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Hotel Review: A weekend well spent at Intercontinental Abu Dhabi

An unexpected family matter came up that had my husband and I rushing to Abu Dhabi for the weekend. And since we were on a tight budget, we looked for ways to make our trip comfortable without breaking the bank. Good thing we had The Entertainer app, which offered a variety of Buy-1-Take-1 deals ranging from food & drinks, everyday services, travel and more. Through this app, we were able to get a 2-night stay at the Intercontinental Abu Dhabi while paying for just one night.


A 1-night stay at the Intercontinental Abu Dhabi (for a King Deluxe room) costs 407 AED. But since we have The Entertainer, we only had to pay 407 for 2-nights, which is around Php3,000/night (inclusive of all taxes and fees). Availing of the discount afforded a huge saving because we stayed for 2-nights in a 5-star hotel (with ultra-modern amenities led by a world-class crew) while paying for only half the total price. 

Room With City View

I’ve been staying in Dubai for almost a year now, and I can say that hotels here are quite pricey. Recently, my husband and I booked an overnight stay at a serviced apartment along Tecom, and we paid 250 dirhams for a simple room with no breakfast. If it weren't for the apartment's location, we would've just stayed home. Now you know why we were so happy about booking the Intercontinental hotel for a fraction of the cost. 


ROOM: Our King Deluxe room had a lovely city view. I probably spent a good few minutes just taking photos of the city's stunning skyline from our glass window. Apart from that, our place on the 12th floor provided stunning views of the Etihad Towers, the Emirates Palace, and Corniche Beach. The Marina Mall and the Tiara (a revolving restaurant) were also not too far from sight.


Our stay didn’t include free breakfast, but we managed to eat store-bought food while we were at the hotel. Coffee and tea were also complimentary, so we had no problems fixing ourselves a fresh cup every morning.


The room also had a cozy couch beside the bed, a spacious work desk, some medium-sized chairs, a flat screen TV with a good set of channels, a large cabinet, (came with a safe, two pairs of slippers, hangers, iron) and an electric kettle. 


One thing that I noticed is that the room looked gloomy when we'd close the curtains. The lights, while emitting a warm glow, still made the entire chamber look unpleasantly dim. It would've been nice if the hotel offered more options to make the bedroom look brighter without opening the curtains. 

BED: We probably slept like babies as the bed was divine! Its soft cushion contoured well into our bodies that it provided us a restful sleep. The covers were soft, and the pillows were fluffy. And the best part was there were other pillow types to pick from a list. But we chose to keep the ones that we already had on the bed because we were too lazy to call in for changes.


BATHROOM: The spacious bathroom arrangement was also just as delightful. The lights were not too bright. The scent of the room smelled clean. Besides, the toilet, shower, and bathtub were all made separate from one another, which we liked. We just had a tiny problem with the shower door as water kept dripping all the way outside (no matter how sealed it was), which drenched our mat instantly. 


The towels, large and heavy as they were, were soft and scented. The scent from the complimentary shampoo, conditioner, and soap was also refreshing, making bath time much more invigorating. Even the lotion felt good on the skin. 

NOTE: The hotel will bill you for outbound calls when using their landline regardless if you're calling someone within the city. We found out about it when we got charged 5 AED upon check-out. 

Facilities: Pools

There are two pools in the area, one in the building and one by the beach (a short walk from the marina). Despite being the farthest to reach, we found the swimming pools near the beach more appealing because of the open sea views. And the best part - there's always fresh towels and complimentary bottled water.


Dining Experience

My husband wanted to watch the World Cup games and found one of the hotel bars, the Belgian Cafe showing a live stream. While food prices were high and service was slow, we still enjoyed the beer and bar chow that we ordered. We also liked the crew on-duty, especially the Filipino servers, who were pleasant and attentive all throughout our stay. 


Staff + Service

One thing that truly stands out when I think about the Intercontinental is their commendable employees. We were always pleased with the reception and housekeeping staff, especially when it came to helping us with our inquiries and requests over the phone (they never showed a hint of impatience). 


We also met one of the housekeeping staff, a friendly Bangladeshi man, who was on duty during our 3-day stay. I might have forgotten his name, but I will never forget the way he attended to our needs. He always made sure to ask how our day was going, and if we needed anything else for the room. He would also, personally respond to our requests (always with a smile) whenever we’d call for room essentials to be replenished. His cheerful persona showed despite having a long day at work. He went above and beyond just to make our stay as comfortable as possible. 

Location 

The hotel is just a 5-minute drive from Mcdonald’s Emarat Petrol Station. The Emirates Palace and Corniche Beach are also of walking distance (you can walk, if weather permits). 


Verdict: Value for money

Our stay was value for money. We were satisfied with our cozy room, the lovely hotel amenities and the warm greetings and assistance from the staff (they’ve been very consistent). We'll consider staying again at the Intercontinental Abu Dhabi. 

How to book

Availing of any hotel deal via The Entertainer is easy. Just call the number of your hotel choice and make a reservation over the phone (walk-ins aren't advised). Just make sure that you read the terms and conditions before making a booking. 

Explore & Be Free!
Mai

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2 comments

  1. Nice! I've always wondered what it's like traveling to Abu Dhabi.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Abu Dhabi is lovely! You should visit someday. Where are you based, if I may ask? :)

    ReplyDelete

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