I walked into the clean, modern, yet oh so Arabic lobby with my little pink suitcase and stumbled around the hordes of people taking pictures for Instagram. The lobby was made for Instagram. A monthly design of fresh flowers or candles are set out on a table next to the concierge desk. With a bright pink #ManzilDowntown statue sitting in optimal view of picture takers.

The crowd was so big I couldn’t see any check-in desk. I stood awkwardly in between the concierge desk which had no one manning it, and the flowers.

A bellboy came over and asked me if I needed help checking in and led me to the check-in desk behind the white Arabic screens. Once I finally got to the reception, everything went smoothly. The crowd dissipated, and I made my way to my room on the 8th floor. The upgrade was appreciated, yet so high up and I could hardly see the pool! Lower down; I’m sure the pool view would have been appreciated a bit more.

It had been a long day of traveling, so I decided to hunker down in the beautiful space the hotel provided me. I loved the clean lines and neutral color palette. It provided a sense of calm, and I decided I would get a lot of writing done in this hotel.

The bed was soft, the bathroom luxurious, and the desk area was just what I needed. But, my favorite spot in the room? The armchair in the corner where I could sit cozily with my kindle and a cup of black tea from room service.

I decided to make it an early night due to my travels, and I went to sleep knowing I had chosen the right hotel for my stay this time ‘round in Dubai.

I awoke to birds singing and the sun shining. Well, not exactly. I’m not sure there are birds in Dubai, but the sun was shining in through that grand floor to ceiling window! (Close the black-out curtains if you want to sleep past 8 am.)

Breakfast from room service was just what I needed. A plate of pancakes with berries to start my day off right! Room service was easy to talk to and brought the dish up in less than 20 minutes. I was impressed by their swiftness. The greatest thing about the cart coming into the room- there was space for him to maneuver around the bed with no problem! Usually, I tell the gentleman to leave the cart and just bring in the plates…

The pancakes were soft and buttery. The berries tangy, as if they had just picked them.

I went about my day to meetings and such. I love the location of the hotel. I had a meeting in Souk Al Bahar which was conveniently located right across the street from the hotel. And right beyond that is Dubai Mall where I connected with a few friends. The area is perfect if you’re in Dubai to shop or if you need to have meetings. The lobby of the hotel as well as fantastic for conversations.

Dinner was served in the hotel restaurant (Read about that here), and hookah was found in the courtyard of the hotel.

The courtyard is very dark but beautifully designed. I wished I had been able to catch the design with a camera, but it was just too dark. It will have to live in my mind’s eye until I go back during the daytime.

Hookah was served by Egyptians as they usually are. Drinks of lemon mint frappes were welcome in the heat, and the teas were perfect for the more traditional.

I overheard from a friend that the hotel was meant to be a meeting place for entrepreneurs, start-ups, and CEOs. It must have been a lovely idea, but as we can see from today’s clientele, they have veered from their original “ideal customer” to that of rich locals. From the design to the food to the guests, everything screams “traditional Arabic", and we don’t see a problem with that.