Reality Check ➔ HOTEL MILLENNIUM HOTEL, ABU DHABI
THE HOTEL: The Millennium Hotel Abu Dhabi is a five-star business property located on Abu Dhabi’s famous Corniche. There are 325 guestrooms of which 64 are suites and 16 are Studios. It is situated a 30-minute drive from the international airport, a five-minute walk from the business district and 15kms from the ADNEC exhibition centre. THE CHECK-IN: An early morning check-in was swift and my room was ready for me to grab a little shut eye before heading out for a lunch meeting. My bags were delivered promptly by a member of staff who politely enquired if I needed anything about the room explained to me. THE ROOM: My superior room overlooked the city and was elegantly furnished with a king-size bed, sofa, coffee table and work desk. There was a safe, iron and ironing board, TV, and tea and coffee making facilities. The bathroom provided a variety of toiletries and ample towels. THE BUSINESS: Meetings are catered for on three separate floors within the hotel and there is also a grand ballroom which can accommo- date up to 400 people. The other meeting rooms can be tailored for guest’s needs whether it be boardroom or theatre style or for social functions. There is free high-speed wifi
internet access throughout the hotel and a well-equipped business centre. THE FACILITIES: Three venues offered a range of food, with Citrus featuring international cuisine, Marakech serving a Moroccan menu, and Sevilo’s being a trendy Italian restaurant. Cristal’s bar was a quiet, relaxing spot for a pre or post-dinner drink. Le Club Health and Fitness centre had a gym, steam and sauna rooms, and an outdoor swimming pool and poolside bar. A valet parking service and
➔ FLIGHT DELTA, BUSINESS CLASS
THE FLIGHT: Flight 005 London Heathrow to Detroit at 9.15am in a B767-400ER aircraft in business class (BusinessElite), seat 5A. THE CHECK-IN: Seamless as SkyTeam has a dedicated Premium Class check-in in Zone H at T4. There are self-service kiosks and friendly staff to check passports and ask the security questions before you get to the bag-drop desk. There were no queues and a smiley face the other side of the counter. There’s a cavernous and contemporary SkyTeam double-deck lounge airside, with plentiful seating, seats with power sockets, a good selection of refreshments, mood-lit rooms to snooze in, showers, massage chairs, an oxygen bar and great views over the airport. Just as well there were all these distractions as the flight was delayed until 10.30am. THE SEAT: Not a cocoon style seating arrangement but more open plan in a 1-2-1 configuration and with all seats facing forwards. There was a small TV screen straight ahead, reading light to the side, and a wide table area next to the seat, and it was easy to get in and out. Bottled water, amenity kit, blanket, pillows and headphones were already waiting. Easy seat controls, a relaxing lumbar support feature and a comfy lie-flat experience as I slept well and awoke in time for the pre-
underground car park are also available. THE VERDICT: A great property for anyone wanting to stay in the immediate vicinity of Abu Dhabi’s business district near the city centre. The staff were very attentive and the food offered at the various restaurants was of the highest standard. THE DETAILS: Room rates start from around 440AED (£75.00) per night. Tel: 00 9712 614 6000 or see:
www.millenniumhotels.com. DAVID CLARE
arrival snack (a shrimp nicoise salad and fresh fruit) that woke up my tastebuds perfectly. THE SERVICE: I was brushed off by a stewardess with attitude when asked if there was anywhere to hang my jacket; after take-off a more amenable crew member sorted it. Breakfast service was prompt and good despite several options unavailable and having to request additional passes of tea. THE VERDICT: It was a comfortable flight with good facilities on the ground and a flatbed that really works onboard. The delay obviously threw a lot out on this flight; we eventually pulled away at 10.45am and I can only guess
that catering hadn’t delivered all they should have. Staff seemed a little frantic and, while most of them adapted well, service was a little hit and miss. It was gratifying to experience a faultless service on my return flight. A full- blown spa will be added to the departure lounge this autumn. THE DETAILS: Delta flies into Detroit daily, departing 9.25am, arriving Detroit at 1.10pm local time, a flight time of 8hrs 45mins. The lead-in BusinessElite fare is £3,014.26 inclusive of all taxes and charges. Tel: 0871 2211222 or see
www.delta.com for more information. GILLIAN UPTON
88 I FIND MORE REALITY CHECKS AT
WWW.THEBUSINESSTRAVELMAG.COM
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