Taj Plaza Hotel

I was charged 350 BD for six drinks. I thought the bill was 35 BD, but 350 came off my card. Management refused to refund me when I disputed it, and my bank couldn’t stop the payment because I had no receipt. The managers were described to me as Egyptian and Morrocan. Looking at the reviews now, it seems this has been happening for a while. Stay away.

The only thing I can praise is the clean swimming pool. We paid 41 BD for facilities and service that felt below average, which was far too much. I’d give the place negative 5 if I could. Families and bachelors should avoid it, especially with better options nearby. We booked a Two-Bedroom Suite at Taj Plaza Hotel in Juffair, but the rooms were very small and had no connecting door. To get to the second room, we had to go outside and use a key card, an inconvenient setup I’d never seen before. Towels and water bottles weren’t provided. Then at 3.00 am they suddenly demanded everyone’s ID, though nobody asked at check-in. Their interference during the stay felt embarrassing and intrusive. The staff, from the room boy to the person who said he was the General Manager, came across as arrogant and uninterested in welcoming guests. I had a truly disappointing stay.

Juffair Mall is less than 100 meters away, with a food court, kids' play facilities, and a Lulu Hypermarket. The location is excellent, and the reception and other staff were helpful. The elevators were quick, and housekeeping was generally good. The mini bar fridge wasn’t working, but they replaced it promptly after I reported it. Slippers and ironing boards are available on request. There was a cigarette smell throughout the hotel. The comforter was poor quality, with dirty fabric pilling inside, and the old TV had a partial display with just five very poor Arabic channels, nothing suitable for kids. The pool was unattended and not kid-friendly, with no tubes for children. Apart from the mall food court, we didn’t find good restaurants nearby. Parking is available at your own risk, but in the evening it can be hard to find a spot because of party and spa visitors. We’d heard there could be party noise, though it didn’t bother us.

We paid around 41 BD for two rooms, but one door between the interconnected rooms was locked and the key was missing, so they couldn’t provide it. The rooms had no facilities, and anything we needed only came after waiting and asking. Management behaved very badly, though one employee treated us well. This was an unsatisfactory stay and I wouldn’t recommend it.