A Disappointing Experience at the Ramada Black in Ajman

I'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact that I'm writing a review about the Ramada Black in Ajman. We stayed there three years ago and had a great time, but our recent visit was a completely different story. The hotel's location is definitely more lively than the Black Ramada, with shops and restaurants nearby. However, the hotel itself is a bit of a letdown. There's no lobby, no coffee area, and the staff doesn't like to check guests in early - they make everyone wait in the lobby.

The lobby looked just like what you'd expect from a 3-star resort in Turkey - a bit dated, but with a pleasant aroma. They'd always spray some kind of oil or perfume, and everyone would greet you, but there was a long line for breakfast. We had a double-luxury room with all-inclusive, just like we did three years ago, but without the luxury upgrade. Back then, we could grab cola, Fanta, and coffee for free, but this time, we were told we could only have Fanta and pay for everything else. That's when I started to feel like I'd been duped.If we'd been first-timers, we might have believed what our host told us, but when we got to the beach and someone offered us a free coffee, we realized we were being ripped off. We felt like poor relatives, with everything supposedly paid for, but then we'd be told to pay for this or that. It turned out that the coffee from the other machine was extra, and so was the fresh-squeezed juice. The admin at the lobby even told us to buy the paid coffee and wrote it down on a piece of paper, saying only cola, Fanta, and water were free.

They provided us with robes and slippers, but we had to ask for them to be brought to our room, and the bathroom amenities were only for one person, despite there being two of us. I think they should have prepared the room properly, especially since it was a luxury room, rather than making us call down to the lobby or go down to ask for water, slippers, or anything else. I do have to give them credit for providing a free adapter, though!

I wasn't planning on writing a review because our stay was going smoothly, but the bathroom in our room was a different story. I was greeted by a pretty sorry state of affairs - an ancient, worn-out curtain that was literally hanging by a thread, and a leaky pipe that was constantly dripping water onto the floor.

I was prepared for the state of the beach, and I have to say, I'm okay with the shells. But comparing photos from three years ago, I noticed that they used to rake the sand and clean everything up. Now, it seems like they're not doing that anymore. The beach was a lot more exclusive and private back then. Now it's more like a public spot, like in Sochi. Plus, the beach wasn't cleaned of shells, and some kids and adults got hurt by stepping on them. As a gift from the hotel, we got a fruit platter, but it was no Rixos. We had one banana, two strawberries, two apples, two oranges, and a tired-looking grape. Considering that in the UAE, this is basically pennies, I found the platter pretty amusing. The extra gift was also nice - we stayed at the Ramada hotel twice, and they thanked us and brought us a little bag of chocolates. It was a kid's set, but it was sweet. The beach looked like this, and I was ready for it. I actually kind of like the shells, but comparing old photos, I see that they used to take care of the sand and clean everything up. Now, it seems like they're not doing that.The kitchen:

One of my favorite things about the UAE is the food. Turkey just can't compete with the real deal here, especially when it comes to the freshness of their ingredients. The food in the UAE is incredibly delicious, and I highly recommend trying the hummus - it's a game-changer. And don't even get me started on the mutabbel, which is basically just a fancy name for a delicious dip. We had shawarma and grilled meats every day, and the chefs and wait staff were all top-notch. If you're staying all-inclusive, you'll be pleased to know that your meals come with a refreshing drink, but don't expect the management to let you know about it upfront.I did notice, however, that the staff seemed to treat foreign guests - like the Germans, for example - with a bit more finesse, even going so far as to provide them with their own bread basket. As for the kitchen, I have no complaints, except for one major drawback: the breakfast line. Yes, there's a sign at the entrance to the restaurant that shows the lobby's occupancy schedule, but when you're waiting in line with a "all-inclusive" tag, it feels like you're waiting in line for a cafeteria.

The hotel is located right on the road, which made for some noisy nights' sleep, not to mention the pesky pigeons. They completely trashed the balcony for the air conditioner and started cooing at 6 am. Without earplugs, you're in for a rough night. The pool is tiny, more like a kiddie pool, and it's always packed, but if you're into saunas, I've heard it's a great spot.There's always some woman on the beach trying to strike up a conversation (I'm pretty sure she used to sell network marketing products) and constantly trying to convince everyone to go to Deira Market. Deira is a neighborhood that's kind of like Apraksin Dvor in St. Petersburg, or Chernyakhovskiy, or Sosnovskiy - you get the idea. And every day, she's on the hunt for her next victim, chatting with you like you're old friends, but trust me, it gets old fast. For those who are interested in a more authentic experience, I'd recommend avoiding her at all costs.

So, if you're planning to head out, be aware of the traffic, road conditions, and apparently, some women trying to sell fur coats and stuff in the UAE. I mean, it's just hilarious, like it's still 2005 or something.

Honestly, our vacation was going great until something went wrong.

