The Abu Dhabi EDITION — Hotel in Abu Dhabi

Stayed here for 3 weeks when first came to Abu Dhabi in early Feb. 2022. My husband and I were happily staying in a room on 4th floor and on 11th Feb., Friday night, a call from reception insisted that we had to move into another room because they had high level of govenment officials having a congregation tomorrow afternoon and that they were like almost staying in the entire 4th floor or something. Since I was almost ready to go to bed, told him that if allowed, we’d like to move in early in the morning like 7am so that the room could be ready. He said okay so went to sleep. At around 3am-ish, a very loud phone call rang and we woke up to the call, stunned, still half-asleep, picked up the phone, and this very reception guy who I assured that we’d move the room the first thing next early morning, started to yell at me over the phone, “WHY ARE YOU STILL IN THIS ROOM!!!!”. Quite startled and still not grasping what was going on, I replied, “What? I told you we’d move out the first thing in the morning so that you can get ready for them the rooms” and he snarled, “NO, YOU PACK YOUR THINGS AND MOVE THE ROOM RIGHT NOW” and I was like “hey, it’s 3am in the morning, still in the middle of night and sleep, why don’t you give me two more hours to catch up some sleep? And why on earth did you give a call in this late night when you could instead come to the room and quietly knock on the door so that I do not get a heart attack by being waken up to some of the worst, fire-alarm-like phone ring tone??” But he was not listening to me, and kept saying “MOVE OUT, CHANGE THE ROOM RIGHT NOW” and he was saying something to himeself in Arabic. I said “Okay, then we will change the room right now, will you give me the room key so that I can catch up with my sleep?” And he said “COME DOWNSTAIRS TO THE RECEPTION” and hung up the phone. Not quite understanding why he was so rude and reckless in this manner, told my husband what I just heard and we started packing. After 15 or 20 min., as we opened the door to make our way down to the reception with all our luggage, there was a bellboy waiting to check up on the room to be cleared and we made our way. When came to the reception, quite disturbed and frustrated. I made a complaint as to why you had to call and wake up your guests in the middle of night and demand to change the room in such a disrespctful way. The reception guy said he wasn’t the one who made the call and it was somebody else. I didn’t believe it wasn’t him at first because I was still in shock and frustration but he said he thought it was quite rude as well. I asked what the name of this jerk was and he said his name was ‘JAMAL’. I told him that I would make this very clear of my worst experience in any of my Marriott stays in my life and that report this incident not only to the manager but also to the customer service at the official channel. He kept silence. processed the room change. The new room was on the top floor (5th) with better view (Marina view) but I was not pleased at all. Since then, I stayed another 2 weeks more until I was able to secure my housing lease at Marasy and checked out. Upon check-out, I told about this incident and the reception staffs seemed to have shared this unbelievable story amongst themselves. However, not that jerk nor representation of any kind, made a gesture to apologise about that night’s incident. Thinking back, we were clearly mistreated and was only bitter experience of discrimination between local government high officials and foreign national. Waking up their guests, banging their room telephone, shouting at the guests almost threatening them to change the room right away, is of non-sense to be found in hospitality industry. So arrogant, rude and disrespectful and condescending. Your 5-star hotel rating doesn’t make you a 5-star person. NO, JAMAL, YOU ARE MISTAKEN. I still remember the night I was humiliated by you. Such an unforgettable...

I stayed here last weekend with another Titanium member. We’d each stayed at the Abu Dhabi Edition in 2020 and had a 5 star experience then. But we were shocked at how badly management seems to be running this hotel since. We had 5 main problems:

1. Poor check-in experience. Check in took longer than at any Bonvoy location we’ve stayed at in the past 5 years. Management seems extremely inefficient in handling this. They had 2 people behind the check-in desks actually checking people in, whilst 4 employees seemed tasked with talking to people who were waiting in line, at length, for no apparent reason. Instead of employing double the # of conversationalists, management should task these people with speeding up check-in, or have them serving drinks to people as they wait or simply leaving them alone. The last thing we wanted when tired was 30 minutes of waiting in line to check in while multiple employees seemed paid to try & talk with us.

