a kilometer wide with a 2.5 kilometers perimeter. The centre piece of the hotel’s design is the central dome which is 42 meters wide with a surface finish of silver and gold glass mosaic tiles. The hotel features 302 deluxe rooms and 92 suites which can be configured into one, two or three bedrooms. There is a range of restaurants to cater for most tastes and the hotel employs over 170 chefs. Emirates Palace is designed in a symmetrical style with facilities such as the gym, pools and soon to be opened Spa replicated on each wing to avoid unnecessary walking for guests. Guests can also be ferried around the complex in golf buggies should they wish. The hotel has a number of new facilities due to open during 2006 and prospective guests are advised to check availability of these facilities when booking.

Hotel Location & Layout

Location Description

Emirates Palace covers over 247 acres and is set at the end of the Abu Dhabi Corniche next to Abu Dhabi City Centre. Its location gives it the benefit of being just about one kilometre from the city centre, placing it near the business district and shopping areas whilst keeeping it to its own peaceful sanctuary at the end of the Corniche. The Abu Dhabi Golf Club is 40 kilometers away and the horse racing track is 25 kilometers away, providing additional leisure options for guests.

Airports
Distance	38 km
Airport Transfers	Complimentary transfers for all Suite guests

Cities and Sights
Distance	1 km
City/Sight Transfers	Taxi

Layout Description

The building is traditionally vernacular in style with a central Palace and two symmetrical wings. It is substantial in scale, being over a kilometer wide and having a perimeter of over two and a half kilometers. Features of the building are the domes, with over 114 in total, the largest being over 42 meters wide and the vast expanses of space in the central areas. The two wings have a symmetrical design with matching facilities such as a gym and swimming pools at either end of the wings. Golf buggies are provided to move guests from one end of the hotel to the other. The Palace Suites are situated in the central palace with the Grand Rooms and Khaleej Suites located in the wings.

Lobby & Guest Relations

Open Hours	24 Hours
Languages Spoken	Arabic, English, Hindi and Urdu
Payment Methods	All major credit cards and cash accepted
Foreign Exchange	All major currencies exchanged
Taxis Arranged	Taxi pool on standby
Tours Arranged	A full range of tours can be organised to include City tours of Abu Dhabi and Dubai, desert safaris, Liwa full day safaris, fishing trips, mountain treks, an Oman Dhow tour as well as a range of tailor made packages.

Guest Relations	Standard Services
Concierge Services	Standard Services
Medical Facilities	Doctors can be called with 30 minutes notice
Parking	Complimentary valet parking

Cranley Comment

Guests arrive via an elevated driveway to a reception on the fourth floor. On entering the lobby, one is taken back by the sheer scale of the interior of the hotel, with its wide long walkways. The interior is decorated in themes of gold with elaborate gold leaf, marble and tiled flooring, prevalent throughout the hotel. Off the right side of the entrance lobby is the reception and concierge where guests are greeted on arrival and from there personally escorted to their rooms where they are formally checked in. Off the left of the entrance is the guest relations desks.

Shops & Amenities

Description

Reception:

Paris Gallery: Fine watches
Style Gallery: Fine watches and jewellery
Rolex Boutique: Fine watches
DAMAS Jewellers: Fine jewellery
Etihad Desk for flight bookings and information

East Wing:

Aziz Salon: Mens hairdressing
Yas Perfume: Perfumes
Al Jamal: Longines watches
Kunooz Jewellers: Breitling watches and jewellery
Arabia Press and Media: Newsagents
All Seasons: Florists
Home One: Quality household items
La Noisette: Chocolate
Rodeo Drive: Mens fashions
Emirates Palace Boutique: Vilbrequin, Mont Blanc
Al Mansour: Travel Agency
Black Pearl: Caviar
National Bank of Abu Dhabi

East Wing Pool:

Ladies beauty salon offering hairdressing, make-up, manicures and waxing services

Boutiques are generally open from 10:00 to 22:00

Cranley Comment

Emirates Palace enjoys a number of high end boutiques in keeping with the style of the hotel. Four of the boutiques are located next to the main reception, whilst the remaining boutiques are located in the East Wing with the ladies salon next to the East Wing Pool. In addition to the hotel boutiques, Abu Dhabi City Centre is only 1 km away offering a full array of city centre shops, boutiques and other amenities.

Rooms, Suites & Villas

Number of Floors	7
Total Rooms	394
Elevators	140
Rooms per Elevator	3
Total Staff	2000
Staff per Room	5.1

Check-in Time	14:00
Check-out Time	12:00
Late Checkout	16:00 subject to availability
Smoking Rooms	Available on request
Room Service	Personal butler service available 24 hours
Laundry Service	Same day service if collected by 10:00 and a 3 hour express service at a premium

Club or Executive Facilities

The Diamond Retreat lounge on the 5th Floor serves complimentary tea and cofffee from 17.00 to 19.00. Guests staying in Suites and Diamond Grand Rooms have access to the lounge.

