Alcohol-free resort enjoying a busy summer

Emirati guest Ahmad Al Hammadi from Abu Dhabi says he is ‘more comfortable in an alcohol-free place’. Sarah Dea / The National

RAK // The emirate’s first alcohol-free resort is enjoying a busy summer, in spite of the challenges usually faced by hotels during the hotter months.

The Marjan Island Resort and Spa opened on March 1 on the first man-made island in Ras Al Khaimah. It has so far proven popular with tourists, particularly Emirati and Arab families who say they feel more comfortable knowing no alcohol will be served anywhere in the hotel.

Emirati Ahmad Al Hammadi, 35, took his wife and three children, aged 10, 7 and 2 to the resort at the weekend.

“There are many activities here, which is good when you have the kids,” said the human resources officer from Abu Dhabi. “I’m more comfortable in an alcohol-free place so for us this is nice. There should be more hotels like this.

“RAK has a lot to do, with places like the water park, but with a hotel like this, there are more options for us.”

He visits RAK regularly and believes the emirate will become more popular as a tourist destination in time. “Dubai has built a reputation and has been building that for a long time, but RAK needs a little more time. Marjan Island is an attraction in itself without even having to go into RAK.”

Separate facilities, such as a segregated spa and ladies-only indoor pool, ensure guests’ privacy.

Khalid Motik, the acting general manager, said the resort offered more diversity to the emirate’s range of hotels and attractions. It was one of four to open on Marjan Island in the past year and is part of RAK’s growing tourism industry.

“People imagine dry hotels aren’t making money like other hotels, but there’s a market for this kind of resort,” said Mr Motik. “Seventy per cent of our guests live in the UAE.”

The hotel offers a family orientated experience, which has gone down well with more conservative sections of society.

“In the Arab world, usually the father takes the kids to the pool or beach and the mother is left in the lobby or the room, so now, we gave her the chance to take part too.”

Andreas Mueller, general manager of the Cove Rotana Hotel in RAK, said although it was not the first hotel in the UAE or RAK not to serve alcohol, the Marjan Island Resort was successfully tapping into to a “niche market”.

“I’m not sure how they’ll do for the rest of the year when there are more Europeans. They’ll have to be more creative,” said Mr Mueller, who previously worked at the Taj Hotel in Dubai and the RAK hotel in RAK, both of which do not serve alcohol.

“In a city, a dry hotel is OK because you have the business traveller too, but it’s tougher to attract the European tourists.

“For all of us our busy time is the weekends, but you have to fill rooms during the week too.”