TBK travels- Dubai- week 5

 

My readers ( 9139 as I write this on 16th August, wow, Thanks!) often ask what's the hardest thing about writing a blog. My answer is always "Getting started". Once I find a photo that gives me an idea I am away!

                     

                                     Writing my blog in bed at the Al Khoory Hotel

So as I sit in bed in my new hotel, The Al Khoory Executive hotel in Satwa , Dubai, with my Ikea mug of coffee at 8 am to start my blog an idea sprung to mind!

              My IKEA mug of coffee and a can of cold coke- next to my bed

"What makes a good hotel?"- I have stayed in enough around the world from a hut on a hill in Koh Rong in Cambodia to the Shangri-La Makati Manilla, and worked in a few as OJT, Industrial release student, Management Trainee and Assistant Manager . I was also Group Training Manager in Accor UK and Ireland hotels and for Choice Hotels Europe working for my dear friend and regular Blog reader, Brian Worthington. I even opened new Travelodge's in the UK and Ireland so I have seen new and old hotels. I have stayed in Hotels in America, Spain, Italy, the UK, India, Bangladesh, across the GCC, across Asia and in Norway.

   Mosquito netted bunk beds when I stayed with Panha in a hut on Koh Rong

I guess also tastes change over time- sleeping in a hut, or under a fig tree in Greece ( which Annie's mum never forgave me for) was fun at 21 but as I approach 61 years old I need more comfort.

                      The Arabian Courtyard in Bur Dubai

Having just changed hotel from the old fashioned noisy supposedly 4 star Arabian Courtyard ( Arabian Courtyard ) - now down to 10 bd a night, 50% off lunch and 30% off dinner- long live Cov 19! to the ultra modern Al Khoory Executive Hotel ( Al Khoory Executive Hotel) 3 star, Rack rate is 10 bd a night , 96% occupancy I can highlight a few differences.

         The amazing view from my window at the Arabian Courtyard

I loved the view at the Courtyard - of the Creek and the Mosque, watching the followers of Islam Pray over Eid etc., but I hated being woken up every morning by the Mosque and the call to Fajr prayer booming out from the loudspeakers at 4.30 am!

 
            The View from my room at the Al Khoory Executive hotel

The Al Khoory has no view being sandwiched between 2 buildings ( I checked 4 rooms when I arrived!) . The outside of the windows are filthy here like the Al Hamra hotel in Juffair, Bahrain.

                                             Filthy windows at Al Hamra Hotel in Bahrain

Cleanliness is a big plus for me- I spent hours cleaning ( with Jakes help in Bahrain) both Al Hamra and the Arabian courtyard. The tea tray and toilet tray, shower heads and vents, all the places germs and leptospirosis hide out.

Happy to say the Al Khoory is very clean and modern whereas the cleaner at the Courtyard did the room on 10 mins using a towel to wipe the surfaces, dirty mop for the floor and rarely cleaned the coffee cups . Then he kept saying "I gave you coffee and shampoo, what you give me?"

                                                    Assistant Manager, Chester Post House , 1985

I guess at the end of the day, as a regular guest said to me when I was Assistant Manager at Chester Post house in 1985 "all hotel rooms have 4 walls, a bath, a TV etc., what makes the difference is the staff"

Another thing I need in my old age is quiet- no Mosques, no interconnecting rooms ( I could hear the lady next door to me every time her phone pinged with an incoming text , so I dread to think what she could hear from my room!) . Once again the nice Porter, Rakesh, at Al Khoory showed me 4 rooms before I checked in. The first 3 had interconnecting rooms! So now I have a peaceful quiet clean room with no view!

                     

                                   Nice kettle at Arabian Courtyard but only tiny tea cups

As the the years go by us travelers demand more- extra plug sockets to charge our phones, laptops and toothbrushes! Hi speed Wi-Fi, safes, and most important a working kettle ( mine was not working at Al Khoory when I arrived but I had it replaced), working remote control for the wide screen TV ( I take my own batteries now as mine was not working at Al Khoory- the maintenance man was very impressed when I used my own batteries to save him having to walk to his workshop ( do not worry I will take them when I leave!) . When Corleena travels she needs sockets and mirrors for her hair straightener, Make up, hair dryer and so on.

