Latest news with #hotelguests
The Sun
05-07-2025
- The Sun
I went to the Turkish TUI resort where you never have to fight for a sunlounger and has free entry to massive theme park
I'M not one for getting up and dancing in front of strangers. So I'm impressed by the gumption of the hotel guests, who get up, no questions asked, when the music starts playing. 8 8 But what I did not expect was them to break into a dance routine. No, it's not a flash mob, but hotel guests singing and dancing to the TUI Magic Life anthem in unison. The next evening, I'm amused at myself, getting up and joining in, singing 'Feel the magic in the air, ooo lay-o-lay-oh-lay' as I wave my arms. Apparently, the Magic Life chain of TUI brings a certain buzz. I'm at the one in Beldibi, Turkey, which is the smallest. Giddy with gin, mum and I stroll to our hotel room and bump into a lady in the lift who claims it's her 66th time at a Magic Life resort. 'It's my favourite place in the world,' she tells us. 'I'm the Queen of Magic Life!' And she's got the badge to prove it — literally, she's wearing it, given to her by the adoring staff. So what's the deal with this, we wonder? Martin Lewis warns about strict passport rule that could see you board your flight - only to get sent home on arrival As a pair who have done their fair share of all-inclusive holidays, my mum and I wanted to see what makes these hotels 'next level', as claimed on the website. Our seaview balcony room is modern with upscale touches, and I get to watch the sunrise each morning from bed! We go for breakfast, wondering if we should have been up at the crack of dawn to lay towels on sunbeds. But we are pleasantly surprised to find there is no scramble, with dozens of beds to choose from. Though the hotel is the smallest of the TUI Magic Life group, with 200 rooms, it's still spacious. With the pool, beach and lawns, we are spoilt for choice when it comes to sunbed spots. But the views are also worth mentioning because Beldib i is surrounded by natural beauty. A village near Kemer, it's less than an hour away from the city (and airport) of Antalya. The hotel has a backdrop of rugged mountains and is next to a golden sandy beach. 8 8 8 The gardens, however, really make this hotel special. They are maintained by a team of gardeners, one of whom offered me fresh, juicy strawberries as I strolled past the herb garden — full of lavender, mint and parsley. Tree-lined paths meander through lawns dotted with sunbeds, hammocks and swing seats. While there's lots of welcome shade in the hotel grounds, you'll find plenty of sun on the beach. There is one vast outdoor pool but with lots of activities and rather loud music, we preferred other areas of the hotel, like its private jetty. You can hire sunbeds or a cabana — with a mini-fridge and a hammock-like net you can lie on, that hangs over the sea. 8 8 With packages ranging from €99 to €229 (£84 to £196), it's an extra worth considering if you really want ultimate peace and seclusion. When you stay at this resort, however, you do get a 3-in-1 deal. There's free entry to the Land Of Legends theme and water park, with rides, slides, shops and more. And you can also use the Rixos Sungate hotel nearby — featuring its own mini-waterpark with 13 flumes and various pools. To be frank, we were far too happy where we were and didn't use either. When you're not snoozing under the sun, there's a list of activities to choose from every day, including mountain biking, beach volleyball and tennis. It's not all exercise, though there are nearly ten fitness classes per day. Darts, shuffleboard, and archery are popular too, all bookable with mobile app Magic Life. There's also a decent gym, indoor pool and spa complete with beauty salon. While Mum got a pedicure, I enjoyed a full-body 45-minute massage that was very reasonably priced at £58. And there are almost 60 excursions to choose, from jewellery shopping and traditional Turkish baths, to the historic day trip we opted for. Stunning blue waters The first stop was Simena, an ancient town half-submerged under water, caused by an earthquake in the 2nd century AD. It's only accessible via a half-hour boat trip in stunning blue waters — with time for a short swim stop. Even more marvellous was the ruined city of Myra, renowned for its tombs carved into cliff faces. The tombs date back to the 4th century BC, built by the Lycian people, who believed that burying someone as high up as possible would help them reach the afterlife easier. Back at the Beldibi, we enjoy dinner on the terrace of the main restaurant, Magico, illuminated by atmospheric lights each night. The food is of a high quality with plenty of local dishes, from kofta to fresh salads. At breakfast, we didn't just have eggs — they were scrambled with chorizo, folded with cheese or eggy bread, alongside roasted potato wedges, sauteed mushrooms and baked beans. Lunch, at the Downtown restaurant by the pool, was vibrant and included crunchy salads with a side of treats — pizza, chips and an ice lolly for dessert. There are two other speciality rest-aurants you can book for dinner once per week at no extra cost, as well as a coffee shop and two bars — one of which, the Wunderbar, is open 24 hours. The outdoor bar is nestled in the gardens surrounded by tropical plants. By day, this is the perfect spot for shade and a sea breeze — and by night, it glows in the dark. There are plenty of comfy, private areas where you can have a romantic drink, too, watching Antalya sparkling on the horizon over the dark ocean. The Stage is where the magic starts at 10.45pm each evening. Entertainment is on a two-week schedule, so you should never see the same show twice. The team genuinely make an effort to get to know all the guests, and solo travellers even have their own designated staff member called a Magic Angel. As the beats get louder and heavier, the entertainment team go around tugging on guests' wrists, willing them to get up. The party can go on until 2am and we find ourselves staying later and later as the week goes on. I guess you could say I am a Magic convert — I won't be settling for anything less now.
