Incredible service, a beautiful room and wonderful fresh food—Royal Meridien made our stay truly special.
Welcome and check-in
We arrived on an early flight, and the receptionist made every effort to get us into a room as quickly as possible. While housekeeping prepared the rooms, we were invited to enjoy breakfast. Despite the hotel being at 96% capacity, we were in our room by around 10:30am—three hours before the usual check-in time. We were very grateful for such a thoughtful welcome.
The room
Our room on the first night was beautiful, with lovely amenities and thoughtful touches: fresh robes and slippers, generously sized bath towels and gorgeous-smelling toiletries.
Restaurants and reservations
Each restaurant we visited had its own character, and the food was consistently delicious. We particularly appreciated being able to make reservations on the day. At other hotels we’ve stayed at, restaurants often needed to be booked weeks in advance, so this flexibility made the experience much more relaxed and enjoyable.
I was also celebrating my birthday, and the staff made it feel incredibly special.
I highly recommend Indiya by Vineet, Siena at the sister Grosvenor hotel, Al Kamieh and Maya.
Staff and customer service
The service was faultless. The staff went above and beyond to make our stay enjoyable. If a dish wasn’t to our taste, they happily offered an alternative, accommodated substitutions and made every guest feel welcome and cared for.
A special thank you to Ganesh, Sagar, Anikeet and Ivan at the breakfast buffet, who looked after us so wonderfully; Victoria at Maya; and the lovely Ayoub at Al Kamieh. Their warmth and attentiveness made a real difference to our holiday.
The pool
The pool was beautiful and clean, with an excellent food menu. The team struck a lovely balance between keeping everyone safe and ensuring guests could relax and enjoy themselves. Dilshan was superb, and I would definitely recommend enjoying a snack or two by the pool.
The salon
The only disappointing interaction was at the salon near the gym. I enquired around midday about a wash and blow-dry, which was considerably more expensive than UK prices. When I commented on the price, the lady covering reception replied, “You are in a five-star hotel.” I found the response dismissive and out of keeping with the warm, gracious service throughout the rest of the hotel. A little more courtesy would have made all the difference.
A final lovely touch
I absolutely loved the friendly peacocks roaming the grounds. They added so much charm and made the surroundings feel even more special.
Thank you, Royal Meridien, for a wonderful stay and such a memorable birthday. We will be back!
