THE LANDMARK HOTEL RIQQA (DUBAI, UAE)
Friday, October 03, 2014
The Landmark Riqqa is the newest addition to Landmark's renowned hotels and suites. It is a four star hotel strategically located at the heart of Dubai's main business district. A few meters away from Al Ghurair Shopping Center, The Reef mall, Al Riqqa Metro station, and just 10 minutes away from the Dubai International Airport, this hotel is really an accessible place to stay. During our entire stay, we had our own share of fortunate and not so fortunate events. If you want to know about it, read ahead!
Image source: landmarkhotels.net
In my previous post, I showed you the Standard Double room where we stayed for one night. I liked it in the sense that it was spacious and way too big for a standard room. However, Ronnie didn't like the strong smell of air freshener used to mask the odor of a smoking room, plus there was also an ashtray on the coffee table. Yeah, you read it right! We were given a smoking room considering the fact that we have a 10 month old baby with us. Ronnie called the reception desk to ask if we could transfer to a non-smoking room but unfortunately, there was no other room available. So we didn't have any other choice but to stay there for a night.
The following day, we were transferred to a non-smoking room at the second floor. The whole level two of the hotel is a non-smoking area. Upon alighting the lift, I was able to appreciate how this part of the hotel smells. It was fragrant and smells a lot better than the fourth level where we used to stay. However, the room that was given to us was smaller. It's actually fine for double occupancy but we were expecting my sister-in-law (who will be arriving from the Philippines) to join us by Day 4 so we would be needing an extra bed later on.
On our third day, we then again requested to be transferred to a bigger room where we can add an extra bed without getting too crowded. We were then assisted by a very accommodating receptionist named Essa (which means Jesus in Arabic) and the hotel manager, who upgraded us to a Junior Suite Room. Both Ronnie and I were very glad that the management had been very generous to give us their second biggest room in the hotel without an extra charge.
The hotel has two dining areas, the Palm and Cleopatra Restaurant, both of which are located at the ground level. The Palm Restaurant offers International cuisine in a casual and more relaxed setting. This is where breakfast, lunch, and dinner buffet are being served. For breakfast, I just had the usual (scrambled egg, ham, sausage, and toast). I was not able to try their lunch menu but for dinner, they are offering a buffet of authentic Filipino dishes for only AED 35.
Image source: landmarkhotels.net
The Cleopatra Restaurant, on the other hand, serves authentic Arabic dishes. It has a more formal and sophisticated look compared to the Palm. However, I noticed that this restaurant was a little less popular to the guests because I seldom see any customer dining in. I didn't also get the chance to try their menu since I'm not so much into Arabic food. I'm a picky eater, I know!
Image source: landmarkhotels.net
Going up to the fifth level, you will find the hotel's Health Club dedicated to guests who want to relax from the stress of a busy city life. It has a small gym for those who want to be fit and fab, a sauna perfect for people who want to detoxify and shed some extra pounds, and an outdoor pool for people just like us who want to enjoy and be refreshed in the midst of a very humid climate.
Image source: landmarkhotels.net
Overall, I did enjoy my stay in The Landmark Riqqa. Although the hotel looks a little bit old already, the hospitality of the staff made all the difference. Everyone was approachable and friendly. They also have a free wifi service and fast internet connection which I greatly appreciated during my stay. The manager of the hotel was also very generous in upgrading rooms at no extra cost. (While I was checking out, I heard her telling another guest that they were upgraded from a standard double to a junior suite room.) No wonder it had won a certificate of excellence from TripAdvisor in 2013. I would recommend this hotel if you are on a tight budget since they are generous in giving room upgrades which will surely save you a lot of money! Just make sure to visit them during the off peak season (August-September). However, if you are after class and sophistication, go for newer hotels or better yet, book a five star hotel for a more luxurious experience.
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