Hello everyone!
We just returned from an amazing vacation in the UAE, and I'm super excited to share our experience at the Novotel Fujairah 4-star hotel.
We decided to visit in November because the days are longer, and the water and air temperature are higher. This made it perfect for our family's beach vacation.
We arrived at Sharjah airport at 9:40 in the morning, and a transfer was waiting for us. The drive from the airport to the hotel took around 2 hours.
Unfortunately, we didn't get settled until around 4 pm. We were warned that check-in would be after 2 pm, but we had to wait an extra 2 hours. This was a bit of a bummer on our first day, so if you want to relax in this hotel without any stress, I'd suggest changing into your swimwear, leaving your luggage at the reception, and heading out to explore the city.
Later on, we noticed that other guests were being checked in before 2 pm - it just wasn't our lucky day. The hotel was busy with a large group, and they weren't able to get our room ready on time.
The hotel is pretty tall, but not all floors are part of Novotel - some are actually part of Ibis. It's all under the same management, which can be a bit confusing.
So, the elevators don't always stop at every floor.
This is what the lobby looks like
The lobby is modern and clean, but it can be a bit tricky to navigate with the different floors and hotels.
The entrance to the restaurant is right in the lobby, and it's a great place to grab a bite to eat.
View from the floor hall
View from the window of the room
The window in the room doesn't open, and the exhaust in the bathroom isn't very strong, so nothing dries. That's why it's better to pack clothes that don't need to be washed.
Bathroom and shower
There's a hair dryer
There's an iron and ironing board in the room
I have to say, this electric kettle and TV combo was a staple in our daily routine. My family and I would fill it up with water every morning, add tea bags, coffee, and sugar, and it would get the job done.
Our kids slept on this travel bed for 4 days, and it was a lifesaver. We didn't need to book a separate room for them, as this bed fit all of us perfectly.
They provided a duvet, a blanket, and a pillow, and we even took one of the pillows from the bed, so we ended up with a total of four beds.The pool is located on the third floor, which is actually considered the first floor, as the G-hall and M floors come before it.
The pool at night
The pool during the day
There's a kids' pool
right in front of the pool, on the same floor, there's the reception where they hand out beach towels and pool towels.The water in the pool is nice and warm.
There's a bar nearby where you can buy drinks, but you can only consume them around the bar.
We had to walk a bit to get to the beach, and there's a bus that takes you there on a schedule. Sometimes the buses are late, and you have to wait. One time, a big bus wasn't allowed in, so we had to wait for an hour right by the ocean.
By the way, the people who work here are mostly Russians and Kazakhs. That was the case during our stay.
Everyone speaks Russian, but the staff doesn't.
They give you a beach bag with a tent, towel, and water, one per person.
The first bus picks you up at 12 pm, which is right around lunchtime.
The dining hall is small.
The entrance is closed when it's not mealtime, and it only opens during mealtime. When you go in, you have to say your room number, and they draw it on a board. You can't go back in after that.
The dining hall is small, and sometimes there's a line in the morning, but we never had to wait too long.
The food is pretty decent, and we never left hungry. However, there are a lot of spicy dishes, and sometimes we didn't eat what we were given. The food is mostly the same every day, with things like sausages, boiled eggs, porridge, and pastries for breakfast. They also give you apples and watermelon. In the mornings, they give you tea and fresh juice.
They give you a dessert at lunch and dinner.
And a fruit salad
I've always eaten at this place, and it's been pretty consistent - watermelons and pineapples are the base of the salad, and they add other fruits like kiwi and grapes to it.For lunch, it's usually fish, chicken, potatoes, rice, sauces, and gravies.
The food is mostly tasty, but often it's too spicy. We often took plain rice or pasta because something was too spicy.
Lunch and dinner are pretty much the same, just with different sauces and seasonings.
We had a meeting with a Russian-speaking guide who offered us excursions, and we chose a tour of Dubai.
Check-out is by 12:00.
There are two big hypermarkets nearby, one of which is Lulu, and the other is on the opposite side, within walking distance.
We caught the Black Friday sales, and there were some great discounts.
The guide sends a link to Telegram or WhatsApp with information about the transfer from the hotel and flight. But they also bring printed information to the room in the evening before departure.
We only interacted with the staff upon arrival, and there was no need to communicate with them during our stay.
The hotel is good, and for the cheap price, it's a solid choice. If the price is high, I'd suggest looking elsewhere. For four people, it's a decent hotel.
Would I go back here again? Absolutely. If the price is low, I'd definitely come back.