Tag Archives: Four Seasons Dubai

Dubai City Stays | Four Seasons DIFC | Seashellonthepalm Travel Review

When the Four Seasons Hotel in DIFC first opened a couple of weeks ago, we couldn’t resist booking a room for our 8th wedding anniversary.  We wanted a fun and atmospheric hotel, different to the holiday resort properties in Dubai.  With the buzzing arrival of many first class restaurants as well as old favourites like Cipriani, Zuma, La Luz, La Petit Maison all on the hotel’s doorsteps, the property was even more appealling to us.

Upon arrival, the immediate visual is that the boutique city property is unique to the usual Four Seasons portfolio in terms of design but service and quality remain typically Four Seasons.  The  property blends in with it’s modern and striking DIFC landscape and the design of the rooms has a much more modern feel to traditional Four Seasons rooms, with a sense of masculinity for the astute business traveller.  This is the perfect hotel for city travellers or couples for work and pleasure and only 5 minutes from the Dubai Mall.  The compactly designed hotel is extremely functional for meetings, and it allows for quick walks back to the room with no long corridors that are common features in Dubai’s luxury hotels.

The restaurant serving the hotel, the Firebird, i犀利士
s a luxuriously fun American diner.
 The qualities and finishings are of a super luxurious level, with the concept of quick breakfasts, lunch and dinners served, and booths set up for serious business meetings in a unique setting.  Food and service is exceptional, and if you are in the area, it is worth trying the Firebird diner if you are in the area for a meeting.

The Four Seasons has several lounges and bars both on the lower floors, and more importantly the amazing rooftop bar.  Luna Sky Bar is now the new hip bar filled to the bream with city workers reminding guests of any major city in the world like NYC, London or Singapore with stunning views of the Burj Khalifa with highly skilled bar staff.

The pool’s brilliant design should bring a smile to even the most cynical traveller’s face which ever way you look at it.  It is unique to say the least with amusing views.  The pool was a clever concept for a compact rooftop garden, and a great place to get away and catch a Dubai tan for visitors, and luckily there are no taller office blocks overlooking the pool for privacy purposes.  Spa is incredible with organic products from South Africa, and incredibly experienced therapists.

Worth a trip.  Worth an escape from the kids.  Highly recommended.

Four Seasons Hotel DIFC | Building 9, Level GF Gate Village | Phone +971 4 506 0000 

For more information check their website www.fourseasons.com

 Photos by Edwina Viel

Scott Dunn for luxury travel especially for families

Scott Dunn – the number one name in luxury travel.

Cost centre number 3 and number 4 definitely changed our travel plans forever.  However, my husband and I decided we don’t want this to stop us travelling as a family.  We feel strongly that travel, as much as we can, should be a part of the children’s childhood memories  and overall education.

We looked into Scott Dunn, a UK based luxury travel company, that has won many travel awards over the last 20 years of business as it remains a firm favourite with many travel magazines like Conde Naste Traveller. The agency also works with  great hotel brands that are well-established in the luxury travel market like the Mandarin Oriental, Six Senses, Four Seasons, The One and Only Group and many others.

Scott Dunn is expanding out of the UK, and they want to provide their unique service to newer markets, namely Dubai.  Package prices booked from Dubai and London will still be the same price you will be assured to know, and if there is a large enough booking, Scott Dunn will fly over a travel consultant to Dubai to help you make a more personal booking for large group bookings.  They have specialists which cover all the major regions like Africa, Europe, Africa and Asia.

Whilst they admit that they are not the cheapest travel choice on the market, they do have a reputation of providing the old adage of ‘value for money’, and they aim to take away the stress of travelling especially with multiple children in my family’s case. Scott Dunn works in a number of ways including organising holidays at luxury ski chalets in the Alps and villas in the South of France and Mallorca where they provide a private chef,host, and UK qualified and trained nanny during your stay.  If you child has a birthday party during that time they can organise anything from their favourite chocolate cake to a Harry Potter themed tea party if your child so wishes at no additional cost.  The price you pay includes the private staff, food and drink.

Scott Dunn can also organise couple retreats or honeymoons, and more importantly the occasional ‘great escape’ from the children.  They can plan bespoke trips to New Zealand for wine tours or book you into some of the world’s best restaurants; this is ideal if you are looking to do something unique over the upcoming Valentine’s weekend or more commonly a big 40th or 50thbirthday celebration for just the two of you.

Scott Dunn’s reputation has been built on family bookings with 60% of its business being derived from their unique ability to plan well for families especially those with as many cost centres as we do.   When the children are older it would ideal to do a safari in malaria free zones, or take a trip to New Zealand to explore but for the moment ski chalets would be ideal or a family holiday in a resort in Sicily.

Our family is excited about their service called Explorers kids clubs, where Scott Dunn run kids clubs at various luxury hotels around the world including NIYAMA in the Maldives. The Explorers kids clubs look after children from 4 years to 13 years, and Scott Dunn, themselves, organise UK trained and qualified nannies at the resort, with a ratio of one nanny to every two children under 2 years.  NIYAMA in the Maldives is the first kids club in the Maldives look after children below three years so that’s where we will be planning our next holiday with the children if time allows.

For more information go to www.scottdunn.com