Al Manzil Hotel, Dubai - Cranley Report

The Cranley Report®: Al Manzil Hotel

Al Manzil Hotel, Dubai

Hotel Address

P.O. Box 114822
Burj Dubai Boulevard
The Old Town
Dubai
United Arab Emirates

Cranley Rating

Al Manzil at night

Photo 1 of 18. Click to enlarge

Hotel Summary

Category	Hotel
Awards Won	2007 Business Travel Awards Best Hotel Group in Africa - Southern Sun Chef of the Year, Middle East Hotelier Awards

Hotel Opened

2007

Cranley Summary

Al Manzil is the Arabic name for a traditional inn, a style adapted by the hotel, from its traditional exterior to the modern interpretation of Arabic themes throughout - the Al Manzil is a blend of old and new. Located in the Old Town, the hotel is a short distance from the Burj Dubai and is close to the Old Town Island, Dubai Mall and various souks all with excellent shopping. Dubai International Airport is twenty minutes by taxi. There are three room types - Standard King and Standard Twin with a choice of Old Town, Courtyard or Burj views and Junior Suites. The Al Manzil has a wide choice of restaurants from allday International dining at the Conservatory, the Sports Entertainment Grill and Bar Nezesaussi, the traditional Arabic Courtyard Restaurant and the all day Mokaroma Cafe. On the first floor level the Pool Cafe provides light snacks and beverages. Next to the Pool is the Fitness Centre. The hotel has excellent business facilities with complimentary internet access throughout, a Business Centre, three meeting rooms and a boardroom.

Hotel Location & Layout

Location Description

The Al Manzil Hotel is located in the fast expanding district of the Old Town precinct of Downtown Burj Dubai with easy access from Sheikh Zayed Road and Doha Road. The hotel is a short distance from the Burj Dubai and is easy walking distance to the dining and entertainment area of the Old Town Island and Burj Dubai Lake Park. It is close to Dubai Mall, various souks with small shops and boutiques. The Dubai World Trade Centre is five kilometres away, public beaches ten kilometres and Dubai International Airport ten kilometres with an approximate driving time of twenty minutes.

Airports
Distance	10 km
Airport Transfers	Taxi transfers

Cities and Sights
Distance	10 km
City/Sight Transfers	Taxi transfers

Layout Description

The Al Manzil is in the heart of a newly developed Old Town area of Dubai and is approached down wide tree lined avenues. The front entrance is dominated by an arch or 'Porte Cochere'. Inside the hotel is laid out around the Courtyard Restaurant with guest rooms and all hotel amenities on three sides in a 'U' shape. From the lobby guests can see the Conservatory Restaurant and Mokaroma Cafe, both overlook the Courtyard Restaurant. The Sports Grill and Bar, Nezesaussi is situated on the ground floor to the back of the hotel. Stairs from the lobby lead to a mezzanine level which has the Business Centre and Meeting Rooms, on the first floor guests will find the Fitness Centre and the Outdoor Pool and Pool Cafe which are situated towards the front of the property.

Lobby & Guest Relations

Open Hours	24 Hours
Languages Spoken	English Arabic
Payment Methods	American Express, Diners Club, Eurocard, Mastercard, Visa and cash accepted.
Foreign Exchange	Most major currencies can be exchanged at the reception desk 24 hours a day.
Taxis Arranged	Street taxis can be arranged on request. A complimentary shuttle bus service is available between the hotel and some of Dubai's major shopping malls. A complimentary shuttle bus service is available between the hotel and Jumeirah Beach Park. A complimentary shuttle bus service in available between the hotel and the Gold and Diamond Market.
Tours Arranged	The hotel concierge can arrange Dubai City tours, Dhow cruises, Hummer desert safaris, wadi bashing, Al Ain City tours and other popular tourist activities. Most of these tours are provided by 'Beyond the Dunes' whose sales office is based in the Al Manzil.

Guest Relations	The Lobby Manager provides a full Guest Relations service. Complimentary welcome drinks are provided on arrival.
Concierge Services	Standard services
Medical Facilities	The hotel has a Nurse on site from 09:00 to 18:00 daily. The Nurse can be called upon outside these hours. The Nurse, or a Doctor, will be called out in emergencies with response times of about 20 minutes according to the hotel. There is also a Medical Centre within a 5 minute taxi journey of the hotel.
Parking	The hotel has underground parking available for 192 cars which is free of charge.

