Traders Hotel, Abu Dhabi, UAE
Introduction
The Traders Hotel is part of the Shangri La chain of hotels and we love staying in them whenever possible. We had a 20 hour layover in Abu Dhabi and decided to stay at the Traders Abu Dhabi. The Hotel is located around 20 km away from the Abu Dhabi airport and it found it to be an ideal mix of proximity to both the Airport and City attractions. We booked this Hotel in cash for AED 321 which is around 90 USD / INR 6,500.
Check In
The Lobby is grand and super spacious. We arrived at the Hotel at around 7 AM as our flight from London reached almost an hour earlier. We were actually deciding between staying at the Arrivals Lounge at Abu Dhabi and heading to the hotel as the standard check in time is 2 PM. We spent a little bit of time at the arrivals lounge and then came to the hotel. As Jade members we are eligible for an early check in by 11 AM but at 7 AM we were still hoping for a miracle.
The lady at the check (I think her name was Amal) in counter highlighted that we are here very early. We still requested her to make a room available for us right now. To our great joy she said that she will make a room available for us despite being so early. In addition, she also offered us the option of having breakfast on our arrival day instead of the departure day. That was a really big relief for us as although we are eligible for free breakfast as Jade members, our flight was quite early in the morning and we would have missed it. She really made our day.
Golden Circle Jade members are allowed to choose any three welcome amenities from a set of 10 options. Icing on the cake!
Our Room
Our Room was super large with plenty of space. There were two large double beds, Two small sofa chairs and a large work desk. There was literally nothing more we could ask for. The room also had a hot water kettle to make tea/coffee. Within minutes our welcome amenities also arrived.
The cookies were delicious and the chocolates were also nice. Two small bottles of mineral water are complimentary for guests. The beds were super comfortable and we had a great power nap. The work desk had great connectivity options and i loved the direct USB charging options and the multi plug which did require a travel adapter.
Breakfast
Breakfast is served at the Afya Restaurant which is an open plan kitchen with cuisines from around the world. They have an outdoor dining area as well. There was plenty of rush at breakfast which runs from 6 am to 10:30 am. The selection of vegetarian options was also decent. While looking around the food, one of the chefs approached me and asked if there is anything he can make for us. While we were out of India only for a short while, the taste of comfort food from home is something special. I asked him what he could make from Indian food and chose “Chole Masala”. The food was really tasty and I love chefs who try and make simple dishes which feel like home made food.
There was fresh Pizza with plenty of vegetarian options to choose from. Really loved the Arabic spin on the pizza options. Service was prompt and the staff was really wonderful. All in all a 5 Star breakfast.
Hotel Amenities
The Hotel has a nice Lounge Bar located at the Lobby. There is plenty of seating in the lobby area and the decor is really impressive.
All the seating ares have a button to call the waiter and request for the bill. Quite unique.
There is a business centre inside the lobby and an Internet Access Centre
The hotel has a small gym and a swimming pool right next to it. There is a pool bar as well.
Outdoor Area
The best part of the hotel is the small private beach. There are plenty of lounging areas for everyone. They also have some watersports equipment like paddle boards and surf boards. The beach is open from 7 AM to Sunset and is a really great place to relax. For the young toddlers there is a separate play area nearby as well.
In Room Dining
In room dining service was prompt and the food tasted great. We ordered a Vegetarian Panini and it was delicious. The fries were also cooked to perfection and made for a perfect light meal.
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
The hotel is located at a stones throw from the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque (You cannot walk till there though, take a taxi). This is one of the best attractions to visit in the City.
Check Out
Check out was super fast with only one question asked. The staff at this property are super efficient. They also helped us get a cab in the early morning at the Airport which was not a problem at all. Do keep some cash handy as cab operators still don’t accept cards here.
The Staff
The Traders has one of the best staff we have come across in recent times. They make you feel genuinely welcome and try and do everything they can to make you happy. From the check in lady to the chef at the breakfast, these are the interactions that really matter to us. We’ve stayed in 500 dollar per night hotels (using our points/miles of course) and had some poor experiences. It’s the staff that makes all the difference.
Overall Impressions
We are really glad that we decided to spend our overnight stay at Abu Dhabi at the Traders. The staff made all the difference and we really enjoyed our stay here. At below 100 US Dollars per night, this place is an absolute steal. This is a great base to explore the city and we would definitely stay here again.
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