The welcome
The entrance to the Fairmont is a little confusing, and looking at it from the outside, I don’t hold much hope for its interior appeal. The high-rise building has been painted an unsightly pink and stands out against the mountain backdrop. My opinion changes fairly quickly once I leave my car at the valet and step into the stylish, art-inspired lobby. I arrive about noon, which is also the same time as checkout, so it’s busy with tour-holiday guests preparing to leave. It takes a while to get checked in and up to my room.
The neighbourhood
There isn’t much near the hotel at this stage, but a community of villas surrounding a communal plaza, shared by the hotel, is almost finished. The hotel is positioned on an elevation on the water’s edge, so the views are pretty spectacular. On Friday afternoons and evenings, local residents drive along the street and enjoy picnics on the beach and in the nearby park. The hotel is in the process of building a Nikki Beach-style beach club next door, which is expected to open in the summer, and will give the hotel much-needed beach access.
The room
My one-bedroom suite is a spacious 80 square metres and has great views of the sea and mountains. It has two balconies – one off the living area and the other off the bedroom. The bathroom is well-designed, and I can lay in the nice, deep bathtub and enjoy the view. The decor is stylish and modern with Arabian influences, and the bed is big and comfortable with soft, fluffy pillows and a duvet. There’s also a Nespresso machine and a second bathroom.
The service
Friendly and efficient, and I’m impressed that the all-day dining restaurant, Canvas, is able to offer soya milk during breakfast and that Cafe Pronto can make a soya latte for me in the afternoon.
The scene
The hotel is in soft-opening phase during my stay, but it has attracted a steady clientele of European group-tour holidaymakers and guests from the GCC. It’s busy, but not crowded. The weather is a bit wild during my stay, so I don’t get to use the pool, but it looks like it would be popular during normal conditions, and has a great outlook across the sea. The Willow Stream Spa facilities are available to hotel guests, and many take advantage of the heated loungers, experience showers, steam room and sauna during my stay.
The food
There’s a good selection of restaurants, including Canvas, the all-day dining restaurant, which has an enticing bread and pastry station during breakfast; Cafe Pronto, a European-style bistro perfect for lunch and light meals; Arteasan, a tea lounge; and my favourite, The Copper Lobster, a seafood restaurant with Arabic touches, where I enjoy dinner. To start, I have the TCL gazpacho verde (Dh65), which is light and tangy, and for the mains, I share a tasty paella (Dh185) and Fujairah clay pot harra lobster (Dh145). The bar’s mixologist at The Copper Lobster is a master at creating imaginative and unexpected mocktail combinations. It’s well worth a visit before dinner.
Loved
The sea views, the restaurants and the hotel’s modern style.
Hated
The amount of time it took to check in.
The verdict
A welcome addition to the hotel offerings in Fujairah that has definitely raised the bar.
The bottom line
Rooms at the Fairmont Fujairah Beach Resort (www.fairmont.com/fujairah) cost from Dh637 per night, including taxes and Wi-Fi.
This review was done at the invitation of the hotel.
atomlinson@thenational.ae
