Luxury, lifestyle and attention to children - The Address Dubai Marina, Dubai

The Dubai Marina has something very international about it. The licenced cafes in places. The yachts that are docked there. The shopping options. The visitors. The location. Then, of course, the hotels. The Address. It says alot about a hotel when it calls itself The Address Dubai Marina. Think about it. 'Where are you staying? Oh, I am staying at The Address Dubai Marina.' There is caché to it, isn't there? But is it warranted? Does The Address Dubai Marina really offer an experience that makes it worthy of this title? I recently tried it out.



The Room

Luxurious. Our Premier Suite offered a view of the gorgeous marina. With a separate bedroom and living room area, the 70 SQM are well used. A balcony in the living room brings the marina even closer. Also, the glorious swimming pool at Shades is also in full view and it entices me to go out immediately. However, there were so many attractions in the room, that I just wanted to stay and enjoy them. The bathroom continued the living room's love affair with natural light and views of the marina. I could picture myself having a bath while enjoying the marina - something I did eventually do. Finally, my bedroom, with another big screen television, had a stunning corner with 270-degree views of the, yes you guessed it, marina. 
Technology in the room

This deserves special mention. While I have stayed in rooms before where tablets were used to control certain functions, its use here is way beyond gimmicky status - it is an essential part of the hotel experience. I Genie, as it is called, is simple to use, and while traditionalists will argue that it removes the human element when, for example, you order room service, the old fashioned option is always there - you can still pick up the phone. 

My daughter got a real kick out of using it. She checked our bill at one point and asked me if it was correct!  She used it to connect to youtube on the TV and also used it to access the 3D movies available to hotel guests - 3D glasses are in the room - but that was not the best part for her; she ordered popcorn to make the movie experience a good one. A shame though that the popcorn is served in a ceramic bowl and not  a carton. 

I Genie is the future of hotel rooms as tech-savvy people seek ways to make their stays easier and convenient. The Address Dubai Marina has introduced a system that will strike  a positive chord with anyone who has ever picked up a tablet. 

iGenie

The Club Lounge

The ever popular hotel-within-a-hotel concept is even more refined at The Address Dubai Marina. The lounge is exquisite, with lights and darks mingling to create an understated elegance. A wide selection of newspapers and magazines greet you as you settle down, either in the dining or lounging area. Over our two days, we experienced both breakfast and evening canapés and drinks - both very satisfying experiences. It is definitely worth paying the extra to stay in the club rooms because as we sat down to breakfast, for instance, we shared the lounge with only 5 other people. As good as a hotel's outlets may be, nothing beats the intimacy of a club lounge, especially when you are feeling tired but need a snack to nibble on or in the evening to have a glass of Prosecco!





Recreation

The Address Dubai Marina packs it in. Yes, there is a fully equipped gymnasium and personal trainers on hand. The hotel has the fabled infinity pool adjacent to Shades, the hotel's outdoor pool restaurant. There is, of course, the Spa with its wide variety of treatments that is bound to cater for every physical need as well as pocket. 




I had the pleasure of trying the Spa at The Address - from the moment I entered to the moment I walked out, an exceptional spa experience. Have a read here of my visit to the spa: The Spa at The Address . The bottom line is you will not be bored, and if you are, you have only yourself to blame - the hotel really has it all. 


Kids

I believe one of the ways you judge a hotel is by the way they treat children. Children are often overlooked because, well, they don't pay the bill at the end of the stay. But the child who connects with your brand today will remember it through childhood. At The Address Dubai Marina, children are really privileged. Do you know how delighted my daughter was when she saw a kids' bathrobe  in the closet, and while slippers were an option but not available during our stay, it is the idea that made me as a parent feel respect for the hotel. 


Secondly, the Kids' Club is probably the best one of its kind my daughter has experienced. Liezl guided her through 90 minutes of arts and crafts in a very colourful and child-friendly room where staff caters for a wide variety of ages. They are not baby-sitters; this would be an insult to them. Instead, they facilitate creativity  and really work hard ensuring kids are entertained and leave having accomplished something. 



 Dining

 Several highlights. We had Afternoon Tea at Kambaa, the hotel's lobby lounge. Excellent service marked our afternoon  and I was reminded of the value of people in this industry. It allowed me to understand why people do it day in and day out. Read a full review of my afternoon tea experience here: Afternoon Tea at Kambaa





The Superhero Brunch at Mazina turned out to be something that again showed the extent to which the young are revered at The Adress Dubai Marina. Staff dressed in costumes, a bouncy castle, face painting...but that was not all. Adults were treated too - expect Laurent Perrier NV Champagne, a wide variety of quality dishes and attentive service that will ensure that young and old are in for a fine afternoon. Read my full review here: The Superhero Brunch at Mazina



Finally, no experience at The Address Dubai Marina would be complete without having something at Shades Pool bar. The service was in keeping with the venue - relaxed and casual but not familiar. Seating options abounded from your usual table and chairs to sofa style seating. Finally, super comfy cabanas were available to all and I liked that everyone had equal opportunity to use them.  Space is substantial and if you like shisha, there is a generously-sized area for this. Foodwise, the grill items, in particular, are highly recommended as they offer both large quantities and value or money. I also tried the Summer salad specials - one sure way to cool down! An added pleasure, undoubtedly, was the night time ambience, with some tables overlooking the marina. Come on cooler months!





The Address Dubai Marina succeeds, amongst other places, where most hotels at this level fail, and that is its attention to detail. Housekeeping staff take housekeeping to another level by putting everything in its place, including personal effects - the little things. Secondly, with direct access to a mall, The Address Dubai Marina really is a leisure and shopping destination that not many hotels can compete with in terms of convenience. Thirdly, as a parent, it matters a lot to me what a  hotel does for children, and here this hotel is simply a leading light. However,  it is about staff.  From maintenance staff who pass you in the hallway to more obvious management level staff that acknowledge you, you are made to feel recognised - something most of us crave but pretend to be nonchalant about. 

The Address Dubai Marina, in a  word, outstanding!

The lowdown

The Address Dubai Marina,
Dubai Marina
PO Box 329323Dubai
The Address Dubai Marina
+971 4 436 7777



Brandon Stoltenkamp
Disclaimer: I am hotel and restaurant writer based in Abu Dhabi. I was at the hotel by invitation. 

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