Radisson Blu Hotel Dubai Deira Creek
Glamorous Dubai – Introduction
I redeemed 70k Club Carlson points for the last night in Dubai, at the Radisson Blu Hotel Dubai Deira Creek, which is located just ten minutes away from the airport. I had an early 09:00 flight the next morning and wanted arrive at the airport by 07:00, so that meant getting up around 06:15 – which made this hotel a perfect location. Not only was it close to the airport, but I hadn’t explored the Dubai Creek and surrounding areas yet and wanted to do that on the last day.
After checking out from the Radisson Dubai Marina, I took an uber to this hotel and the ride took about thirty minutes. I was able to catch a last glimpse of Dubai’s Downtown and the beautiful buildings along the Sheikh Zayed Road, it was Saturday morning and there was a bit of traffic close to the hotel – so the last ten minutes were spent waiting for the cars to move. This Radisson Blu Hotel is one of the better Radisson Hotels in Dubai, I actually think I stayed at the top 3 Radisson Hotels while I was there.
After arriving, a friendly doorman showed me to the lobby and insisted on carrying my carry-on bag up to my room, I thanked him and told him it wasn’t necessary. I was welcomed at the reception desk by a very nice agent who informed me I had been upgraded (thanks to my Club Carlson Gold Status) to a Royal Club room which included premium in-room amenities, and most importantly… access to the Club Lounge!
I hate it how some hotels are so inconsistent with their Club Lounge access… sometimes an elite card will allow you access and others you have to stay in a premium room. I also don’t like how hotels are inconsistent with their lounge locations… for example, Radisson Blu doesn’t have Club Lounges at every hotel… just randomly. Odd.
The welcome snack consisted of a cold refreshment towel, dates, Arabic Juice, and candy; the juice and dates were delicious, I didn’t try the candy. After I signed a form, the agent showed me to the lifts and wished me a pleasant stay. I also requested a wake-up call for the next morning.
My room was located on the 9th floor, I was also given a paper which informed me of the Royal Club room benefits and the Royal Club Lounge. The Club Lounge is located on the 10th floor and serves ‘snacks’ three times a day – Breakfast, Afternoon Tea, and a Happy Hour.
Other benefits of the Royal Club room include complimentary airport drop off (this was awesome, no having to spend money on uber!), a daily newspaper, Nespresso coffee machine, and a ‘magnificent’ view of the creek.
The hotel isn’t the most modern, but was very clean and while the furniture showed signs of wear, the room was pleasant overall. There was a welcome amenity on the desk waiting for me, it was pistachios.
The bed was very comfortable and I was able to sleep well for the few hours that I could. The room wasn’t large in size, but was average and enough for me.
Along with the Nespresso coffee machine, was tea and sugar. Complimentary bottles of water were also provided. A minibar and snack basket was available, however I couldn’t open the minibar as I didn’t want to break the ‘seal’ on the door, prices for the snacks and beverages from the minibar were higher than average.
The view from the room was alright, but nothing ‘magnificent’. I love how they have chairs and a table outside on the balcony.. because someone will totally sit out there in 45 degrees C.
The bathroom was very clean and prepared with premium amenities; I liked that there was a flower ‘decoration’.
I didn’t have time to look at the Breakfast Buffet in the Club Lounge as I was leaving early, but I was able to attend the Afternoon Tea and the Happy Hour. The lounge was empty and it seemed like no one was ever utilising it. An agent asked me for my room number and once he confirmed I was eligible to access the club, asked me what I wanted to drink.
The Afternoon Tea snacks consisted of fruit, cheese, finger sandwiches, salads, and pastry items. I tried a majority of the food that was available and everything was freshly prepared and delicious; I had some tea along with my snacks.
There was a bit more snacks for the Happy Hour – salads, nuts, finger sandwiches, vegetables, warm food items, desserts, and more. Everything tasted great, and for a club lounge, I was able to eat a nice snack which kept me full for the rest of the day.
All in all, the Radisson Blu Hotel Dubai Deira Creek is a nice, yet older, hotel; I really like the Arabic aspect/design that the hotel has – it shows it is authentic, especially around the lobby area. The staff are very friendly and helped me plan out my last day in Dubai, they even recommended an awesome beach park nearby where I spent a few hours. While the hotel isn’t that modern, it is very clean and the service is awesome. I love how there is a Club Lounge which has plenty of delicious snacks, I assume the breakfast was equally good.
I’m glad I was able to book this hotel for my last night in Dubai, since I could explore a bit around the area and also get to the airport quickly the next day. I wouldn’t suggest this hotel for the first or second night in Dubai since you would have to drive a bit to get to Downtown Dubai, but for the last few days, the hotel works perfectly. Another awesome Club Carlson redemption!
