An Unwavering Eye For The Exceptional The General Manager Caroline-Jane Houston of The Address Downtown Dubai delves on what makes the hotel great, and how they ensure the best for business travelers and leisure guests alike.
You're reading Entrepreneur Middle East, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media.
"The reputation of The Address Downtown Dubai as the "Best Hotel in the World' is reason enough for entrepreneurs and leisure guests to enjoy our hospitality. We are located in the heart of the world's most visited lifestyle destination and in close proximity to The Dubai Mall and Burj Khalifa. We are also in close proximity to the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) and Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), as well as other business nerve centers. Entrepreneurs will also cherish the high standards of service excellence and the tangible guest benefits that we assure."
As the General Manager of The Address Downtown Dubai, the brand's flagship property, Caroline-Jane Houston admits that while a prestige hotel's interior design schema is important to guests, what's even more so is the ambience of serenity that it can foster. "The fundamental principles are that guests must feel an emotional connection with the hotel by offering the right level of intimacy and privacy, which are often the result of intangibles. At The Address Downtown Dubai, the welcoming fragrance, for example, is one such intangible. We focus on delivering an environment that is not stressful, but relaxing and welcoming. Ultimately, a great design brings first-time guests, but outstanding service retains them," she says, discussing the importance of aesthetics.
Houston waxes poetic about the minute details of the five-star property, and with good reason -from the lobby to the F&B outlets, every component seems to blend impeccably with the next and emote a feeling of tranquility- no mean feat for a hotel situated in the hustle and bustle of Dubai's hectic core. "The entire aesthetics aspects of The Address Downtown Dubai are led by a clearly-defined design and architectural strategy that has been incorporated from its construction stages. Every element contributes seamlessly to achieving the design harmony we sought for the flagship property of The Address Hotels + Resorts. As such, the original design and interiors draw inspiration from nature –the hues and textures of mountains, sand and rivers– which indeed are the dominating color tones across the property. The focus on interiors obviously also incorporates lighting elements, and I would say that our Business Centre and Lifestyle Events areas are breathtakingly illuminated while being consistent to the overall design theme to create a truly captivating ambience. So from the layout to the hues, the choice of accessories to lighting– every aspect has been meticulously planned, which defines the character and individuality of the property."
Business travelers visiting The Address Downtown Dubai might notice a dignified and hushed pleasant hum oft-associated with historic hotels, and this can be credited equally to both the architecture and the staff of the property. It does take a skilled GM with a vision to imbue a personality into a hotel, and Houston's experience may very well be what helps to position The Address Downtown Dubai as one of the most highly-ranked UAE options for the business travel segment. As an industry veteran with two decades of hospitality knowledge across three continents and various sectors within the industry, Houston is absolutely one of the most precise senior managers in her field. "I have been fortunate to be part of several outstanding international properties, and have worked across diverse business functions, from food and beverage to operations and management."
Having joined the hotel five years ago as the Executive Manager of Food and Beverage, she was promoted to the position of Hotel Manager in 2011, then appointed GM a short two years later. "Currently, I am responsible for the overall management of the entire inventory at The Address Downtown Dubai including 196 hotel rooms, 190 hotel apartments and 438 serviced residences. I have closely associated with introducing CUT by Wolfgang Pack at the hotel, and I also actively participate in the Spa Development Steering Committee. Apart from day-to-day operational aspects, I also work towards establishing The Address Downtown Dubai as a destination venue in Dubai with a focus on lifestyle hospitality and entertainment." The GM's work doesn't end there, she also acts as "operational consultant for a number of projects under Emaar Hospitality Group with a focus on space management, brand standards, quality assurance and food and beverage concepts."
