A relaxing & homely stay at Aparthotel Adagio Fujairah

The heat in August is rather unforgiving in Dubai, so we have been looking for an escape! It came in the form of an extended weekend in the relatively cooler clime of Fujairah. This emirate in the UAE is flanked by the Hajjar mountains, which makes for a beautiful drive. And it's a short one too. We were there in a little over and hour.

We were staying at Aparthotel Adagio Fujairah for two days, and it was a pleasant surprise to spot it as soon as we entered the city centre. Adagio is actually part of a hotel complex, which also includes Novotel and Ibis.

Our check-in was quick, and the staff was kind enough to give Little Dude a welcome toy. We were soon shown to our one-bedroom apartment, in which we had requested for an extra bed. In fact, this was our first time in a hotel apartment, and I was curious to see how different the experience would be from a regular hotel room.

The sitting room was bright and cheerful. There was a TV screen here, and a dining table for four.

The next thing that caught my eye was a lovely welcome basket, a fruit bowl, and a personalized hand-written note from the management. This was certainly thoughtful of them. Traveling with a kid, one can't have enough snacks and fruits! The basket had enough for me to make a few small meals in case hunger struck at an odd time. I was told that this welcome gift is offered to all long-term guests at Adagio. Of course, they do offer room service as well.

The kitchen was equipped with everything you have at home. So, it felt like a comfortable and relaxing home away from home, where someone else does the cleaning for you! The kitchen had electric appliances, a microwave, ceramic hob, and utensils for cooking.

The bedroom was big and comfy, with a workspace, and another TV set. This is great for when you have kids and want to watch something other than kids channels! The additional bed was comfortable as well, and so the setting was right for our family. The only thing I missed was having a balcony to step out onto, but then, the large windows made up for it by bringing in lots of natural light.

There is one toilet, and another washroom with a separate bath tub and shower panel - another good feature for when you're with kids.

Since we checked in on a Friday, we could try the Friday Brunch at Il Centro Restaurant at Ibis Hotel.

Now, here's another good thing about Aparthotel Adagio Fujairah - it is interconnected with the other hotels, so you don't even have to step out!

It barely took us a minute to cross the Novotel lobby, and get to Ibis, The brunch featured a live cooking station with steak, pasta, and pizza. It was good to see sushi on the menu, and the desserts were plentiful. Little Dude was happy to have pasta prepared for him by the chef, and even a bowl of ice cream for dessert.

That evening, we were happy to know that a science workshop for kids had been organized at Novotel by the pool. It was hosted by Cool Science Dubai. The kids and adults had a great time watching and learning with the 'scientists'!

The rest of the evening was spent splashing in the pool at Novotel, which is also accessible directly from Adagio without having to cross the lobby. There's one pool for kids, and a large one for adults and it's common for the whole complex, so you can expect it to be busy on Fridays. We did have some refreshing lemonade at the Pool Bar.

For dinner, we tried the Indian Nights at Flavours Restaurant in Novotel. It was good to see the classic favourites such as lassi, pappad, and biryani. The buffet also featured a good salad section, and the spread was varied enough for everyone to like.

Little Dude, however, wanted burger and fries and the chef kindly prepared him the meal. In fact, the restaurant offers an a la carte menu as well if you want to order some dishes separately.

The buffet also featured traditional Indian sweets or mithai, which we loved.

We also had our breakfast at Flavours the next day, and liked the selection of warm and cold breakfast, along with a live omelette station.

The next day, we explored some heritage sites in Fujairah thanks to a trip organized by Aparthotel Adagio. It was a little hot, so we couldn't stay out for long, but it was interesting to visit Al Hayl Castle, tucked away in the mountains. I will share more from our outdoor trip in another post.

Another thing I liked about the location of Aparthotel Adagio Fujairah is that it's easy to visit shopping malls, parks, and open beaches in the city. Aqah Beach is a 20-minute drive, and worth a visit when the weather is cool.

Or, if you don't want to venture out, you could eat at any of the seven outlets in the complex, use the pool or gym, or hang out in the City Cafe at Novotel which serves excellent Moroccan tea.

I must mention that we found the staff to be very attentive to our needs, and always ready to assist with a smile.

Their services included free WiFi, which was faster than what is offered as complimentary WiFi in most hotels.

I would recommend Aparthotel Adagio Fujairah as a good alternative to a hotel room if you are travelling with more than one child, have to stay for an extended duration, or just want the comfort of a home-like accommodation.

Tips for staying in a hotel apartment:

- Check with the hotel to see what exactly is being offered in the apartment. We had everything from towels, shower gel, an ironing board, and an iPod dock at Aparthotel Adagio Fujairah.

- Carry quick-cook meals if you're staying for a few days, especially snacks for children.

- You will be given complimentary water, but you may consider carrying your own for longer stays.

- You may pack fewer clothes than you would for a hotel stay as a washing machine is provided. Adagio also offers a laundry service.

- For longer stays, room cleaning is not provided every day, so check with the hotel beforehand, At Adagio, the cleaning is weekly for stays of over eight days.

- Request for a baby cot in advance if you require one.


Find out more about the services offered by Adagio Aparthotel, Fujairah. You can check availability and make a booking here.


We were guests at the Adagio Aparthotel Fujairah, but all views and opinions are my own.