Al Bahar Villas — Hotel in Dubai

This will be a long review with the total experience we had with this hotel. However let me state from the beginning that this hotel knows what customer care is! So I would like to thank to the hotel management for listening to customer feedback and taking immediate action.|| ||We are a family living in Dubai and due to Covid-19, we decided not to travel and stay in town this summer. Therefore I booked couple of staycation options that will make us feel secure, private and privileged as well. One of these options was Beit Al Bahar Villas in the Jumeirah Beach Hotel. Together with a friend of ours, we booked two 2-bedrooms villas (4 adults and 4 kids) and visited the hotel between Aug 7th and 10th, 2020. ||The booking process started on the web page however due to not having enough information available on the hotel website and also the need for two villas, we ended in the call center to finalize the booking. We did the booking on July 6th, almost a month ago. After doing the booking over the phone, I waited to receive the confirmation email but it did not come. After two calls to check if everything is ok or not, I received the confirmation email the next day on Jul 7th. ||||Just before the day of arrival, I received a reminder & confirmation email but I noticed that the rate was different than the one I booked. I immediately logged in to check my reservation and the rate I booked. Yes it was different and aprox 15% higher than what I booked. Plus, I realized that there is a new promotion that is available for the days we booked that drastically reduces the total cost. So I called the hotel. After checking my reservation, they confirmed that there was a mistake and the rate I booked is true and they apologized. However for the promotion, they told me that cannot not apply it to my reservation. After my insist, they told me that they will check and call me back. One hour later, they called but again with negative feedback. They told me that the promotion is not available! So after a long debate I could not change the situation but asked to meet the hotel manager when I arrive. They kindly accepted and confirmed that they will organize this. ||||So on the day or arrival, we reached Jumeirah Beach hotel at 15.00, the time we were told for check-in. It was not crowded but busy. However except the doorman, there was no welcome or a smile when we entered the building. For the check-in process, we approached the front desk. After waiting a few minutes, one of the front desk employees started our check-in process but again with no welcome and a smile. After the standard process, she gave us the papers to sign. And surprise ! The rate on the paper was again different (third time) and it went up again !! I said i will not sign this and asked to go to the room immediately and meet with the manager to solve the problem. They said ok and asked us to wait for the buggies to take us to the room. For 30 min, we waited in the lobby but nothing happened so I went back to the front desk to remind ourselves. The person who did our check-in said, they will come soon so we waited again. After 10 min later, one person arrived and asked how many are we. This time I became angry since they should have known this. He said he can carry on 4 people and the rest 4 should wait again. So had to wait for the second buggy for another 10 min. During this waiting time, there was no apologies or even an offer for a cup of water. Anyway the second buggy arrived and took us to the Bait Al Bahar. I thought we were going to our room but no, we were taken to the reception of Bait Al Bahar ! So the whole process in Beach Hotel was useless since they have their own reception! They could have immediately taken us to this reception and done our check-in process in a more private and elegant way (like business check-in in airlines). Finally they prepared the papers with the correct rate and I signed it. Of course I complained about all the process and check-in experience and repeated the request to meet the manager. They again confirmed that they will organize. So after aprox 90 min, we were finally in our villas. ||||Now I have to express my appreciation to the villas, architecture, landscape, quality, equipment/facilities and the view (Burj Al Arab). WOW ! It is really good. This place is a hidden gem in Dubai! Even if you are in the heart of Dubai, you feel like you are somewhere else. So we started to enjoy the moment. For the first night we decided to order food to the villas although the menu was very limited. Anyway the food arrived. It was a very ordinary food and there were two burgers that were almost burnt. Since we were hungry, we ate the burgers but shared our feedback. After some time, we got a call stating that the burgers are not going to be charged. It was now time to go bed. Kids were staying in one room and my wife and myself are in the other room. However the AC control unit in the kids room was not functioning properly. You set the temperature but it decides to reduce itself! You turn it off but after sometime, it turns on itself. So the night spent with the fight against the control unit in order not to freeze the kids under the AC. The following day they replaced the AC control unit with a new one and the problem resolved. ||||As promised, the next day they organized the meeting with the hotel manager Jaime Simpson. Before meeting her, we first spend like 30 min with Catharina, operations manager. She was very kind and fully aware of all the experience we had. She listened to our feedback about the rate changes, promotion issue, check-in disaster, food and AC problems and gave commitment to make us feel better in the rest of the stay. Then Jaime arrived with a great smile. Even removed the mask to show the smile 😊. She was an exemplary hospitality manager, making you feel that you are in the right hands. She also listened to our feedback and promised to solve the problems and asked to enjoy the rest of the stay. So the rate and promotion issue solved at that moment. On top, she was very kind to offer us a dinner in the Tortuga restaurant which was awesome. ||||Before the final day, we had one last incident. The last night at midnight there was a power outage that put us in full dark and no AC situation. However the issue was resolved in aprox 30 min but it was unpleasant moment. In the rest of the stay we tried the Dhow and Anchor for lunch and the Pai Thai for dinner. Both were very good. Bookings to these restaurants and the logistics (buggies) were all organized by the e-butler service which we loved to use. It is simply a whatsapp number that you communicate for your requests. Fast and easy ! Every hotel should adopt this service. ||||On the final day, we were allowed to checkout at 13.00 and we did that fast and smooth.||||So although we had issues, the overall experience at Bait Al Bahar was amazing! I want to underline the importance of people factor. The hotel facilities could be fantastic but at the end everything is about the service you get and the experience you had. Therefore I would like to thank to Jaime for being such a humble and a kind hotel manager, Catharina for being customer oriented and also special thanks to Pushkar, housekeeping manager, for trying his best to make us...

