A look inside ME Dubai: the first and last hotel created by Zaha Hadid
27 February, 2020
The long-awaited Zaha Hadid-designed ME Dubai by Melia will open its doors on Sunday March 1, 2020.
Four years after it was actually set to open, the hotel in The Opus by Omniyat building in Downtown Dubai, will welcome guests within the next few days. As employees put the finishing touches to the hotel, The National took a behind the scenes tour of the only hotel in which the British-Iraqi architect conceptualised both the exterior and interiors.
Furniture by Zaha
The furniture throughout the lobby, lounges and suites was designed or personally selected by Hadid: and her forward-thinking, curvaceous aesthetic is obvious from the next you walk in.
With 74 rooms and 19 suites, the hotel offers a boutique feel in the heart of Downtown Dubai. Each room was created in either a midnight blue or golden desert theme, and guests checking in can get views over the Dubai Canal, up towards the towering Burj Khalifa or both.
Mini bars have already been replaced with maxi bars, and complicated hotel lighting is something of the past at ME Dubai - lights are instead manipulated by one main switch or via the hotel's in-house app. Bathrooms feature rounded sinks, oversized showerheads and curvaceous soaking tubs.
In the grand lobby, where the beautifully-curved couches took three years to create, the hotel will pay tribute to Zaha Hadid every Thursday with a montage of her work on a huge video screen.
Eating and drinking
Dining options include a 24-hour brasserie on the lobby level called Roka, from Zuma founder Rainer Becker, in addition to a Spanish-tapas inspired restaurant called Central that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Eventually, the hotel could have 15 food and beverage outlets. It is also set to welcome a sprawling underground nightclub which will be split over two levels.
When it comes to down time, guests may take a dip in the white marble clad pool, while fitness fans will like the huge gymnasium. In classic Hadid styling, even the machines are sleek, with wood finishing and hydro-powered functions. Nearby, the Refuel & Relax pool bar offers a wide selection of vegan options for pre- or post-workout meals.
The spa at ME Dubai is small but correctly formed, with a variety of therapies. The use of lots of day light and curved wood contrasts against the building's metal and glass exterior. Colour therapy lights let staff or visitors set the mood, adjusting the ambiance to match treatments being delivered.
Plastic is a no-go in the hotel, which includes partnered with a local company in the UAE to install a drinking filtering throughout the property. All rooms are stocked with filtered water in glass bottles and there are no plastic cups or straws in sight.
ME Dubai is the hotel brand's first property in the Middle East. It joins other hotels in destinations such as Ibiza, London, Cabo and Milan.
Source: www.thenational.ae
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