Cranley Comment

Emirates Palace offers three types of accommodation; Grand Rooms, Kaleej Suites and Palace Suites. Grand Rooms are deluxe rooms with three variations depending on the views they enjoy. Grand Rooms, Khaleej Suites and Khaleej Deluxe Suites are all located in the two wings of the hotel. Each wing has its own dedicated reception for guests and the Diamond Lounge is for Suite guests. In the main palace building are the Palace Suites; these can be booked in either one or two bedroom formats or the Grand Palace Suite which encompasses the One Bedroom Suite and Two Bedroom Suite to create an impressive Three bedroom suite of 680 square metres with Kitchen, Majilis, Dining room, WC and private lift.

Type of Room, Views & Facilities

Type	No.	View	Facilities	Max. Occupancy	Size m2
Coral Grand	64	Landscaped Gardens	50 inch plasma television Balcony Internet access via television Daily local and international newspapers DVD player Complimentray wi-fi Wireless room controls Desk and chair Round occasional table Armchair and foot rest Minibar with complimentary soft drinks Complimentary fruit Individually controlled air-conditioning Flowers in the rooms Safe Walk-in shower Bidet Deep Bath Bath robes Slippers Luxury bathroom amenities	3 Adults	55

Cranley Comment

Coral Grand rooms are located on either wing of the hotel. Each room has a small entrance hallway with two sets of triple wardrobes and a wide full length mirror that leads to the bathroom. The room has high ceilings to enhance a feeling of spaciousness and is furnished in a modern Arabian style with the use of gold and beige colours in the carpet, bedding and curtains and contemporary wood panelling for the walls next to the desk area. The bathrooms are spacious and furnished to a high specification with a walk-in shower and a deep raised bath. Each room has its own balcony with a table and two chairs, or if the room is located on the ground floor it opens onto a terrace.

Type	No.	View	Facilities	Max. Occupancy	Size m2
Pearl Grand	168	Partial Sea View / Palace Park	As per the Coral Grand room	3 Adults	55

Cranley Comment

Pearl Grand rooms are identical to Coral Grand Rooms with the exception of the view. Each room has a small entrance hallway with two sets of triple wardrobes and a wide full length mirror that leads to the bathroom. The room has high ceilings to enhance a feeling of spaciousness and is furnished in a modern Arabian style with the use of gold and beige colours in the carpet, bedding and curtains and contemporary wood panelling for the walls next to the desk area. The bathrooms are spacious and furnished to a high specification with a walk-in shower and a deep raised bath. Each room has its own balcony with a table and two chairs, or if the room is located on the ground floor it opens onto a terrace.

Type	No.	View	Facilities	Max. Occupancy	Size m2
Diamond Grand	70	Direct Sea View	As per the Coral Grand room plus: Direct sea views Access to the Diamond Retreat Lounge	3 Adults	55

Cranley Comment

Diamond Grand rooms are identical to Coral Grand Rooms and Pearl Grand Rooms with the exception that it offers direct sea views. Each room has a small entrance hallway with two sets of triple wardrobes and a wide full length mirror that leads to the bathroom. The room has high ceilings to enhance a feeling of spaciousness and is furnished in a modern Arabian style with the use of gold and beige colours in the carpet, bedding and curtains and contemporary wood panelling for the walls next to the desk area. The bathrooms are spacious and furnished to a high specification with a walk-in shower and a deep raised bath. Each room has its own balcony with a table and two chairs, or if the room is located on the ground floor it opens onto a terrace. Guests staying in Diamond Grand Rooms have access to the Diamond Retreat Lounge.

Type	No.	View	Facilities	Max. Occupancy	Size m2
Khaleej Suite	20	Direct Sea View	As per the Coral Grand room with the added benefit of being larger and with: Circular entrance hall Seperate lounge with: 61 inch plasma screen Dining table for four Three seater sofa Arm chair with matching foot rest Terrace or balcony Desk and chair Bedroom with: Chaisse long 61 inch plasma screen Dressing room with vanity unit Raised Jacuzzi bath Complimentary transfers from Abu Dhabi Airport Bath prepared on arrival Complimentary snacks Complimentary breakfast at Le Vendome Restaurant Access to the Diamond Retreat Lounge	3 Adults	110

Cranley Comment

Khaleej Suites are located at the tip of the wings which affords them a 180 degree view and a two sided terrace. They are lavishly appointed one bedroom suites comprising of an entrance hall, a rectangular lounge area connected to the bedroom with double sliding doors and a bedroom with walk-in wardrobe and en-suite bathroom. These suites are decorated in a similar Arabian style as the Grand rooms with a gold theme, high ceilings and ornate detail in the cornices, light fittings and walls. The bedroom is spacious with high ceilings to add to a sense of space and leads onto a dressing area with walk-in wardrobes. The suites’ bathroom features a deep Jacuzzi bath, walk-in shower and other amenities. Khaleej Suites feature double aspect balconies. Guests staying in Kaleej Suites have access to the Diamond Retreat Lounge.