For those of you arranging a corporate evening meal, Houston has cast her expert eye over all of the hotel's F&B outlets and takes extreme pride in maximizing dining experiences, regardless of whether you happen to be an in-house guest or not. Voted "Best Hotel in the World" by Global Traveler magazine's Annual Reader Survey Awards four years running means that whether you are visiting Dubai for work or actually reside in the UAE, you're guaranteed supreme service and exceptional menus for your meals at The Address Downtown Dubai with outlets such as The Cigar Lounge (British-inspired menu), Zeta Restaurant/Lounge (sharing-cuisine), and finally, the aforementioned CUT by Wolfgang Puck (fine steakhouse). Houston explains that marketing to a business guest is about pointing out the property's "distinguishing strengths" of which there are many; location and a bevy of amenities being two of primary importance to the business guest in addition to service, service, service. Finally, the GM says that over the course of her career, luxury properties looking to court the business travel segment need to keep three actionables at the top of their agendas: "A great bedroom in a calm, tranquil environment and ambient lighting to ensure that guests are relaxed, superb concierge service as well as efficient laundry and housekeeping service, and not least of all, a sumptuous breakfast that takes guests through the day." If you haven't already paid a visit to The Address Downtown Dubai, Houston has just given you several reasons why you should.
RECOMMENDED BY THE GM
EXEC STAY "We have a dedicated team of well-informed concierges that will meet all requests of our guests. Additionally, the introduction of our in-room app means that guests can make their own choices and preferences in the convenience of their room. our unique 24-hour check-in/ check-out allows guests to check in at any time of the day and be assured of an immediate check-in. We also have our Business Lounge with exceptional service standards that will appeal to all business guests- it [...] opens to spectacular views of Downtown Dubai, assuring guests a sense of relaxation after long-hour flights."
DINE "it is no exaggeration that all our restaurants have a signature style and individuality. To name one, though, I will go for The Cigar Lounge on the 14th floor; I adore the privacy it offers. it is quintessentially British in feel and the dishes served reflect it. I would equally vote for Zeta Restaurant/Lounge, more so for my personal involvement in its development. specialized in Asian fusion cuisine, Zeta is today the city's must-visit al fresco dining destination and is defined by the spectacular views it offers of Burj Khalifa and The Dubai Fountain. Building on the international concept of sharing menus, Zeta offers an extensive choice of tapas- from traditional and contemporary Japanese cuisine to Wagyu and Lamb Chops, fresh off the grill. guests can also savor an unmatched menu of beverages and "ubertails,' as well as our signature dish, The Fountain Roll."
OPTIONS "One of the compelling attractions for business travellers that we will introduce shortly is the in-room app, a fully-equipped, state-of-the-art, e-service. it enables guests to make requests with the various departments within the hotel, from room service and housekeeping, to the concierge and laundry at the click of a button with in-room iPads. The in-room app also adds to guest experience by integrating the option of booking appointments for any of the five spas within The Address Hotels + Resorts, golf lessons and tee time at The Address Montgomerie Dubai or movie tickets for Reel Cinemas. They can also access services such as videos and movies on demand on the in-room TVs, as well as play their own choice of music and movies on the device. We have been the pioneers in concepts such as the 24-hour check-in system, and Wi-Fi "on-the-go' in our limousines. The launch of the in-room app is a testament to our efforts to remain at the forefront of the industry."
CONNECTIVITY "We have introduced several state-of-the-art technologies to enhance the value that provide to our guests. We are now introducing advanced features such as the smart screen and Collab8 system, whereby guests will have BYOD [Bring Your Own Device] wireless collaboration that eliminates the need for any interface switching, resolution scaling or operating systems. Guests can also benefit from Collaboration notes– whereby they can choose to view the main display content on their own device, grab a screenshot, take notes and save it as their own, independent of the main presentation. our multi-touch support allows the user to swipe, scale and pinch on any connected multi-touch display, while the interactive whiteboard facility helps the multi-touch enabled Collab8 screen into a fully functional interactive whiteboard where they can create, annotate, illustrate, review, edit or highlight on the digital canvas. Any participant can drag and drop a file over the Collab8 cloud icon to share it with all participants in the room or open it on the main display. We also provide LCD support whenever client requests a conference room facility within the executive meeting room."
