Operations were tough when it opened in January 2007, as the 197-room contemporary business hotel with a resort-like feel was in the middle of a practically impenetrable construction site, surrounding the vertical monolith, otherwise known as 'Burj Dubai'. With the 164 story-tall skyscraper nearing completion by end 2009, the infrastructure linking this bespoke integrated area replete with homes, souks, offices and hotels is now in place - as is the awareness of Al Manzil's existence that caters to both in-bound travellers and local residents in search of a convenient place to chill.
Aside from its killer location, great restaurants and appealing price bracket, it is not only the clean minimalist décor with an understated Arabesque twist that makes this business hotel the ideal destination for modern business travellers. What you'll find is more enduring than a fusion of old and new. John de Canha, the ebullient South African Operations Director of Al Manzil and Qamardeen Hotels, with over 25 years of hospitality experience worldwide, sums up the ethos of the brand, which sets it apart as the EQi, not the I.Q. of the staff. He said "It is not about the décor, but the soul of the business, the heart carries you through to the finishing line." This is why the over 250 strong team, all have to undergo a rigorous exam to explore their 'emotional intelligence' quotient. "As seasoned hoteliers we can mould individual skill sets, what we cannot do is alter personal levels of integrity, morals and commitment, and this is why our recruitment approach has propelled Southern Sun to global levels of success and popularity with 80 properties throughout Africa, the Indian Ocean and recently into the Middle East". Not surprisingly the genuine warmth with which you are greeted and treated at every step of the way stands out throughout the entire product delivery. In its first year, the Al Manzil has had a staggering 37 per cent repeat business; clearly they must be doing something right.
Even though the Al Manzil is a 4-star property - albeit deluxe version - in an environment desperately in need of product segmentation in order to accommodate the 15 million visitors expected to take Dubai by storm by 2015, John believes that there is still enormous scope for investors to target high end hotels because of the speed at which the sector is growing, and the premium rates that can be commanded. As newcomer to Dubai Inc's inimitable style of management, he is amazed at the relentless coordination by all the different areas of the government to ensure that the infrastructure, from airport capacity, numbers of aircraft, hotel rooms, exhibition areas and a multiplicity of entertainment attractions, all come together.