Manzil Downtown | A ritzy boutique hotel with clean and contemporary interior design fused with traditional arabesque delicacy. Manzil Downtown provides the premium and the finest experience throughout your stay, you get to embrace and admire the graceful and artistic aura of Arabic culture. The hotel is part of Emaar’s The Old Town development in Downtown Dubai, itself rather grandiosely described as “The Centre of Now”. The property is on the picturesque Mohammed Bin Rashid Boulevard and just a few feet away from the Souq and Dubai Mall.
The boutique hotel was certainly a sight for my wandering eyes, with its high end ceilings creating a grand gesture to welcome as you enter, and all the drama in the details from floor to ceiling was such a glee! Walking past the glitzy passage of Manzil all I could see people were standing, admiring and finally taking selfies in their alluring splendor lobby.
In Arabic, the word Manzil translates as ‘home’ and they truly make one feel at home in Manzil Downtown. Manzil does a sterling job in effectively creating a sense of Arabic hospitality that’s woven into the very fabric of the building. It’s a small property that’s more upmarket and tastefully decorated than your standard city hotel.
From the outside, Manzil presents a diverse Arabic architecture that’s both fascinating and antecedent to what one finds inside. At the entrance, we gave the car to the valet, we entered into a property that is somewhat smaller than we expected. The reception area felt contented and refined with more of a boutique feel. The lounge was beautifully set with plush furnishings, with stunning striking light fittings, suspended in the sky like sparklers. Representing a scaled-up version of a traditional Arabic home, primarily focus was their stunning central courtyard.
Traditional Islamic homes have a dedicated central open space, a communally private sahn, called saha (Arabic: ساحة, sāḥä), The idea of public open space, central in the middle of a building, is part of historical and contemporary urban design in many cultures around the world for various public gatherings, celebrations, and festivals.
THE DELUXE ROOM
Our check in was relatively quick considering it was the weekend. We got a Room on the 5th floor with a striking view of the Downtown, the pool and the Courtyard restaurant. We were transported into a bubble of tranquility and this sensation is only heightened by the facilities offered by the hotel.
The room was suffused in natural light, with the neutral tones selected for the walls and bed linen providing an almost ethereal feeling. The room was so well planned even though it was a boutique hotel it still had everything one might need during their stay.
Features of the eccentric nature of property are evident at Manzil, the most apparent being the Arabic calligraphy arising from the headboard. The room is extremely functional, using modern ease to cater to a traveller’s needs. The most prominent feature of the room was their super comfy bed and pillows, we were at ease in absolutely heavenly bed among those fluffy sheets, cloud-like oodles of pillows.
The other features include; A small writing desk, relaxing armchair, plenty of closet space and an open style bathroom, with Lorenzo Villoresi Firenze range of bath products, a rain shower and oval-shaped bath tub decked in dazzling white in which you can wallow like a hippo. Moreover, there was a Nespresso machine, a 42″ flat screen television also a high speed WIFI.
Walking into Boulevard Kitchen is a treat for the eyes. From the Arabesque pattern detailing on the walls to very chic, Parisian-style table settings, and the ambiance still manages to be very laid-back and relaxed.
Boulevard Kitchen’s Friday Brunch has something for everybody. They have a smorgasbord of breads and cheese, healthful salads with Mediterranean influences, morrocan drinks, rows of curries and meaty condiments, and a separate section for grills and not be missed a lovely palatable and lip smacking dessert section.
It was a house full considering the weekend. We would recommend you to reserve your table ahead to avoid waiting. We saw many families relishing the true taste of Levant and chitchatting while gobbling down luscious and delectable options from the spread. Service was a bit slow though because of the busy hours. But overall it was a lovely experience.
TIME TO TAKE A DIP
After that filling brunch we went to our room to change and then came down for a quick swim with our little Baby R. We were asked for refreshments but we were already full so decided to skip.
The Facilities: A temperature controlled swimming pool with poolside loungers and cabanas to relax. The elevated position of the pool means shade is provided from a number of palm trees standing proudly. There’s also a state-of-the-art hotel gymnasium which is open 24 hours a day, meaning that anytime is convenient for a workout.
DINNER AT THE COURTYARD
The Courtyard restaurant is the life of Manzil Downtown adding so much more charm, color with beautiful lighting, lounge music and shisha smoke. Being a popular choice among the locals not only does this restaurant have some flavorful dishes but also serves amazing Sheesha which would tempt you to come back to this place more often.
The menu being vast we narrowed it down by going by the servers suggestions. Everything we tried was inviting and palatable. The food at this restaurant was heavenly and the service was impeccable. Our dinner ended up on a good note and also left us with a new favorite restaurant where we would love to come down with friends to indulge in succulent and sumptuous food options.
Timing: 5am – 6am Daily
The verdict – The distinctively Arabian architecture, pointed arches, and sandpaper walls were just a few of many features that made this hotel a charming home for the weekend.