Cranley Comment

A huge Porte Cochere or covered archway dominates the entrance to the Al Manzil. On entering the hotel the reception desk, lifts and Conservatory Restaurant are to the right and on the left is a staircase leading to the mezzanine floor. Beside the stairs are a couple of steps to Mokaroma Cafe. The decor is modern with a mix of light coloured marble flooring and ornately carved wooden screens all in a mix of rustic colours with subdued lighting. The central part of the lobby comprises a comfortable lounge area with a variety of sofas, armchairs and coffee tables/chairs for guests to relax in. To the rear of the hotel is the entrance to the Courtyard Restaurant which leads to Nezesaussi and the shops of the Al Manzil Souk.

Shops & Amenities

Description

There is a wide range of shops in the Dukkan Al Manzil Souk. The following were operating at the time of review:
Patisserie
Florist
Ladies/men's hairdresser
Delicatessen
Supermarket including Dry Cleaner and Video Rental
Chocolatier
Bazaar - Carpets/Jewellery
Restaurant and Cafe
Tobacconist
Optical wear
Speciality teas
Antiques
Bank and Cash point
Gift shop
Ladies Fashions
Children's wear
Early Learning Centre
The Dukkan Al Manzil Souk is open from 10:00 to 22:00 Saturday to Thursday and 14:00 to 22:00 on Fridays.

Cranley Comment

The Dukkan Al Manzil Souk is adjacent to the hotel and reached through the Courtyard Restaurant and has an impressive array of shops. The larger Souk Al Bahar is located just 150 metres from the front of the hotel and the Old Town shopping centre is just a few minutes walk away. The Dubai Mall, which will be the largest in Dubai, is currently under construction and will be just 5 minutes by taxi for hotel guests. The hotel offers a complimentary shuttle bus service to the Gold and Diamond Market, Wafi City, Mall of the Emirates, Mercato Mall and Ibn Battuta Mall between them providing a huge range of international stores and Arabic speciality shops.

Rooms, Suites & Villas

Number of Floors	9
Total Rooms	197
Elevators	3
Rooms per Elevator	66
Total Staff	215
Staff per Room	1.1

Check-in Time	14:00
Check-out Time	12:00
Late Checkout	Subject to availability, a charge of 50% of the equivalent room rate applies up to 18:00 hours.
Smoking Rooms	The hotel has 5 smoking floors.
Room Service	Full menu service 24 hours a day
Laundry Service	24 hour laundry service. Regular service, laundry collected before 10:00 will be returned on the same day. Express Service, laundry required within 4 hours subject to 50% additional fee. Pressing Service, 2 hour pressing service available 24 hours.
Unique Features	The Al Manzil is a unique mix of traditional Arabic features and modern design. An example of this is the open-plan bathrooms visible from the guest rooms.

Cranley Comment

The Al Manzil hotel has 197 guestrooms and suites which are decorated in rich colours, with decor fittings and textures influenced by Arabic design. There are three room types - Standard King and Standard Twin which have a choice of Old Town, Courtyard or Burj views and Junior Suites which have corner positions and excellent views of the Burj Tower. All rooms have complimentary high speed internet access, widescreen TV's and open-plan bathrooms with separate bath and shower.

Type of Room, Views & Facilities

Type	No.	View	Facilities	Max. Occupancy	Size m2
Standard King	157	60 Old Town 47 Pool 50 Burj	Complimentary high speed Internet access Widescreen TV Complimentary newspaper service Air conditioning/Climate control Direct-dial phone x 2 Complimentary bottled water in room Minibar Coffee/tea maker Desk and chair Iron/ironing board (on request) Hair dryer Sewing kit Coffee table and 2 armchairs In-room safe King size bed Separate bathtub and shower Slippers Bathrobes Complimentary toiletries	2 adults	36

Cranley Comment

Standard King guestrooms are reached via well lit, Arabic styled corridors. Enter straight into the bedroom which has dark carpeting, yellow/gold/red/green bed coverings, modern prints, Arabic style light fittings and mahogany furniture next to white leather armchairs. All the rooms are equipped with complimentary high speed internet access and a widescreen TV which is on a turntable allowing easy viewing from all corners of the room. The bedroom has a King size bed, two armchairs and a desk with chair. Within the bedroom is an open-plan bathroom which has tiled flooring and features a large bath, separate shower and wc.

Type	No.	View	Facilities	Max. Occupancy	Size m2
Standard Twin	32	16 Old Town 16 Pool	As per Standard King with 2 Twin beds.	2 adults	36

Cranley Comment

Standard Twin guestrooms are reached via well lit, Arabic styled corridors. Enter straight into the bedroom which has dark carpeting, yellow/gold/red/green bed coverings, modern prints, Arabic style light fittings and mahogany furniture next to white leather armchairs. All the rooms are equipped with complimentary high speed internet access and a widescreen TV which is on a turntable allowing easy viewing from all corners of the room. The bedroom has two large (120cm) beds, two armchairs and a desk with chair. Within the bedroom is an open-plan bathroom which has tiled flooring and features a large bath, separate shower and wc.

