Review: Ramada Beach Hotel Ajman

Dubai: I'm driving on the Ajman corniche road and pulling up on the entrance of the Ramada Beach Hotel Ajman at the start of what was going to be a weekend to disconnect from the usual fast-paced megacity living.

"Are we sure we're in the right hotel?" my friend asked, a look of confusion on her face. We were expecting a beachfront hotel and there was just a busy corniche road in sight.

It turns out the hotel did have a beach. It's a big patch of beach right across the road that has been fenced off for guests' privacy, with plenty of beach loungers and areas for beach volleyball and table tennis.

"Maybe we can take a three minute walk across the road later," I said as we checked in, a smiling receptionist apologising for the absence of valet parking because "the concierge is currently out for prayer".

The room

My mood softened as we were led into our home for the weekend: a spacious one bedroom suite that had a big dining area and living room, plus a balcony overlooking the busy corniche. A delicious fruit platter on the glass-top dining table added a welcome touch. The four-star pad could do with some carpet upgrade in the bedroom, but overall the entire place was clean and the hotel room amenities were well stocked.

What to do

We took a 20-minute exploratory walk along the corniche and ended up finding the interactive museum. It was great learning about Ajman's history literally behind closed doors. Back in the hotel, we went for an invigorating Balinese massage for Dh250 at the Shapes Spa. It was very relaxing.

Where to eat

We tried breakfast, lunch and dinner at the hotel's Flavours Restaurant. Breakfast is a busy affair here, with a decent buffet spread and a live cooking area for eggs and pancakes. Lunch and dinner are more relaxed events, with a bigger buffet that includes several kinds of kebabs and grilled meat for just Dh70 per person.

Flavours Restaurant at Ramada Beach Hotel Ajman