“Retox, recharge and have unlimited fun!” Radisson Blu Dubai Media City
Had a busy week at work and need a relaxing weekend? Fancy treating a loved one to a weekend away? Radisson Blu Dubai Media City is offering a chance to unplug and de-stress with it’s all encompassing ‘Retox and Recharge’ package, an ideal way to enjoy life’s simple pleasures with friends and family.
Located in the heart of Dubai’s Media City this predominantly business hotel is aiming it’s weekend relaxation concept at leisure guests, especially ideal for those looking for a staycation. The hotel’s two towers, joined by a second floor indoor walkway, offers travellers a choice of 246 rooms and suites as well as a wellness centre, dining options and outdoor pool. The hotel is easy to find, has good transport links with metro and tram stations nearby and onsite valet parking.
The weekend package is affordable and generous providing two guests with one-night’s stay in a standard room including breakfast (Friday to Saturday) and an hour’s relaxing couples signature massage at Senso Spa. Also included in the offer is a three-course dinner at Certo Italian restaurant with a bottle of house red or white wine. Two selected drinks per person are offered at the rooftop bar, Tamanya Terrace, chose to have pre-dinner drinks, a nightcap or nightlife warm-up.
Party people can join the ‘cool set’ by making use of free entry and return chauffeur service to BASE Dubai located in D3, Dubai’s Design District. The open-air multi level hotspot offers clubbers state-of-the-art sound, lighting and pyrotechnics as well as an ever changing line-up of international artists. Transfers to the private RIVA Beach Club can be organised via the concierge and late check-out is included until 4pm, perfect if you need a lie-in after late night shenanigans at BASE.
While the hotel itself is quite dated the rooms are comfortable and clean, our Business Class room had a modern bathroom with separate shower and bath and was well stocked with a range of This Works products. Other highlights included a Nespresso coffee machine, small lounge and work area, flat screen TV, fast and free wi-fi and access to the Business Class lounge. The restaurant and bar, spa and wellness centre, outdoor pool, business lounge and various meeting rooms are split across the East and West towers and you may find yourself zig zagging across the two for the various activities.
Certo, on the ground floor of the West Tower is a modern venue with a subtle palette dominated by the central bar and well stocked glass wine cellar. Monochrome photos and a token scooter set the restaurant’s Italian theme, it had a nice vibe with lots of diners. The weekend package entitles guests to a set three-course menu that includes seafood, meat and limited vegetarian options along with a choice of red or white wine. The food was well-presented and pleasant but not outstanding in the case of starter and mains, however the tiramisu and the bottle of Sangiovese were both very good.
The Asian inspired Senso Spa has five treatment rooms as well as the standard hotel gym set-up with a range of fitness equipment. The small outdoor pool and sundeck is also accessed via the wellness centre. We experienced the couple’s signature treatment, a combination of sports, swedish and aromatherapy massage techniques designed to restore energy levels. Surprisingly, we were not asked to complete any health forms, informed about our treatment or asked about the pressure we preferred, which was all a first for me. The massage itself, once I had requested less pressure, was enjoyable but the whole process felt rushed rather than relaxing and there was no aftercare service, our therapists just disappeared and were never seen again.
The business lounge provided good beverage but limited food selections and mediocre service. The rooftop bar, Tamanya Terrace offers good views across Media City, the complimentary drink choices are restricted but you can order and pay for any specific or additional requirements. Breakfast was extremely busy causing the service to be slow, food choices however were reasonable with a selection of international favourites but with cluttered tables, wait times for drinks and a lack of cutlery, the whole experience was more chaotic than relaxing.
Is this package too good to be true? The ‘Retox and Recharge’ package is an excellent concept and really good value at just AED 399 per person. Although some areas would benefit from some fine-tuning overall it’s definitely worth trying, especially for Abu Dhabi dwellers looking for a different Dubai staycation.
The Nitty Gritty
Radisson Blu Dubai Media City, Dubai Media City, Dubai
Telephone: (971) 4 366 9111
E-mail: info.mediacity.dubai@radissonblu.com
Website: www.radissonblu.com/en/hotel-mediacitydubai
Check-in: 3:00pm
Check-out: 12 noon (4:00pm for Retox & Recharge)
The Good……..
The ‘Retox and Recharge’ package is great value
Clean and comfortable room
Fast free wifi
The Not so Good…..
Chaotic breakfast service
Business Class Lounge
I was invited to review the Retox and Recharge Weekend Package at Radisson Blu Dubai Media City. All views are my own based on my experience. Unless otherwise stated all photos © Jo Brett 2017. All rights reserved. Additional photos used with courtesy of www.radissonblu.com/en/hotel-mediacitydubai/