THE incentive business, says Haitham Murad, general manager of the UAE’s Al Jazira Resort, is perhaps the most important segment in the hotel business today.
“Incentives clients being the top VIP segment, we really pull out all the stops for our incentive clients, whether in terms of high-class airport transfers or luxury dinners,” he says, underscoring the hotel’s ability to deliver a truly memorable incentive holiday.
The hotel has recently undergone a total renovation programme, adds Murad, and will associate itself with an international brand as of January 2005.
The new look extends throughout the property, from a redecorated lobby to remodelled rooms. Three new F&B outlets have been opened: a new coffee shop, the Brasserie on Zero, a new Turkish restaurant, Antalia as well as a new tea lounge. The hotel’s beachside Dalma restaurant has also been upgraded.
Other restaurants include the Ocean Grill House, Café de Baileys, two swim-up pool bars and an Arabic tent. The cuisine on offer is a range of international delights and fresh seafood. A sumptuous buffet of Arabic and European food is available for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The Friday family brunch – with the activities on-offer making a combined package with the buffet – also has guests coming in from both Dubai and Abu Dhabi. There are daily theme nights at the Bounty Bar.
The renovation encourages guests to take advantage of the resort’s sprawling facilites, spread out over a central hotel block on an island in the middle of a channel that connects to a beachside area. Rooms are available at both venues: 80 deluxe units in the hotel block, with either a pool view or a sea view, and 90 beachside units that can be combined into two-, three- or four-bedroom options.
The hotel has two pools, one at each accommodation area, as well as a beautiful beach.
Finally, guests can also choose to put their holiday to good use and learn something. Like diving instructor Rainer Gunsch says, “In terms of recreation, we’ve got everything for relaxation and sports.” Apart from the standard facilities on offer at regular hotels around the region, Al Jazira has jet-skiing, wakeboarding, kneeboarding, speedboats, banana boat rides, kayaking, aqua-biking, windsurfing, fishing trips, tennis, mini-golf, bicycles, basketball, soccer, squash, camel and horse riding, a children’s playground, the list just doesn’t stop. And if it doesn’t have anything on site, like horse riding or golfing, it will make arrangements for you nearby. Or teach you whatever it is you want to learn. Like it will teach people to dive at its spanking new state-of-the-art diving centre.
Says Murad, “We have special activities for our guests to explore and enjoy the emirates.” The resort offers a day trip to the Wild Wadi, the wildest water park in the UAE, half-day desert safaris with exciting desert drive, sand-boarding and sand-buggies, camel rides, BBQ dinner, taste of shisha and more, a full trek to Hatta to experience one-of-a-kind wadi bashing (including a visit to Hatta Pools and the Hatta Heritage Village) and, finally, a superb way to enjoy the Arabian nights on a dhow cruise for a unique view of Dubai’s skyline as well as an onboard international buffet dinner. “In addition, we have several options such as half-day city tours to Dubai or Abu Dhabi,” says Murad.
On the meetings and events front, the hotel is fully equipped for seminars, trainings, day outings, corporate parties and banquets.
The elegant Arabian Ghantoot Majlis ballroom, with its panoramic view of the pool, has a seating capacity of 180 people. The two interconnected conference halls, Baniyas and Al Ain, are rich and luxuriously decorated, and can accommodate anywhere between 14 and 150 guests. Outdoor arrangements include spacious landscaped lawns, generous parking space and a capability to cater for upto 1,200 guests. Business facilities on offer include secretarial services, overhead and multimedia projectors, TV, video and flipcharts.
Sums up Murad, “Al Jazira’s superb location almost on the border of Dubai and Abu Dhabi, combined with our comprehensive list of facilities puts us in a unique position to cater to incentive and leisure travellers alike with a peaceful vacation away from their home, whether they are from the UAE or from around the world. We can assure you of the high standard service from all our staff which goes hand in hand to deliver hospitality manners at its best!”