Quick Tips

Get to know the elevator situation. This is the top complaint in reviews and will also probably be your main annoyance if you do not manage it properly. Within 30 minutes both before and after every prayer time (Salah), the elevators become packed, leave for the mosque at least 45 minutes to one hour before prayer time so that you do not have to wait a lift for 15 minutes or more., Alternatively, if staying on any of the lower floors (1st or 2nd) use stairs-it’s normally faster than struggling with crowds waiting for an elevator.

Set your expectations low, In most hotels, you will barely find any electric sockets installed near the beds. Long charging cables would do just fine or maybe a power strip. The air conditioning is centrally powered and in most cases too cold, carry warm sleeping clothes. Yes, this hotel provides towels but at times they can be rough or probably when the hotel is fully occupied they run short on supplies- having your own personal towel as a backup plan works out well to me! Bathrooms have ‘wet rooms’ showers not fully enclosed so floors stay wet; shower slippers are essential.

Also, plan your food logistics. If your booking includes breakfast, be among the early birds. The dining hall becomes a mad rush immediately after Fajr prayer. In case you want a quiet beginning to your day, skip hotel breakfast; have sandwich and tea from the nearby cafeterias- more fresh and less expensive- as compared to the hotel kitchen.(?) For lunch and dinner avoid peak rush immediately after prayers; wait 30 minutes for crowd in nearby restaurants to thin out.

Finally, be patient with the check-out process. Most hotels enforce a standard check-out time, more so when a big group is about to arrive. In case your flight or train is later in the day, ask reception well in advance if they have a luggage storage room; this will save you from last-minute stress. Most probably, they will allow you to leave your bags within some part of the lobby area – make sure all bags are securely locked and identifiable.