Where to begin? It didn't start well - on arrival our room was not ready and we had to wait 20 minutes in the lobby with other disgruntled guests who were in the same situation. I had noticed on the way in that the step just inside the door to reception was flagged with warning signs - good. However those signs are not visible on the way out. While we waited I decided to stroll round the compound to explore - I slipped on the step and fell heavily, hurting my back, arm and head. More than 3 weeks later I still have the bruises. Although in plain view of several staff members, not a single person even came to ask if I was OK. Eventually our room was ready. A dungeon of a room on the lower ground floor of a villa which stank of cigarettes. We had requested a non-smoking room as I am allergic to tobacco smoke. So another half hour wait in the lobby while a non-smoking room was made ready. This room was spacious and with an excellent bathroom but the only window looked out into a dirty light well inside the building, so the room needed artificial light 24/7, even with the dirty net curtains drawn back. So far, so good. By this time I needed a beer and noticed from the information brochure that there was a bar somewhere in the hotel. Asking...Where to begin? It didn't start well - on arrival our room was not ready and we had to wait 20 minutes in the lobby with other disgruntled guests who were in the same situation.

I had noticed on the way in that the step just inside the door to reception was flagged with warning signs - good. However those signs are not visible on the way out. While we waited I decided to stroll round the compound to explore - I slipped on the step and fell heavily, hurting my back, arm and head. More than 3 weeks later I still have the bruises. Although in plain view of several staff members, not a single person even came to ask if I was OK.

Eventually our room was ready. A dungeon of a room on the lower ground floor of a villa which stank of cigarettes. We had requested a non-smoking room as I am allergic to tobacco smoke. So another half hour wait in the lobby while a non-smoking room was made ready. This room was spacious and with an excellent bathroom but the only window looked out into a dirty light well inside the building, so the room needed artificial light 24/7, even with the dirty net curtains drawn back.

So far, so good. By this time I needed a beer and noticed from the information brochure that there was a bar somewhere in the hotel. Asking at reception, I was informed that the hotel is no longer licensed. Do you really expect guests from Europe to fly 3000 miles to stay in a dry hotel? Can an unlicensed hotel in the UAE really earn and keep a 4 star rating? And is it fair to mislead people in this way? I don't think so.

So we went out for dinner. As we did for every meal during our stay. If I eat in an unlicensed restaurant I don't expect to pay 4-star hotel prices and fortunately in Abu Dhabi there are hundreds of excellent eating places where you can eat well for 50 Dh a head.

Going to bed at about 11pm, there was much loud noise from above the room which turned out to be the Arabic restaurant. This went on until 2am when we gratefully drifted off to sleep. 15 minutes later, woken again by the noise of tables and chairs being dragged across the ceiling. OK, I thought, it's Friday night, perhaps it's just once a week. But no. Saturday, Sunday.....probably every night. So we asked for a room move again.

This time a slightly smaller room but (oh, Joy!) a window to the outside world. But now we had bathroom designed for disabled guests and if you are not disabled (we are not) using the shower properly is only possible if you sit on the...More