SimplyAbuDhabi VII

2 1 S I M P LY A B U DH A B I 1960s. They provided a fascinating glimpse into the Emirate’s past. We learned that these had been taken from the private photograph collection of His Highness Sheikh Suroor binMohammed Al Nahyan. It’s that personal touch again! A wealth of experience As we had hoped, we absolutely adored our room. Every luxury and comfort had been carefully thought through, with the aim of providing each guest with an absolutely first class experience. And with the team that the Jumeirah has in place, you wouldn’t expect anything less. The General Manager, for example, is Doris Greif. AGerman national, Greif is fluent both in her native language and in English – and she has amassed a truly impressive wealth of experience in luxury hospitality. A graduate of the Hotel School Kermess in Munich, Germany, Greif occupied various front office roles for Munich Hilton (Germany) after her studies before moving to the United Arab Emirates in 1990. She became Area Director for Front Office Operations in the Middle East and Africa for Hilton International in 1994. Doris then joined Jumeirah and Jumeirah Beach Hotel (1999), and has never looked back. In 2000, she was appointed General Manager of Jumeirah Beach Club Resort and Spa. She took over Jumeirah Emirates Towers in 2004, and was then appointed to manage the pre-opening team for Jumeirah’s first hotel in China. After an 18-month break as Chief Operating Officer in City Operations for the Dubai International Financial Centre, Greif came back to Jumeirah as General Manager of Jumeirah at Etihad Towers in 2010 – and that’s something we can all be thankful for. Greif’s name alone is enough to ensure that guests at the Jumeirah will experience the very highest class of hospitality. And she has the right people working for her to ensure that the commitment to quality runs right through the hotel’s staff. Another key member of the talented team at the Jumeirah is Stephan Fuchs, the Hotel Manager. Also a German national, Fuchs has won an array of awards in his senior management career, which has fittingly taken in both the hotel industry and the event and food service industry. Fuchs first moved to the Middle East in 1999, when he held the position of Food & BeverageManager for the Diplomatic Club – the private beach club for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Doha, Qatar. He followed this with stints as Director of Catering and Conference Services at the Ritz Carlton, Doha, and Head of Catering with the Doha Asian Games 2006 Organising Committee. Following Doha, Fuchs moved to Moscow, where he became the Director of Catering and Conference Services at the prestigious Ritz Carlton Moscow. Fuchs first joined Jumeirah in 2006, as the Director of Food and Beverage at the Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai. In 2009 he then moved to the UAE’s capital as Executive Assistant Manager in Charge of Food and Beverage at the Emirates Palace, before joining Jumeirah once again as Hotel Manager of the Jumeirah at Etihad Towers – also in Abu Dhabi. Like Greif, he’s fluent in both English and German, and he’s also impressively qualified. He studied at the Hotel Management School in Bavaria, Germany, where he gained an MBA, Master of Hotel Management, as well as a Master’s Certificate in Restaurant Management. Staggering achievement With this kind of talent behind the hotel, it’s no surprise at all that our room was of the very highest class. But you can only really appreciate the achievement of the management when you consider the Jumeirah in its entirety. The hotel has an impressive 382 guest rooms and suites, along with 199 serviced residences and a total of 12 restaurants, bars and lounges. The hotel’s fourteen Club Suites (on levels 51 – 57) have hugely spacious and elegant living and dining areas. Covering an area of 110 square metres (1184 square feet), these suites have already become renowned for their gorgeously appointed bedrooms and opulent bathrooms. When you combine this level of luxury with flawless service and magnificent views, then it’s easy to see why the standard of living here is routinely described as ‘divine’. Continuing in this vein of sheer quality are the two Etihad suites, which occupy prestigious corner locations on level 58. These suites measure a generous 93 square metres (1001 square feet). They each have a spacious and elegant living and dining room, a generously appointed bedroom and a sunlit en-suite bathroom. The Sky Suite is so lavish that there’s only one. Situated on level 59, it’s huge (241 square metres/2594 square feet) and is designed to suit the most discerning of guests. Its large sitting room is fitted with plush couches and striking contemporary art. There’s a private dining table for ten guests – who can be catered for using the fully-equipped in-suite kitchen and the exclusive butler services. The expansive bedroom features a deluxe king bed, a walk- in dressing room and a dressing table. There’s a sunlit en-suite bathroom with a free-standing bathtub, twin vanities, and a walk-in raindrop ceiling shower. It’s clear that staying in the Sky Suite would be incredibly rejuvenating. And a similar level of luxury is on offer at the exquisite Royal Etihad Suite, located on Level 60. This suite spans 980 square metres (10,550 square feet) and features four bedrooms, sitting rooms, dining facilities, bathrooms and butler facilities – as well as exclusive pieces of fine art and a specially-designed grand piano. With this kind of splendour and grandeur on offer, guests at the Royal Etihad Suite cannot fail to be impressed by its enduring atmosphere of sophistication and elegance. Alongside these fabulous suites there’s an array of amazingly luxurious rooms: 48 Tower Rooms, 132 Deluxe Rooms, 72 Grand Deluxe Rooms, 24 Tower Club Rooms, 41 Deluxe Club Rooms, and 47 Grand Club Rooms. And alongside these impressive rooms and suites, the Jumeirah also has 199 fully-serviced permanent residences (conveniently located on levels 2 to 25). Sharing an exclusive reception area, the residences range from studios of 57 square metres (614 square feet) to spacious one, two and three bedroom apartments of up to 170 square metres (1830 square feet). They are all inspirationally designed, and offer outstanding comfort combined with irresistible sea views. Prestigious Lounge We can easily see why people would want to live here – the level of luxury is just astounding. And the hotel’s management know that successful people often lead 24/7 lifestyles – and need first class business facilities even when on the move. That’s why they’ve ensured that guests on shorter stays, too, have all the amenities to allow them to carry on their lives seamlessly and in J UM E I R A H A T E T I H A D T OW E R S : T H E H E I G H T O F L U X U R Y