I had the unfortunate experience of staying at the Telal Resort Al Ain, and I must say that it was a complete disaster. Despite a few positives like the good cuisine with a varied menu, original rooms with a nice view, and animals roaming freely, the negatives overshadowed everything else.
Firstly, the location of the hotel is a nightmare. It took us an excruciating 2 hours to reach the hotel from Dubai and the least after such a long drive would have been to welcome us with a cold drink or a fresh towel. To make matters worse, the pool had a noisy water jet that was situated right next to the restaurant, making it impossible to have a conversation during lunch. The reception was so far away from the rooms that we had to call a driver to take us there, and the rooms were poorly soundproofed, which meant that we could hear everything our neighbors did. To top it all off, a baby in the tent next to ours cried all night, making it impossible to sleep.
But what made the experience truly unbearable was the attitude of the manager, Mr. Elie Farhat. He was not only arrogant and rude, but he also made us feel bad and guilty instead of apologizing for the situation. The least he could have done was to inform us that our neighbors had a newborn and offer us a solution like changing rooms or staying in a smaller one. This is unacceptable for a hotel at this price point, and it's even more surprising given that hotels in the UAE usually prioritize their customers.