Adjoining the World Trade Centre Mall and Souk, Courtyard by Marriott World Trade Centre, Abu Dhabi is perfectly positioned for anyone looking for a central base in the city. The hotel is the fifth Courtyard property in the Middle East and North Africa, and offers 195 spacious and smartly appointed rooms and a variety of three dining venues.
Developed by Aldar Properties, it marks the first Marriott endorsed hotel in the UAE capital.Staff are friendly and the whole check-in process efficient, while the lobby, with its funky seating areas decked out in bright primary colours, is both welcoming and at the same time formal enough for business meetings.After a long day of meetings, I was glad to come back to my room and sink into Marriott’s trademark pillow-topped mattress – so comfortable I almost didn’t want to get up for dinner.A quick shower didn’t really do justice to the luxurious marble bathroom with its rainshower, but I made time to sample the posh amenities from Nirvae before wrapping myself in the fluffy robe for a short breather before heading downstairs.There are various dining options within the hotel and we chose Fifth Street Café, which offers a home-from-home atmosphere, always welcome when you travel a lot for business. I chose corn-fed chicken (the mash was to die for), while my dining companion went for the slow-cooked meatballs. Our dinner was complemented with a fine bottle of red grape beverage. Although the portions were sizable, no meal is complete without pudding, so we opted to share one of the delicious desserts.Before heading back to our comfortable room, we ventured into the newly opened rooftop bar Up & Below, located on the 12th floor. While it overlooks the hustle and bustle of the city below, it is very trendy, laid-back and relaxed.If you don’t fancy any of the hotel’s own dining venues, there are several restaurants and cafés nearby to cater to virtually every taste or sample the 24-hour room service – something I find particularly useful when travelling as a lone female.Before checking out the next morning, I went up to the heated rooftop swimming pool. Yes, I know climate control is not necessary most of the year but, since our visit was during the slightly cooler months, it was good to still be able to make the most of the facilities and take in a little sun before heading off to another packed day of meetings.Courtyard by Marriott World Trade Centre can be found on stand number HC6750.Staff Report