On Thursday, we went to a nearby supermarket, CityMax, and I bought two huge statues as gifts, each about half a meter tall, and they cost 1000 rubles each. I remember carrying them in a bag, and my mom told me not to overload it, as they were sticking out of the bag.

As soon as we got back to our room, my mom started unpacking the groceries into a bag, and the statues were left on the table. We were in a rush to head to Dubai Mall, had lunch, and left at 3 pm. By the way, they offer shuttle buses from two hotels, but the huge downside is that no one told us how to find the bus or where to go. We've been there before, but it's changed a lot.

We got back late and went to bed, but I wouldn't really recommend the trip to the Mall due to the heavy traffic.

And on Friday, we couldn't find our statues in the room.

We started gathering our stuff, and realized they were just gone. We tried to remember how we packed the bags, and yeah, we did touch the statues, put them in the bag, and left them on the table. But... I read the reviews on the Black Ramada and saw a guy's review who got robbed. Yeah, the staff saw he was going on an excursion and, knowing he'd be away for a while, cleaned him out. Similarly, people on the Sheraton reviews wrote that they were charged a $300 fine for damaged furniture they didn't even break. Who wants to worry about that on vacation?

We didn't have to deal with constant monitoring, checking out, taking photos, and reviewing footage? Nope, not here! We checked the room multiple times, thinking they'd finally show up, headed down to the reception, reported the issue, and... they refused to show us the security footage. Telling us it could only be done the next day when the manager arrived. They even refused to show us the camera on the floor, leaving us wondering if it was even working. We sent my mom to the supermarket at 12 am, and we were both exhausted, knowing we had to leave the next day. So, we're walking into this supermarket, not speaking much English, and our nerves are on edge. Luckily, the staff understood what we needed, and the woman checked the storage camera, but overall, if we'd left our stuff on the counter, they'd have reminded us, and we were headed to the supermarket specifically for that. The woman said we'd have to wait until the next day to find the footage, but the hotel staff started playing dumb, saying they'd checked the cameras, and like parrots, repeating 'you came with one bag, you came with one bag, go get the other at CityMax.' We told them multiple times that it was just one bag.

The hotel had a lot of migrant workers - Pakistanis and Indians - and a guy would come to our room with water and chargers, and the key was with the cleaner. By the way, there was only one cleaner on our floor. We didn't have any gold or money, no jewelry, just these souvenirs lying around, aside from the towels and two swimsuits.

The next day, we packed up our stuff and wanted to leave the room early, but the manager in the lobby decided to play a trick on us again when we asked the porter to help. He pretended not to speak Russian, saying 'sorry, we can't check you in, we don't have any available rooms!' or basically telling us to get out faster. We ended up carrying our own luggage.

One of the porters asked us when we were leaving, slapped some labels on our bags, and that was it.

A bit later, another manager came over, said she'd checked the cameras, and nothing was there. They still wouldn't show us the corridor camera. This manager started getting all aggressive, telling us we were basically stealing, and that this isn't Russia, where people are thieves. And that we're just Russians, so we must be used to stealing, right?

For our money, we got a side of attitude and a superior look, like we're some kind of Russian stereotypes.

I got into it with the manager, because I knew there were plenty of liquor stores in Ajman, and locals would go there to buy stuff that's not just hummus. But the manager started yelling at me, saying this place is dry, and we'd offended everyone by even suggesting otherwise.

We all remember that story about the model who was pushed off a construction site, right? Yeah, that's the kind of place this is.

I'm convinced the security footage was edited out, or they wouldn't have waited for the manager to show up. Later, they showed us some blurry screenshot from a phone, where we're just walking into the hotel. Maybe this wasn't the only time someone had access to those keys? Maybe the janitor made a copy for a friend, and they're in on it together?

I reckon the person who pulled this stunt didn't think people in a double-luxury room would make a fuss over something so small, and just go ahead and buy more souvenirs. These things could've been sold to a collector for a nice chunk of change, too – 2000 rubles or 100 dirhams.

And that's how we left, with a scandal brewing, and I'm not exactly itching to go back there anytime soon.

I was excited about the view, and the food was great too, but that's where it ends. It was nice, I'll give them that, but the little things were lacking. I think the hotel's scheme is to watch when guests leave for the mall or an excursion, and then they're on the lookout. The cameras aren't shown to anyone, and if they don't show the cameras, well, help yourself. I'd recommend setting up your own cameras in the room if you're planning on going on excursions. Yeah, it's a hassle, but that's just how it is. Whether or not to stay is up to you. If it's a huge discount, then sure, but if it's over 160-180 thousand roubles for a couple, then no way! We managed to get it for around 113 thousand roubles for the two of us. Read all the reviews, not just the good ones. The hotel will appeal to those who have never traveled before, or those who have some experience. If you're looking for a beach vacation, you'll be disappointed, because it's not right across the street. When it's open, it's still unclear.