Type	No.	View	Facilities	Max. Occupancy	Size m2
Junior Suites	8	Burj	As per Standard Twin with the addition of: Reception area Coffee/tea making area Balcony Arabic artwork Leather sofa 1 King size bed	2 adults and 1 child under 6	68

Cranley Comment

Junior Suites are located in corner positions at the end of the hotel overlooking the Burj Tower. Enter into a reception area with the bathroom to one side and a large wardrobe the other. They have deep maroon carpets throughout and are decorated in rich colours with decor, fittings and textures influenced by Arabic design. Junior Suites are equipped with complimentary high speed internet access and widescreen TV's which can be lowered allowing unspoilt views of the Burj. The bedroom area has a King size bed, a white leather sofa and two armchairs, coffee/tea making, large workstation and small balcony. The bathroom has tiled flooring and features an egg shaped deep bath, a double sink, separate power shower and wc (the wc comes with a window with Old Town views).

Restaurants & Cafés

Number of Restaurants

Restaurant Comments

The Al Manzil has a wide choice of eating establishments from all day dining with an international twist at the Conservatory, the Sports Entertainment Grill and Bar Nezesaussi with flavours from New Zealand, Australia and South Africa to a traditional Arabic experience in the Courtyard. All the main restaurants are conveniently located on the ground floor close to the Lobby lounge and the 24 hour Mokaroma Cafe. On the first floor level the Pool Cafe provides snacks and beverages for users of the Outdoor Pool

Nezesaussi

Restaurant Type	Sports Entertainment Grill and Bar
Restaurant Capacity	120
Opening Times	18:00 to 02:00 Monday to Friday 12:00 to 02:00 Saturday & Sunday
Dress Codes	Casual

Air-Conditioning	Yes
Smoking Policy	Non smoking
Children’s Facilities	No children under 18 after 21:00 hours High chairs available.
Breakfast Options	Not open for breakfast

Cranley Comment

Nezesaussi is named after the three countries - New Zealand, South Africa and Australia. It is located on the ground floor to the rear of the hotel and can be reached via the Courtyard Restaurant or directly from the Al Manzil Souk. It is decorated in rugby memorabilia and has large screen TV's throughout showing major sports events. Nezesaussi is Al Manzil's sports entertainment grill and Bar and offers traditional meals from New Zealand, South Africa and Australia such as boerewors sausages and tender lamb steaks. Nezesaussi offers a range of traditional and specialist beers as well as a viewable wine cellar with an extensive wine list from both Australia and South Africa.

Conservatory

Restaurant Type	All day international dining
Restaurant Capacity	175 total (of which 85 inside & 90 in courtyard)
Opening Times	06:30 to 23:30 Breakfast 06:30 to 10:30
Dress Codes	Smart casual

Air-Conditioning	Yes
Smoking Policy	Non smoking. Designated smoking area in the Courtyard
Children’s Facilities	High chairs available
Breakfast Options	Comprehensive buffet breakfast including freshly baked croissants, pastries and the 'a la minute' juice and fruit bar.

Cranley Comment

The Conservatory is the hotel's all day dining restaurant with al fresco dining available in the landscaped Courtyard. It is located next to the lobby and is decorated in Arabic style with mostly tiled flooring with arched columns soaring above guests. Large orange glowing lights are suspended from the ceiling above, and guests can enjoy comfortable seating with red and light brown soft furnishings. The Conservatory serves Mediterranean dishes with an Arabic twist throughout the day. A full international buffet breakfast plus freshly baked pastries and croissants are available during the morning. Lunch is Mediterranean cuisine plus Arabic Mezzeh and exotic deserts. Dinner is a choice of traditional buffet or a la carte menu with a speciality pasta corner too.

Mokaroma

Restaurant Type	Coffee shop
Restaurant Capacity	54
Opening Times	24 hour
Dress Codes	Casual

Air-Conditioning	Yes
Smoking Policy	Non smoking. Designated smoking area in the Courtyard.
Children’s Facilities	High chairs available
Breakfast Options	Teas, coffees, juices and a selection of snacks are available from the all day menu.

Cranley Comment

A trendy, modern coffee shop bathed in natural light as it faces the Courtyard Restaurant. It is situated to the left side of the lobby area on the ground floor of the hotel and has a wooden floor and a dark wood patterned feature adorning part of the ceiling and one wall. Seating is cafe style with a long bench along the length of the side which overlooks the lobby and reception area. Mokorama offers international snacks, cakes, pastries and alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages including speciality teas, coffees and juices/smoothies.

Courtyard

Restaurant Type	Arabic
Restaurant Capacity	90
Opening Times	18:00 to 02:00 daily
Dress Codes	Casual

Air-Conditioning