                             My Earl Grey Tea which I bring with me

I also need the finer things in life like Earl Grey tea ( I blame my brother Andrew for that) and Nescafe. The former I bring with me and the latter I steal from hotels- Arabian Courtyard provided 4 sachets a day and I only used 2 so I have 60 spare in the safe here! ( see picture at top). I travel light- kindle, mobile, laptop, toiletries and tea. My parents used to take Gin and Tonic, a TV, and much more!

        The SPOT residence in Juffair , Bahrain, which had no Wi-Fi for a week

Finally, in the GCC, its 42 degrees today, working AC is vital. Also Hi speed wi-fi- I checked out of the SPOT in Juffair when they were without Wi-Fi for a week!

Many years ago I got fed up of being ripped off by hotel laundries and minibars, so a nearby laundry is essential ( I found one at both the hotels in Dubai charging about 100 AED, 10 bd, 20 GBP , 1,376.22 Philippine peso to wash and iron a weeks clothes- due to the heat I get through two pairs of shorts and two tee shirts a day and use Corleen's washable masks so its about 45 items to wash and iron with hankies and underwear) . 

                       The British Kabayan shopping in Satwa

There was a  small shop near Arabian courtyard where I used to go every few days for Yogurt and bananas, coke and sparking water ( they even offered to deliver to the hotel) . In Satwa, being in the Phillipino district,  there is a very cheap supermarket over the road where I stocked up last night. 

               

                       Ordering our dinner in Jollibee's, Satwa

I avoid hotel restaurants where I can ( no locals, overpriced, and at the Courtyard, empty and dark and lacking atmosphere . The English pub there had loud Indian music playing all the time and bright disco lights- I grew out of discos 40 years ago!) . So lots of cheap local restaurants in walking distance is a must and Satwa has that ( Bur Dubai was more fine dining) with Jollibee's and Chow King.

                        Leo's breakfast croissant and strawberry. lemon Mint. 

Usually I go out for Breakfast and yesterday I walked to the sea at La Mer where there is a Starbucks. For a croissant, toasted sandwich, Americano and orange juice they charger 70 AED ( 7 bd or 14 GBP or 963 peso) . The next day we tried the hotels all you can eat buffet for 54  AED  ( 5 bd, 10 quid or 688 peso). Last time I was here in 2018 you could buy a breakfast voucher the night before for 40 AED but now they will only do that if you pay for 30 nights! I like my flexibility to eat where and when I want- which is why I never do full or half board or all inclusive holidays!

The amazing Al Khoory Breakfast- Sweet potato, scrambled egg, baked beans, fresh fruit and yogurt plus orange juice, coffee and toast 

Other things I need now as a 121 kg 60 year old man with a dodgy hip and bad back are a working lift ( Arabian courtyard had two out of order permanently). large fluffy bath towels ( Arabian courtyard had but Al Khoory did not) and slippers ( amazingly neither hotel had, but Erickson kindly bought me from ME Hotel Dubai!)

Finally, having been born by the sea in Brighton UK, I need to stay near the sea.  I was able to walk by the Creek in Bur Dubai  but I missed the sound of the sea. We found this in La Mer, a 10 minute walk from the Al Khoory hotel. We even managed to get up at 6 am once to get there and back before it got too hot!

Special thanks to Leo for filming the sea at La Mer and taking the photos for this weeks blog! Regular readers will know I prefer to travel alone but this week I have enjoyed having Leo's company at meals and on our walks. Sadly all the friends I came to see in Dubai have either disappeared ( Jeyboy) or departed ( Erickson to Abu Dhabi and Thang to India) .

                                             Leo at La Mer

So as week 5 draws to a close here in Dubai its time to upload my latest blog. Next week we are going to be out and about on the Big Bus Tour, at Dubai Mall, in the gym at the hotel and on a boat trip, Inshallah.

Until then this is the British Kabayan saying Ingat Palagi ( stay safe) and Kita Kits (see you soon)