Traders Hotel, Qaryat Al Beri — Hotel in Abu Dhabi

I would have given this hotel a 5 star review, but…

To begin with, as a pattern I can see here on Google reviews, there is no response to negative reviews to improve, or as an apology either, while positive reviews being thanked for. Hello to childish behaviour, and zero accountability!

This would come across as an incredibly unpopular opinion maybe, but honestly, it was shockingly poor standards for a Shangri-La brand.

I am genuinely appalled by a recent experience at Traders Hotel, Qaryat Al Beri. A property carrying the Shangri-La brand is expected to uphold the highest standards of hospitality, and respect. Instead, what my family encountered was staff behaviour that was shockingly unprofessional, mannerless, and frankly beneath even budget hotels.

The most disappointing part is that this discriminatory, dismissive treatment came from fellow Asians, particularly Indian staff, as well as other Asian community staff towards my Indian family, rather than outsiders. In fact, other nationalities were way more welcoming. How shameful that cultural bias, and disrespect were displayed so openly at a brand of this prestige. It was absolutely discriminatory as that same staff was hovering around “white” people, and those carrying branded luxury, if I may say, like puppy dogs. My family kept themselves absolutely simple as they had a long haul flight from London to India, carrying too many luggages already, and their flight was cancelled. Additionally, they had an extremely exhausting experience at Abu Dhabi airport itself, and after a hospitable night’s experience at the hotel, this is what they were faced with since morning?! If this is the level of hiring, it comes across as if the staff are being recruited “from the streets,” and the management should urgently re-examine their standards. If you are unable to accommodate transit passengers, be professional, and say so to the airlines itself than misbehave!

Specific incidents highlight just how disgraceful the service was:

• They were not “allowed” to bring something as simple as coffee or raw fruits to their own room. What respectable hotel enforces such cheap restrictions which even a budget hotel wouldn’t?

• In the middle of eating breakfast, staff brought papers to sign. Who interrupts a guest during their meal to demand signatures? Completely unacceptable.

• Plates were attempted to be cleared while they were still eating, staff asking mid-bite if they were “done.” Basic etiquette seems nonexistent.

• During lunch, my family was forced to change tables without warning, because there were supposedly “separate dining areas” for Etihad guests. There was no signage, no communication, no assistance at the front desk; only rudeness, and hostility.

The arrogance, unwelcoming attitude, and outright lack of professionalism were disgusting. This is not Shangri-La, this is a disgrace to the brand, and to UAE hospitality.

The rooms may be luxurious, the property itself extravagant, but hospitality is ultimately about treatment, and respect. Here, it was all a disappointment- cheap, degrading, and unacceptable.

They were stranded in the UAE due to flight cancellations, otherwise would have much rather returned home than tolerate such street behaviour.

After a wonderful month-long trip across the UK staying at luxury hotels, and ourselves staying at Shangri-La in Singapore in the past, this experience was embarrassingly low by UAE standards, and for Shangri-La as a brand.

Management needs to do better. They need to train staff properly, recruit individuals with actual manners and guest service etiquette, and stop tolerating such disgusting conduct. The staff responsible must be sacked/ formally disciplined as an immediate consequence for their unacceptable actions.

As for myself, we were planning to spend on another UAE holiday, and stay at this property. After this third class service, and inhospitable treatment, I am glad I was shown its true face in advance. What a waste of what could have been a...

📍 "Luxury, Romance & Perfect Hospitality – A Dream Stay in Abu Dhabi! Thank you Etihad..."

As part of the Etihad Holiday Program, we got a 2-day free stay at Traders Hotel, Qaryat Al Beri, and it turned out to be one of the most luxurious and romantic experiences of our honeymoon! From the stunning beach-facing room to the exceptional service, everything about this hotel exceeded our expectations.

First Impressions & Check-in 🏨

✔ Flawless Check-in Experience! – A special thanks to Cyrel (apologies if misspelled!) at the front desk, who was friendly, informative, and efficient. She explained everything about our stay, the food options, and the Shangri-La membership benefits. ✔ Luggage Delivered Promptly – No waiting! Everything was handled smoothly and professionally. ✔ Luxury from the Moment You Enter – The ambience, decor, and overall vibe of the hotel were extraordinary. ✔ Honeymoon Perks Without Extra Charges! – We were given a beach-facing room at no additional cost—a beautiful and unexpected surprise.