Type	No.	View	Facilities	Max. Occupancy	Size m2
Khaleej Deluxe Suite	20	Direct Sea View	As per the Khaleej Suite with the added benefit of being larger and with: Seperate dining area Larger entrance hall Larger bathroom	4 Adults	165

Cranley Comment

Khaleej Deluxe Suites have the same aspect as the Khaleej Suites but are 50% larger. They feature a larger entrance hallway which leads to a dining area with a circular table for four guests. The dining room leads in turn to a lounge which leads to the bedroom, off which is a dressing room and en-suite bathroom. Suites are decorated in a similar Arabian style as the Grand rooms with a gold theme, high ceilings and ornate detail in the cornices, light fittings and walls. The bedroom is spacious and has high ceilings to add to a sense of space. The bathroom is larger than average and features a deep raised Jacuzzi bath accessed via three steps. Kaleej Deluxe Suites feature a terrace that wraps around two sides. Guests staying in Kaleej Deluxe Suites have access to the Diamond Retreat Lounge.

Type	No.	View	Facilities	Max. Occupancy	Size m2
Palace Pearl Suite	48	Direct Sea View	As per the Coral Grand room with the added benefit of being larger and with: Circular entrance hall Seperate lounge with: 61 inch plasma screen Dining table for four Three seater sofa Arm chair with matching foot rest Terrace or balcony Desk and chair Bedroom with: Chaisse long 61 inch plasma screen Dressing room with vanity unit Raised Jacuzzi bath	3 Adults	140

Cranley Comment

Palace Pearl Suites are lavishly appointed one bedroom suites comprising of a circular entrance hall and a lounge area connected to the bedroom with double sliding doors. The master bedroom has a dressing room and en-suite bathroom. Suites are decorated in an Arabian style as the Grand rooms with a gold theme, high ceilings and ornate detail in the cornices, light fittings and walls. The dining room features pillars, whilst the bedroom is spacious with high ceilings to add to a sense of space. The bedroom leads to a dressing area with wardrobes and a dressing table. This leads in turn leads to the large bathroom with deep Jacuzzi bath, walk in shower and other amenities. Guests staying in this suite also have the benefit of complimentary transfers from Dubai International Airport.

Type	No.	View	Facilities	Max. Occupancy	Size m2
Two Bedroom Palace Suite	16	Direct Sea View	As per the Palace Pearl Suite plus: Sizable entrance room One bedroom suite of 110 sqm Second bedroom suite of 200 sqm Dining room with table to seat 10 Majilis or lounge room Separate WC Fully fitted kitchen Two 51 inch plasma TVs in each bedroom suite 51 inch plasma TV in Majilis room	6 Adults	460

Cranley Comment

Two Bedroom Palace Suites comprise of a large entrance hall featuring a Swarovski crystal chandelier that leads off to the separate rooms. The overall suite comprises of two separate bedroom suites each with its own separate lounge, bedroom, dressing room and en-suite bathroom. The master bedroom is sizable at 200 sqm and incorporates a large main bedroom, dressing area and bathroom. In addition the overall suite also has a separate dining room, Majilis room, WC and fully fitted kitchen. Suites are decorated in a similar style as Palace Pearl Suites with extensive use of heavy fabrics and intricate detailing on walls and ceilings. The dining room can comfortably accommodate 10 guests, while the Majilis room is decorated with gold walls, a sizable Swarovski crystal chandelier and features enough sofas to comfortably seat ten guests. It also features its own 61inch plasma TV with the same state of the art control system as the other televisions. Guests staying in this suite also have the benefit of complimentary transfers from Dubai International Airport.

Type	No.	View	Facilities	Max. Occupancy	Size m2
Grand Palace Suite	4	Direct Sea View	As per the Palace Pearl Suite and Two Bedroom Palace Suite plus: Private elevator Large reception room Seperate WC with gold sinks	9 Adults	680

Cranley Comment

The Grand Palace Suite is the premier suite in the Emirates Palace hotel and occupies 680 square metres. It comprises the Palace Pearl Suite and the Two Bedroom Palace Suite detailed above to provide a three bedroom suite with each bedroom having their own lounge area, en-suite bathroom and dressing area. In addition (as detailed in the Two Bedroom Suite description) the Suite features a separate Majilis, dining room and kitchen. Grand Palace Suites offer guests additional privacy by having a dedicated lift within the Suite. It also has a substantial entrance hallway and a large WC. Guests staying in this suite also have the benefit of complimentary transfers from Dubai International Airport.

Restaurants & Cafés

Number of Restaurants

Restaurant Comments

The Emirates Palace had eight restaurants open at the time of our review in early May 2006 with several more due to open during the course of the year. The restaurants that are open range from informal pool side dining to formal Lebanese, Italian, Iranian and European Seafood restaurants. A number of the restaurants have outdoor dining with some offering children’s menus. The restaurants are located on different floors throughout the hotel, but are well signposted.

Las Brisas

Restaurant Type	Pool Grill
Restaurant Capacity	Total 50, All outside
Opening Times	09:00 to 23:00