Centrally located in the city’s new business and government district, Dusit Thani Abu Dhabi offers an ideal place from which business and leisure travellers can explore the UAE capital. As a brand, Thailand-based Dusit Thani aims to provide its guests with the epitome of luxury and harmony, and its latest property is no exception. Hospitality Interiors speaks with the hotel’s GM, Kamal Chaoui, about the opulent and striking interior – which he describes as “Thai grace meets Arabian grandeur”.
The interior design of Dusit Thani Abu Dhabi was a collaborative effort between Dusit International’s in-house design team, headed by Neera Rachjaibun, and Hirsch Bedner Associates (HBA). Kamal says: “Developing the interior design concepts with HBA was a great experience and the result is simply stunning.
“Together, they were able to bring a fresh look and feel to the Dusit Thani brand, merging the aesthetics of two cultures whilst paying homage to Dusit’s rich heritage. The end result of the collaboration is an impressive and functional hotel – one which has been received extremely well by guests and trade alike.”
The hotel offers 131 deluxe serviced apartments, 402 guest rooms and five refined dining outlets, as well as a health club – featuring a steam room, sauna, outdoor pool and sun deck – and a 2000-person capacity conference centre. One of the main focal points of the hotel is its lobby atrium, which soars to the 32nd floor – making it the third highest in the world.
“Dusit Thani Abu Dhabi’s interior design reasserts the brand concept of embodying the richness and tradition of Thai culture,” Kamal says, “providing spaces that are calm, fragrant and colourful, with every detail crafted to lift the spirit and engage the senses.
“Though it is grand, the ambiance of the hotel is warm and inviting, with Thai timber wood tones and glowing marbles combining with key vibrant colours from the Thai countryside – vibrant pinks, lime greens and purples. Rich, gilded Emirati elements – such as glimmering effects and curvy patterns – also subtly integrate into the interior design, creating a sophisticated signature style from both regions.”
Attention to detail has been key in this project, with furnishings and accessories specially selected to enhance the overall ambiance of the space, as Kamal explains: “The lighting effects and furniture used throughout the hotel have been chosen to create a spacious, luxurious feel, from the public spaces through to each one of our guest rooms.
“For example, the conference centre’s pre-function has a stunning glass-panelled Sky Dome which floods the space with daylight, ensuring that the guests attending events or functions here have a bright and uplifting experience.”
Although the interior design project in itself has come to its conclusion, Kamal has some exciting plans in the pipeline, ensuring that the hotel keeps transforming and inspiring. “As the hotel matures, we expect to increase our local community engagement – especially in culture and the arts,” he says.
“In addition to this, we hope to become a favourite meeting place in Abu Dhabi. We anticipate that our hotel’s success will encourage more developers to build and operate more Dusit hotels in the UAE and throughout the region.”