Room & Comfort 🛏

✔ Beach-Facing Room = Unbeatable Views 🌊 – Waking up to a peaceful sea view was magical. ✔ Quiet, Spacious & Perfectly Clean – The bedroom was incredibly comfortable, ensuring a perfect night’s sleep. ✔ Romantic Honeymoon Setup – The hotel surprised us with: a) Swan towel decorations with rose petals on our bed. b) A special mini chocolate cake with ‘Happy Honeymoon’ written on it. Such a sweet gesture!

Dining & Breakfast 🍽

✔ Afya Restaurant – A Must-Try! – The service was impeccable, and the food was absolutely delicious. ✔ What We Loved: a) Port Wine 🍷 – Smooth & high-quality. b) Nasi Goreng & Chicken Biryani 🍛 – Authentic, flavorful, and perfectly cooked! ✔ Incredible Breakfast Buffet! – One of the best we've had: a) Huge variety of Indian, Asian, Western & Middle Eastern food. b) Fresh juices, premium coffee, tea, and more! c) Everything was fresh, delicious, and well-presented.

Service & Hospitality – Above & Beyond! 🤵

✔ Best Staff Ever! Every person we interacted with was kind, professional, and genuinely caring. ✔ Housekeeping Was Lightning-Fast! – Rooms were cleaned promptly and beautifully maintained. ✔ Small Details = Big Impact! – The honeymoon cake, swan towels, and staff attentiveness made our stay feel special.

Facilities & Extras 🔟

✔ Everything You Could Ask For – But We Didn’t Have Time to Use It! Pool, gym, spa, lounge, and business center available.

Nearby Attractions & Accessibility 📍

✔ Easy to Get Around – For Abu Dhabi travel, we highly recommend downloading the Careem app—it's cheaper than Uber or private taxis.

Any Issues?

🚫 Absolutely NONE! Everything was flawless, romantic, and luxurious.

What Makes Traders Hotel Special? 💎

✔ Honeymoon Perks That Felt Truly Special! – Romantic decor, a surprise cake, and a premium room upgrade at no extra cost. ✔ Incredible Food & Dining Experience! – Afya Restaurant & the buffet were beyond amazing. ✔ Top-Tier Hospitality! – From check-in to housekeeping, everything was handled with care and professionalism.

Insider Tip! 🔥

📌 Ask for a beach-facing room for the best experience! 📌 Use Careem for cheaper & hassle-free travel around Abu Dhabi.

Would I Recommend It❓

✅ 100% YES! Whether you’re a honeymooner, luxury traveler, or on an Etihad Holiday Program, Traders Hotel is an absolute must-stay in Abu Dhabi!

📸 Check out my attached photos for the real experience!

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I didn't book breakfast beforehand, because I've been warned by lots of bad reviews, but on check-in the receptionist tried to bargain a deal by offering us breakfast for a very special price (80 AED p.P). Not something I want to do at checkin at 2 a.m. after a long flight, misbehavior in my opinion. Anyway, my girlfriend decided to take it, so we took it. Unfortunately it turned out to be a real scam. Breakfast was completely unorganized with overloaded staff everywhere. First you have to wait in front of the breakfast room almost every day for 15-20 mins., because it's to small to accommodate a reasonable amount of guests (almost every other hotel can do it), once you got a seat, it takes forever to get served beverages. If you're lucky, 2 coffee and 2 glasses of orange juice per person can be served in ONE hour, they also tend to forget or mix up your order. Breakfast itself is pretty good, lot of variety, tastes nice. But unfortunately the portions you'll get a not very big, so unless you keep on telling the people that you want more, you have to reload very often. A lot of running around in the breakfast room. It's also very disturbing that guests who are still waiting in front of the breakfast room are loudly discussing with the staff and screaming around, because they got very upset from waiting. In general a huge disappointment! Complete scam and not worth any money. Low service.

Also the cleanliness of the room is a big issue. We requested cleaning on 5 out of 9 nights, but towels were never changed, even though we left them on the floor of the bathroom. They just hanged them up again. I know that, because on the last day I still had a stain on the towel which I caused on the first day. They hate to refill shampoo and coffee as well. If e.g. the shampoo is still half full, they won't refill it (two persons in one room with a half full shampoo won't go far). They never filled up the toilet paper as well, so on the last day we had no toilet paper. We even approached cleaning staff and told them EXACTLY, but still friendly, what we need, without effect. We just got a bit extra coffee and that's it.

Only two mayor points to note, many other smaller things that weren't okay experienced as well.

I was lucky enough to make some pictures of the messed up breakfast and the problematic cleanliness of the room, which I will shortly publish on some other hotel...