2. Unresponsive front desk & bad loyalty gift. Our Titanium member amenity gift was not waiting for us in the room as usual at Bonvoy hotels. Later, we found a note instructing us to call for it. We called & reception said they’d bring it up immediately. But we waited an hour and it never materialised. We called a second time & finally got it delivered. It was comically disappointing: a slice of “activated charcoal cake” that tasted as off-putting as it sounds.

3. Chaotic & very un-peaceful pool experience. The hotel pool is noisy & overflowing with children. There is no adults-only pool or designated children’s area. So if you want to find any quiet peace in the sun this is the wrong hotel. After inquiring if any more peaceful areas were available, we were told that hotel guests could use the residents’ pool on the top floor. That pool is equipped with hotel towels & you can order from the hotel menu. But (1) you cannot order alcohol [even though the child-laden pool allows it], (2) any food ordered from the hotel which is immediately downstairs takes a long time to come up, and (3) the residence pool itself has a slightly claustrophobic vibe [despite being on a roof it’s not infinity].

(4) Very light carpets which showed stains and noticeable wear since our last visit especially in hallways.

(5) Overall lack of loyalty appreciation. No room upgrade despite both of us being Titanium Bonvoy members, no executive lounge, and no effort to compensate for that by ensuring that the amenity loyalty gift was waiting in the room as usual, that service was speedy, by offering breakfast, etc. We’re used to Bonvoy hotels making us feel valued, and are happy to adapt to challenges that the hotel may be experiencing when we feel appreciated—as we do on the Bonvoy program 99% of the time. The Edition hotel, though, made us feel completely expendable, which was not the case under presumably different management 5 years ago.

On the positive side, the hotel room was clean & the AC was adequate. However, the decline in services, un-relaxing nature of the pool, and presence of Bonvoy hotels in Abu Dhabi that treat members better means we’re unlikely to...

My stay at The EDITION Hotel, Abu Dhabi, was a consistently positive and memorable experience, marked by exceptional service, attention to detail, and personalized guest care which is something you would expected for the value that you would have paid for. From the moment of arrival, I was welcomed warmly by the valet and bell team gents with full of smiles regardless of the summer heat, whom were quick to assist with luggage and ensure a smooth arrival process despite a busy entrance. The reception staff, particularly Karima, stood out for her professionalism and warmth. She delivered a seamless check-in experience, offered thoughtful recommendations, and personally escorted me to my room once it was ready demonstrating genuine care and attentiveness. The room service experience was comfortable, with prompt delivery of requested amenities. The housekeeping staff was courteous, and room service exceeded expectations in both timing and food quality. My in room dining order was taken and delivered within the promised timeframe, and the staff, especially Sree, was professional, friendly, and efficient. Turn down was the best touch that blew my mind away, Bibisha thank you for the memories and Michelle for welcome card and Amenities The breakfast at Market was a standout highlight. The atmosphere was relaxed, and the service was impeccable. Jimmy, in particular, provided exceptional engagement, demonstrating deep product knowledge and offering excellent recommendations, such as the avocado toast. The team maintained high service standards, clearing tables promptly and ensuring guests’ needs were met without delay and of coz the Chef from Zimbabwe, curated my breakfast in manner that one would expect, thank you Chef. Interactions with the concierge team were equally impressive. Anisha and Surendra both offered polite, knowledgeable, and efficient assistance. Surendra went above and beyond by suggesting alternatives when the original venue I requested wasn’t available, and even personally escorted me to the nearest pharmacy that l wanted to purchase my medication. The check-out process was quick and smooth, with Karima once again providing friendly and efficient service. The car was ready with luggage loaded, and the valet team ensured a pleasant farewell, as l left the lovely hotel to my next destination. Throughout the stay, the staff consistently demonstrated a high level of hospitality addressing me by name, personalizing interactions, and genuinely striving to enhance my experience. Their professionalism, paired with the hotel’s elegant atmosphere and thoughtful amenities, created a stay that felt both luxurious and welcoming. This hotel is a must when one lands in The Capital, Abu Dhabi, highly...