Having stayed at the Beit Al Bahar villas in 2019, we had high hopes for our stay at the newly renovated Al Bahar villas. We were certainly not disappointed, and in fact they probably exceeded our expectations. ||The villas form part of the Jumeirah Beach hotel but are set aside in their own private enclave, opposite the Executive pool (and who doesn’t like going through a door marked ‘Private’!). Guests are still able to use all the facilities of the Jumeirah Beach hotel, including the Executive lounges and pool should they wish. However, the villas also have a swimming pool complete with life guards and cabanas, and a restaurant/lounge/bar area where you can have breakfast/afternoon tea/happy hour (if you aren’t being lazy and having them in your room). ||Whilst we were impressed with the villas and facilities during our previous stay, the renovations that Jumeirah have carried out have transformed the villa and the garden/patio areas to the next level. It all looks very fresh, luxurious and welcoming. The villas are large, with a separate lounge, bedroom with the most comfortable beds, and a large bathroom. They are also very private, with key-card access to the garden, and the ability to view visitors at the gate via a touchscreen in the villa hall, and open the gate remotely. The garden / patio area is also set up for entertaining, with couches and a large table and chairs for outdoor dining (indeed, we used it for dinner a couple of times). And having their own plunge pools definitely adds to the appeal, given the temperatures in Dubai. ||We also made use of the Executive pool, and being villa guests, we had access to a cabana which we made full use of. We were more than capably taken care of throughout our visits to the pool by Nasir and AJ, and on our final day, were presented with special drinks and snacks by them and their manager Jennifer, which also added to the feeling that we were valued guests. ||We have always experienced good service from Jumeirah throughout our stays, but they surpassed themselves this time. We were spoiled from the minute we arrived to our departure by everyone we dealt with and especially by the team at the villas. Prior to arrival we were contacted in advance to enquire if there was anything we needed assistance with, and then upon arrival, we were introduced to the butlers Jude, Don and Nishita. All of them went out their way to ensure we did not want or need for anything, taking what felt like a personal interest to see that we were satisfied with everything. Additionally, we must also mention Kamrul who welcomed us every morning at breakfast and every evening for drinks, always looking after us so carefully. On our departure, we were also fortunate to meet with Maha, the Villa Butler Manager, who took the time to come and speak with us, and thank us for staying. It also allowed us to pass on our praise and thanks to the entire team for making our visit such a special and memorable one. ||With so many 5-star hotels and resorts in Dubai, it can take a lot to stand out, however we feel that Al Bahar’s combination of the villas, facilities and service more than does that for us. We would definitely recommend it to people looking for that little bit extra. It has cemented its position as our favourite place to stay in Dubai, and since we enjoyed it so much, we have already booked to return later...

Unfortunately it has taken me some time to write the reviews for Beit Al Bahar Villas due to being busy with work!||||Our first stay was May 2019, but couldn’t back date it to then! ||We were travelling for my 30th birthday and had booked a suite in Jumeirah Beach hotel for myself, partner, mum & dad and then 6 year old son.||||All I can say is Wow! We were absolutely blown away by the villa, the service and just everything about the experience.||We were greeted from the airport with a bouquet of flowers and taken to our villa. Each villa has its own plunge pool as well as access to the pool for all villas within the gated area. The villa and experience exceeded anywhere I had travelled before, and unfortunately set me up to only accept the absolute best when travelling! A few points that I would like to point out, that were the small extras that really made the difference ||||- As a villa guest you have access to the club lounge. There are a couple in Jumeirah hotel but there is exclusive use of the bar by the pool for guests. During the day you have access to soft drinks in the main lounge and afternoon tea. There is then a 2 hour happy hour from 6-8pm where you have access to as much to drink as you like. This is at the bar by the villas and the majorly impressive aspect of this was the fact that they served Veuve! Which is one of our favourites so we were overly happy.||- I was lucky enough to spend my 30th at the hotel and as such my room within the villa was decorated and no extra cost (please see photos) ||- The staff could not do enough for us||- The childrens club (which was included as part of staying in an executive room) is outstanding, again service is great and it’s better than most soft plays back in the UK||- The half board options were great ||- Lovely Amouge toiletries ||- Small things that really made the difference including small gifts everyday like inflatable balls for the pool, gold bath ducks etc (again it’s the small touches)||||After reading all of this you may wonder why I have only put 4 stars…. Fast forward to September 2021.||||Having stayed in these villas I didn’t think I could stay anywhere else so we booked and came back. What a difference.||||The best way to describe the difference is that all of the small bits and small details were missing. I have bullet pointed my main gripes below. Please bare in mind that the villa and resort and beach are beautiful but in comparison to our previous stay I would not go back especially for the money that it costs:||||- No flowers upon arrival||- No happy hour by the pool, now only in reception (we were told this was due to bird’s in the roof of the bar at the villas?!)||- No champagne served as part of the happy hour anymore ||- Only basic toiletries ||- No little gifts||||Despite raising a few of these points with the manager we don’t feel that the service was rectified enough. Such a shame as the service was incredible and...