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Four Seasons Dubai
The Four Seasons brand has been lying in wait for a number of years to establish itself in Dubai. The real estate crisis in Dubai certainly has not helped the situation. The Four Seasons was originally set to open a few years ago, but the crisis placed a wrench in their plans for establishing in Dubai. Years went by, and today here we are in November 2014: the brand is opening a Four Seasons Dubai Resort in Jumeirah Beach, a very lovely area of Dubai along the seaside.
I visited this hotel several weeks leading up to its opening. This was an exciting time, since the teams were still undergoing training. You can really sense the motivation of the employees, their desire to do well, and their excitement to welcome clients. Meanwhile, the workers were placing the final embellishing touches on the hotel, and the housekeepers and cleaning ladies were furnishing out the last of the rooms. The gardeners were clearing away the branches and fallen leaves and replacing several flowers that had failed to take root. The first of the clients hastened to reserve the first opening night of the hotel. It’s interesting to find that there are always aficionados on the first night of a hotel.
Facade of the Four Seasons Dubai: the finishing touches before the opening
The staff continues plans for their preparations around the bar to ensure a smooth opening
The Four Seasons Resort Dubai offers a timeless luxury, as the brand is accustomed to offering. Still, you can be sure to encounter a regional Arabic touch here that promises to bring a bit of exoticism to the Four Seasons label. Alongside the rest of the hotels on the shores of Dubai (apart from the Palm), this hotel stands out for both its proximity to downtown Dubai and its tower of Burj Khalifa, as well as its waterfront backbone. It is an oasis of calm in an area of Dubai that is growing increasingly well-regarded.
The hotel is rather large and spacious (5.6 hectares), with 237 rooms and suites! Each room offers a view of the ocean and comes furnished with high-quality materials (marble, wood, woodwork, gold-leaf, Murano glass, etc.). In the bathroom, you can find complimentary toiletries provided by the brand Etro.
This hotel plans to graciously accommodate businessmen and all their events relating to the world of business: executive board meetings, conventions, conferences, and more. 1,199 m2 have been set aside for conference spaces, and these even boast a separate entryway.
A room at the Four Seasons Dubai
Hotel toiletries, courtesy of the brand ETRO
I even had the privilege of visiting the women’s spa! In Dubai, spas generally offer two different entrances: one for women and one for men. Sometimes, you may even find a separate entrance for a massage room for couples. I greatly admired the shower space, which featured light therapy and mood music that corresponded to themes around rain (calm, tropical, storm…). In short, a true space of experiences and sensations. While wandering around in the halls of the kitchen, I ran into Gilles Arzur, the former Executive Chef of Sofitel Chicago, where I had the best croissant outside of France (not so easy to find as you’d think). He will soon take charge over the entire range of restaurants (Suq, Sea Fu, the Shai, and Hendricks Bar). Once you’ve settled along the rooftop terrace, you’ll be able to enjoy a view of the water to relax or take in the skyline to remind you of the world of business.
The hotel is seated right on the face of the world. For the moment, all you can see are sandy banks, but it is difficult to predict what will come from the world. Along one side you have the ladies’ club and new constructions in the process of taking shape. A palace? A new hotel? No one quite knows yet for sure. This is the hidden face of Dubai.
Spa: the shower, with its range of color effects, aroma, and shower head pressure according to the selected theme
Among the works of art presented at the Four Seasons Dubaï Hotel
Laurent Delporte, an editor and conference speaker, is a strategic expert in the sector of hotels. A visionary, he brings his unique look on hotels in service to the decision-makers in the industry, whether to enhance the development of new projects or strategic visions.
Laurent has visited and audited over 350 hotels across the world and also participates in mystery visits to provide quality control for the world’s finest hotels.
