Taj Dubai

Awesome ambience , do could have been better. Loved the face painting! Great food!

Loved the experience. Hnin was a lovely host, we had a great time.

I wouldn't recommend staying here unless you are a VIP or politician (have witnessed some heavyweights in my month long stay already). Having an elite tier status (as I do) doesn't matter / help much either

This is a long review detailing the issues faced in my month+ long stay here (with a few days gap) and there are 2 weeks still to go. Had spent considerable time in their properties in this city last year too and can notice the decline in service.

Also - it's a pattern I've observed in Taj in multiple countries. This year alone I've had stays in 4 separate countries - SL, India, USA and now UAE and apart from our excellent stay in Taj Umaid Palace in Jodhpur, have faced issues in all other locations

1. I first checked in at Taj JLT. And realised immediately that their club lounge, which is where I usually spend most of my time, was being renovated. I tried their makeshift arrangement - you can have drinks in location A / high tea in location B etc - but found those unsatisfactory. I'm a writer and want one location, one comfortable place to do my work. Now the fun began

A) I pointed out that breakfast, which was served in the lounge, now wasn't being offered to me. One person assured me to go ahead, it wouldn't be charged but when I went and ate on one particular day, was immediately charged for it B) When pointed out that their website doesn't mention anything about the lounge being renovated, as is standard practice with other hotel chains, I was confidently informed that it was mentioned in the confirmation email. Now i) It's a bit late to mention after the person has made the booking ii) It wasn't even the case - showed the person the email and was told nonchalantly this would be amended. Till today, a month later, it hasn't

Anyways - I moved hotels, shifted to their fancier sister hotel a few kms away, Taj Dubai. Obviously the higher rate is being borne by me.

2. Now - due to my elite status - am entitled to get some welcome items in my room, usually here a bottle of wine and some fruits / chocolates. There were none. Pointed it out to a couple of people, who expressed surprise that it wasn't there but nothing happened for the remainder of my stay

3. Now came the major issue : When I checked out (for a few days) - the person asked me which card to use for settling the bill, as per standard practice. I had one card on file (an international card) which I requested them not to use and gave them a local one to pay. Guess what !? They charged the entire amount, not an small sum, on both cards. I discovered it only ten days later when the international card was due for payment and the amount debited was considerably higher than expected, planned. I was back in the hotel by now and showed it to one of the Managers. Now it gets even more interesting. They'd discovered the error and initiated the refund. But didn't bother to inform me at all - not on email or message or in person (knowing fully well that I'd returned). They waited for me to discover the issue. And when I raised it - from then until now, shockingly, again, no one has bothered to contact me (sms / email / in person) about the error, or offer any apology or offer to compensate for the considerable inconvenience caused

4. Finally - I sought a new booking, communicated in person to someone with certain requests, as am expecting my wife to join me (and there's a certain specific festival). The reply I have received from Reservations is the most vanilla email possible. No welcome, no thanks for being so loyal, we'll be delighted to have you back, will do everything to accommodate your request (doesn't even mention the request btw). It's in fact even asking me to provide a credit card on file + is mentioning a rate which isn't what I usually choose.

Needless to say I will take my custom elsewhere and I suggest you do too

There are individuals who do their best to help on a personal basis. Saif at the Front Office went out of his way to help connect me with someone to solve a particular issue I was facing. The Taj Club team (Anurag, Gacha, Rushil, Khevana, Saurabh, Jaideep, Arunjay) have gone out of their way to take care of me, provide for a peculiar dietary requirement of mine. The folks at Eloquent Elephant (special mention of Aastha and Aatif) too are excellent, just hosted a large group there. But these are at a personal, one on one basis. I can make out that their staff is stretched, over-burdened and their in-built warmth / the much vaunted Tajness is missing from the system, is now present only in a few