Aelia - One&Only One Za'abeel — Restaurant in Dubai

The restaurant boasts a pleasant ambiance and offers exceptional views of the Dubai skyline from its 25th-floor observation deck. However, accessing the restaurant, proved to be a challenging experience due to the understaffing of the hotel reception lobby and the absence of clear signage and guidance.

The culinary offerings were of subpar quality, particularly with regard to the seating and serving layout. The placement of desserts on the corners and appetizers at the entrance created an unusual and somewhat disjointed ambiance. The arrangement of cutlery on the table was also substandard, with missing spoons and no drinks available for an Iftar buffet dinner. The most concerning aspect was the delayed delivery of main courses during the dinner hour, which significantly diminished the dining experience.

Despite not being an Iftar dinner, the restaurant lacked a designated prayer area, forcing guests to travel to a separate section of the building. Accessing the prayer rooms required multiple elevators, which added to the inconvenience.

Even though the restaurant was not fully occupied, the service was noticeably slow. While the staff members were attentive and prompt in responding to requests, the overall dining experience was marred by the subpar quality of food. The rice in the ouzi was particularly disappointing, being excessively...

Some people chase adrenaline. Others chase sunsets. Me? I chased a scone 25 floors above ground and somehow, it turned into one of the loveliest afternoons I’ve had in a long time.

I never thought I’d be "one of those people" who swoon over afternoon tea, but somewhere between the perfectly layered finger sandwiches, the warm, buttery pastries, and the endless city views, I found myself completely, unapologetically converted.

The staff were the kind of people who make you feel like you belong welcoming without being overbearing, attentive without hovering. Every plate looked like it belonged in a magazine, and every bite tasted even better than it looked.

Highly recommend it because sometimes, the best adventures don’t involve boarding a plane... they start with a teapot and a view. I would like to give a shout out to both Khaled and Manjeet who made this...

Honestly one of the worst service experiences I’ve ever had. We were sitting indoors, and surprisingly, it was hot and uncomfortable — completely unacceptable for a café inside a luxury hotel like One&Only Za’abeel.

The waiter ignored us for almost an hour, despite us calling him multiple times. When he finally came, there was no apology, no greeting, and zero professionalism.

When we finally placed our order, it took forever to arrive — and even then, they brought the wrong dessert. We had to wait even longer for them to fix it, and again, no apology or urgency whatsoever.

This kind of service is embarrassing and far from what you’d expect from such a high-end place. We came expecting a premium experience and left extremely disappointed....