There are a lot of perks about hotel life, from free housekeeping to room service. And, over the course of the year, a number of hotels in the UAE have launched long-stay deals to give residents the chance to enjoy these properties without the hassle of year-long contracts.
Joining them will be Element Al Jaddaf, an extended-stay hotel set to open in Dubai’s Creekside neighbourhood of Al Jaddaf on Tuesday, December 15. Element Hotels is part of Marriott International, and this will be the second branch in the UAE, following Element Me'aisam, Dubai.
The facilities
Element Al Jaddaf features 269 studios, one- and two-bedroom apartments, thus catering to business travellers, longer-staying guests, and also holidaymakers. Every apartment features a fully equipped kitchen.
One-bedroom apartments in the property include a separate living and sleeping area, accommodating up to four guests, convertible sofa bed, bathroom, fully equipped kitchenette and an area for guests working remotely. The two-bedroom apartments can accommodate up to six guests, and feature a kitchenette, two bathrooms and living and dining areas.
The hotel will offer a complimentary healthy breakfast while the all-day restaurant, Cafe 26, will serve lunch and dinner.
Additionally, the hotel features a business centre with three compact meeting rooms, a 24-hour fitness centre, and a rooftop pool.
The interiors of the hotel feature streamlined furnishings in light natural tones and touches of greenery. It is also pet-friendly.
Longer stay, more demand
The launch comes at a time of notable interest for extended stay hotels, according to Richard Bleakley, multi-property general manager at Marriott International.
"The growth of extended stay hotels has reached a record high in recent years as more travellers look for comfortable lodging, great atmosphere, affordable rates and flexibility. Recent events have highlighted that commitment and long-term contracts can become a hindrance and a risk, more so than ever before," he says.
In light of this, many are seeing the benefits of staying in extended-stay hotels over regular apartments, he adds. “Guests can avoid yearly contracts, set-up costs and administrative paperwork, while enjoying a fully serviced and cleaned property.”
Studios will start at Dh189 per night. The monthly launch rate for a studio apartment is Dh3,880+ for longer staying guests.
ZAYED SUSTAINABILITY PRIZE
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
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Where to donate in the UAE
The Emirates Charity Portal
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
Al Noor Special Needs Centre
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Emirates Airline Foundation
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
Emirates Red Crescent
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Noor Dubai Foundation
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
