What makes up a short yet satisfying staycation?
If you ask me, it should be in a place not too far away from home; fewer travel hours and more time to kick back and relax. A spacious hotel room with a view will come in handy. And huge plus points if I can indulge in my fave comfort food (seafood dinner perhaps) and if it has a pool where I can swim my worries away!
How lucky I am to tick off all those when I badly needed a quick break a few weeks ago!
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Novotel Dubai Al Barsha
Right after a busy work week, Ed and I spent a night in Novotel Dubai Al Barsha. The 4-star hotel is conveniently located in a prime spot in Dubai; just a short walk from Sharaf DG Metro Station and a quick drive from Mall of the Emirates.
The hotel lobby is warm and inviting with lots of seating area. Knowing it is a sought-after hotel and it was a public holiday weekend, we were not surprised to see it almost packed. I have to say, the reception handled the situation quite well. We snugged in one of the sofas for a few minutes until we were told our room is ready.
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| Novotel Al Barsha hotel lobby |
Accommodation
Indeed, patience is a virtue. The few minutes of waiting in the lobby paid off when we finally arrived at our hotel room. Our home for the weekend turned out to be an Executive Suite! When it came to our senses that we've been upgraded, Ed and I were astonished. First, with how spacious and stylish the suite is. Second, with the incredible views from the windows!
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| Living/Dining Area: Love the earth tones and turquoise accent! |
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| A view of SZR from the dining area. We can also see the buildings in Palm Jumeirah from here. |
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| Nespresso machine |
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| King-size bed with a welcome message made of palm tree leaves |
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| A panoramic view of Burj Al Arab! |
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| Beside the bed is one of the tech accessories in the room: Docking station for smartphone |
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| Bathroom essentials |
Leisure and Activities
We would have not set the wake alarm if not for Novotel Dubai Al Barsha's pool area that we wanted to have all to ourselves!
Tucked on the 7th floor's deck is a lovely oasis where you can swim and relax in the outdoor heated pool, grab a drink at the poolside bar, and just simply take in the view of Burj Al Arab and Sheikh Zayed Road.
The hotel also has a fitness and well-being center, a play area for children and a free daily shuttle to nearby malls and beaches.
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| Outdoor temperature-controlled pool |
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| Pool with a view? Yes, please! |
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| Zoomed in the cam and this is what we got! This view never gets old! |
Seafood Night at 365 All Day Dining
For a foodie and seafood lover like me, a Seafood Buffet will undoubtedly be considered a staycation highlight! And much to my delight, Thursday night is Seafood night in Novotel Al Barsha's 365 All Day Dining.
At 165 AED per person, a variety of sumptuous seafood dishes and a selection of fresh seafood for live-cooking lined the buffet counters.
We started off our dinner with uniquely crafted seafood-based appetizers like BBQ Squid Salad and Creamy Crabstick salad! Into the main course, we indulged in paella, seafood spaghetti and a couple of rounds of freshly-grilled shrimps, fish, and crabs!
Needless to say, it was the live-cooking station that we enjoyed the most. Nothing beats the excitement of choosing from the seafood counter and having it cooked before your very eyes!
At 165 AED per person, a variety of sumptuous seafood dishes and a selection of fresh seafood for live-cooking lined the buffet counters.
We started off our dinner with uniquely crafted seafood-based appetizers like BBQ Squid Salad and Creamy Crabstick salad! Into the main course, we indulged in paella, seafood spaghetti and a couple of rounds of freshly-grilled shrimps, fish, and crabs!
Needless to say, it was the live-cooking station that we enjoyed the most. Nothing beats the excitement of choosing from the seafood counter and having it cooked before your very eyes!
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| Fresh Seafood at 365 All Day Dining |
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| How to do Seafood Night at Novotel Al Barsha? Step 1: Choose your seafood. |
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| Step 2: Take your choices to the live-cooking station. Step 3: Devour while it's hot! |
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| Other than the live-cooking station, there is this inviting rack of cheese and bread.... |
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| ...and an array of appetizers and hot dishes! Non-seafood dishes are available as well. |
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| And of course, make sure to leave enough room for dessert! |
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| And that's ending the night on a sweet high note! |
The morning after, we went back to 365 for breakfast. It was nice to see the restaurant in a whole new light. The counters are beaming with breakfast selections; warm waffles, pancakes, and all the works!
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| Breakfast at Novotel Al Barsha |
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| Waffles (cooked the way I like it) and Cappucino |
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| A counter dedicated to Arabic breakfast selection. Adjacent to this is Indian dishes. Talk about variety! |
Ed and I definitely achieved our staycation goals at Novotel Dubai Al Barsha. The overnight stay was rejuvenating, just what we needed to prep us for another busy week. And the dinner (Oh! The seafood dinner!) was enough reason for us to go back to the hotel for a date night in the near future.
Hotel Info
Novotel Dubai Al Barsha
Al Barsha, Dubai, UAE
Contact +97143049000
Location Map
We were invited to stay at Novotel Dubai Al Barsha.
Opinions in this blog post are my own.
1 Blogger Comments
This is my favorite place. Nice post.
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