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Radisson and its loyalty don’t get much love from a lot of us because, frankly, the hotelier’s offerings here in the US are at best mediocre and more often than not a grave disappointment. Quite simply there are usually better places to stay for the same outlay.
However, outside the US things aren’t the same and Radisson has a number of properties that are well worth checking out….especially if you’re traveling in Europe.
I’m trying out the Radisson Blu in Stockholm later this year and I’ve spent a number of nights at the May Fair in London which has one of the best locations in central London for anyone looking to explore the city.
All of this is why I still keep any eye out to see what Radisson is doing outside of the US and the hotelier has just announced the opening of two new properties in Abu Dhabi.
Radisson Blu Hotel & Resort, Abu Dhabi Corniche
The Corniche is one of the major roads in Abu Dhabi and its sits right on the Emirate’s coastline. The Radisson Blue (which opened on 1 January 2019) sits next to the St Regis Abu Dhabi and is a short walk away from the InterContinental Abu Dhabi and landmarks like the Emirates Palace and Etihad Towers.
The property offers….
- 327 rooms and suites
- 9 restaurants
- 3 swimming pools
- A spa
- Fitness centre
- Beach club
That all sounds pretty nice but it isn’t the most interesting thing about this property – the most interesting thing here is the cost.
Where most of the better Radisson properties worldwide cost at least 50,000 points per night (and most cost 70,000 points) the Radisson Blu Abu Dhabi costs just 38,000 points per night.
And you don’t really have to worry if you don’t have enough Radisson points for a free night because the room rates are pretty reasonable too. A Saturday night in November (when the weather is pretty nice) is currently pricing up at just $116.
That’s not bad for a property with 9 restaurants, 3 pools and a beach club 🙂
Radisson Blu Hotel & Resort Al Ain
Al Ain is a landlocked area of Abu Dhabi approximately 100 miles from the international airport and, in case you’re wondering where you may have heard of this city/area before, it’s where Marriott’s highly lauded Al Maha Resort is to be found.
Unlike the Al Maha Resort the new Radisson Blue is not a desert property but a resort built around a lush green landscape (which is clearly manmade).
The property offers….
- 210 rooms including a range of suites, villas and studios
- 6 restaurants
- 4 bars
- 3 swimming pools (with water slides)
- A Fitness facility
- Tennis courts
- Squash courts
- A sauna and steam room
With “only” 6 restaurants this is clearly the poor relation to the Radisson Blu Abu Dhabi ( 🙂 )but it makes up for it with a host of other facilities that will probably appeal more to families and couples than solo travelers.
Also, if you thought the award night cost for the Radisson Blu Abu Dhabi was good then take a look at this:
The resort costs just 28,000 points for an award night which, considering what I’ve seen Radisson charge for some very ordinary properties in the US, is almost a steal.
The thing is that the cost of an award night will probably be irrelevant once you see how much a standard room is currently selling for at this property.
For a randomly chosen night in December (high season) the room rate is just $53….
….while even a prime night like New Year’s eve only costs $116:
If you’re points rich and cash poor then the award nights make sense but these cash rates are pretty impressive considering they’re for prime season in the UAE.
Bottom Line
I’m not a huge fan of the UAE (I think some of its rules can be quite draconian) but I know that it’s a popular transit point for people on their way to/from Asia and it’s very popular with Europeans looking to escape the northern hemisphere winter.
Radisson isn’t usually the first name that springs to kind when most of us look to book vacation accommodation but these two properties should definitely be on your radar if you’re heading to the UAE.
Featured image courtesy of Radisson
Featured ad provided by Radisson
Radisson Blu Abu Dhabi Yas Island
Park Inn
?????
Al Maha is not close at 96 km away
Agreed.
I was just pointing out that they’re both in the same region and, as the Al Maha is quite well known in miles & points world, it’s possibly how people may have heard of the city’s/region’s name.