Four Seasons Hotel Abu Dhabi opens

The third Four Seasons in the United Arab Emirates, and first in Abu Dhabi, will receive its first guests on Thursday. Located on Al Maryah Island, the 200-room hotel adjoins the Abu Dhabi Global Market Square – the UAE capital’s new international financial centre – and is close to Rosewood Abu Dhabi, which is also owned by Mubadala.

Similar to the luxury operator’s new 106-room boutique hotel in Dubai International Financial Centre, this property targets the corporate/MICE market.

The Liwa Ballroom on the lobby level can hold 150 guests and main Al Maryah Ballroom on the first floor, which seats up to 320 guests, are complemented by five function rooms and both venues contain waterside terracing which provides a less stuffy, leisurely aura.

On arrival is a discreet reception to the right although most walk-in guests will head left to Al Meylas lobby lounge whose novel Arabic touches include camel milk ice cream and signature scents in the lobby, while straight ahead is the Zsa Zsa cocktail bar and terrace serving ‘handcrafted’ drinks and European bites.

As befits its name, the first floor Crust restaurant (serving breakfast, lunch and dinner) bakes its own fresh bread and the poolside Eclipse Terrace Lounge on the third floor will offer seafood and cocktails. Two venues, Café Milano and the Butcher & Still Chicago steakhouse, will open in September.

Floors 4-13 are hotel rooms and 15-34 contain 53 long-term apartments and 71 private residences. Rooms are spacious with executive suites ranging between 75-85sqm, rising to 102-148sqm for deluxe executive suites. They come with 55-inch TVs, bespoke minibar, bedside tablet and sofa. The 12th and 13th floors feature the 175sqm presidential and 267sqm royal suite respectively.

Full green marks for the vertical coloured exterior slats, which provide a sun-shielding, energy-saving function, although the drawback is they impair views, the exception being the glassy, light-filled lobby which overlooks water features outside.

The third floor Dahlia Spa, opening later this month, contains eight treatment suites and separate fitness centres for men and women as well as a hair and beauty salon for women and barbershop for men.

The hotel expects to be up to full inventory by mid-May with key business from GCC staycationers, corporate revenues from the ADGM and The Galleria mall nearby, and medical tourism at the Cleveland Clinic (31 connecting rooms for families). Rates will be from Dhs 1,100.

“RevPars are under pressure but we’re not coming in to be the most expensive,” said general manager Sam Ioannidis. “On a product and location perspective, Abu Dhabi isn’t a large city – we’re close to attractions and malls. From our trends we’re looking pretty good, we’re looking over the next few months to stabilise the business – right now, the year end is looking good.”

The Four Seasons app provides a range of services (e.g. check-in/check-out, in-room ordering) although typically most Four Seasons guests want personalised service. “It’s the service at Four Seasons that makes the difference,” he said.