Holiday Inn Abu Dhabi by IHG — Hotel in Abu Dhabi

Spent exactly 3 weeks at this hotel. Went through my first initial days in the sweltering humidity of Abu Dhabi here at Holiday Inn.

Location - it’s smack in between the downtown city area (hamdan) and Musaffah. However the bus stops on either side of the hotel are perhaps 10 mins away. And trust me, those 10 mins r enough to melt u away during the summer heat. 1 or 2 supermarkets nearby. Along with a laundry place. Taxi availability is usually alright. At the most, u might have to wait for 10 mins.

Staff - As with all hotels in the Middle East, some staff go beyond their salaries while others r there just for the salary. U can always tell 🤷🏻‍♂️. Some of the staff who stood out where: -

1- Muneer the Valet - genuinely went out of his way to make sure u get a taxi in this crazy heat. Always received u with a smile on his face. Totally reliable when u r stressed out about getting a taxi for an important meeting. And he definitely knows his cars. Top man!

2- Bennet from security - always wished u with a smile on his face. Would go out of his way to help u out even if it wasn’t related to security. Very genial. Massive respect to him

3- From the front desk - Tharu, Hady, Jennica and Rose. Top class people! This is how, hotel front desks all over should be. Professional. Friendly. Warm. Courteous.

Tharu was such a gem when it come to my laundry drama. Always a smile on her face. Hady gave such good advice regarding AD, such a pleasant man. Jennica was the epitome of professionalism. And Rose actually called me up in the evenings if I didn’t use house keeping that day. Genuinely made me feel like I was part of the family!! Thank u all for the wonderful experience. And sorry for modifying my reservation a million and one times 😅.

Room - very spacious!! So were the bathrooms. Water pressure was great. Hot water always available. While taking a shower in the tub though, water does tend to spill out onto the floor. AC was quite nice. And pretty decent WiFi. Although it does get spotty in areas. But the speed was nice.

Room service - their pepperoni pizza was scrumptious. Otherwise, didn’t really try much.

Food options - they do have a few eating options via their...

Our anticipated birthday celebration at the Holiday Inn Abu Dhabi quickly soured due to a series of unsettling incidents that marred what should have been a joyous occasion. From the moment we stepped into the lobby, the atmosphere felt tense, as if anticipation hung heavily in the air.

Upon our arrival at 8 PM, the check-in process commenced with an unnecessary ordeal. Despite having our reservation code readily available, we were met with a demand for proof of our booking, which felt needlessly intimidating. Even after presenting evidence on my phone, the receptionist, persisted in asserting that our allocated rooms had been altered due to full occupancy—a claim contradicted by our confirmed reservation for two double rooms, a detail I had even emphasized in a prior email to the hotel.

The ordeal escalated when the concierge, Desan, tasked with handling our luggage, exhibited a surprising lack of professionalism. Despite clear instructions regarding room allocation, our bags were initially brought to the wrong door, with Desan displaying impatience and rudeness when corrected. His demeanor towards my brother-in-law was particularly unsettling, characterized by unwarranted hostility and dismissiveness, leaving us bewildered and uncomfortable.

It was disheartening to witness such behavior, which seemed inexplicably targeted and left us questioning whether racial biases were at play. Despite attempts to address our concerns with the night manager, the response offered fell short of satisfactory, merely brushing off the incidents as a "misunderstanding" without any tangible resolution or apology.

As a loyal Platinum member of the Priority Club and an avid patron of IHG hotels worldwide, this experience fell far below the esteemed standard I have come to expect. Our birthday celebration was overshadowed by an unfortunate display of unprofessionalism and indifference, leaving me hesitant to consider future stays with IHG. Such incidents not only tarnish the reputation of the Holiday Inn Abu Dhabi but also undermine the trust and loyalty of...

Arrival:

Staff assisted in opening the door of my car for me, the valet staff was very courteous. Concierge always assisting in calling for a taxi whenever I would go out

Check in:

I have indicated in my request/booking to check in early and I am very happy that I was allowed to check in early. However it would have been nice if the staff acknowledge my membership they way it is done in other HI/IHG properties. Staff asked if I will be using the mini bar which I said I will not and they removed the contents of the sealed mini bar once I was in the room.

They asked if they can help me with my backpack, which I politely declined, but the offer was very much appreciated.

Room:

The room is of nice size - just right for my needs. King bed and 2 choices of pillows: 1 pair of soft pillows, 1 pair of firm pillows. Not a lot of international channels, mostly Arabic channels, a couple of international news channels, not a lot of options.

Housekeeping was very prompt, I would put out the cleaning sign at 10, come back at 1pm and see that my room is already tidied up.

Bathroom:

The bathroom is good, but there was a funny sound coming from the ceiling of the bathroom (knocking sound) which is a bit startling at night (when it is quiet). Ameneties are so-so, and i found it strange I have to request for a toothbrush from housekeeping.

Location:

Although it is a bit out of the way of the town area ofAbu Dhabi, it was a good place to stay especially if you have business around the airport area. The hotel is also close to the Grand Mosque (about 15 aed taxi ride)

There is not a lot of places to eat outside the property, but is about 10aed taxi ride to the nearest mall (Mushriff mall) which has good selection of restaurants, a food court, several chain shops and a big...