Gulf Business
13-06-2025
- Business
- Gulf Business
Abu Dhabi hotel revenues hit Dhs611m in March with rising tourist demand
Image: Getty Images/ For illustrative purposes Abu Dhabi's hospitality sector recorded revenues of Dhs611m ($166.3m) in March 2025, underlining strong momentum in the emirate's tourism industry, according to preliminary data released by the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), in coordination with the Statistics Centre – Abu Dhabi (SCAD). The revenue comprised Dhs345m from room bookings, Dhs228m from food and beverage services, and Dhs38m from other sources. Roughly 417,000 hotel guests stayed in the emirate during March, reflecting Abu Dhabi's growing appeal as a global travel destination. Officials attribute the increase to the emirate's diverse accommodation portfolio and high-quality hospitality standards. Read: Abu Dhabi hosted visitors at 171 hotels Abu Dhabi hosted visitors across 171 hotel establishments with a combined 34,341 rooms. The properties registered more than 1.2 million guest nights and achieved an average occupancy rate of 69 per cent. Revenue per available room (RevPAR) reached Dhs486. Non-Arab Asian nationals were the largest group of international visitors, totalling 152,000 guests. Europeans followed with 123,000 guests, while UAE nationals accounted for 58,000 hotel stays. Five-star hotels received the largest share of guests, accommodating 205,000 visitors in March. Of these, European travellers made up the largest segment, with 78,000 guests. Four-star hotels welcomed 119,000 guests, followed by 54,000 in three-star and below hotels. Serviced apartments recorded 38,000 guests. The strong performance supports
Zawya
13-06-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Abu Dhabi hospitality sector posts robust growth; revenue hits $166mln
Abu Dhabi's hospitality sector continues to show robust growth, with hotel establishments across the emirate generating revenues of AED611 million ($166.34 million) in March 2025, according to preliminary data released by the Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), in coordination with the Statistics Centre - Abu Dhabi (SCAD). The total revenue breakdown comprises AED345 million from room bookings, AED228 million from food and beverage services, and AED38 million from other sources. The emirate welcomed approximately 417,000 hotel guests during March, highlighting Abu Dhabi's growing appeal as a global tourist destination. The surge is attributed to the emirate's diverse accommodation offerings and high-quality hospitality services. A total of 171 hotel establishments, comprising 34,341 rooms, operated across Abu Dhabi in March. These properties recorded over 1.2 million guest nights, achieving an average occupancy rate of 69%. The average revenue per available room (RevPAR) stood at AED486. Non-Arab Asian nationals topped the list of international visitors, accounting for 152,000 hotel guests. European travellers followed with 123,000 guests, while UAE nationals accounted for 58,000 stays. These figures underline Abu Dhabi's sustained tourism growth and its strengthening position as a preferred destination for a wide range of global markets. According to DCT Abu Dhabi, five-star hotels hosted the highest number of guests, totalling 205,000 in March. European visitors made up the largest segment within this category, with 78,000 guests. Four-star hotels received 119,000 guests, followed by three-star and below hotels with 54,000 guests. Additionally, serviced apartments accommodated 38,000 visitors. The strong performance aligns with Abu Dhabi's Tourism Strategy 2030, which aims to attract 39.3 million visitors annually, generate 178,000 new jobs in the tourism sector, expand hotel capacity to 50,000 rooms, and increase the sector's contribution to the emirate's GDP to AED90 billion by the end of the decade.
Zawya
12-06-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Abu Dhabi hotels record $166.37mln in revenue in March 2025
Abu Dhabi's hospitality sector continues to show robust growth, with hotel establishments across the emirate generating revenues of AED611 million in March 2025, according to preliminary data released by the Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), in coordination with the Statistics Centre - Abu Dhabi (SCAD). The total revenue breakdown comprises AED345 million from room bookings, AED228 million from food and beverage services, and AED38 million from other sources. The emirate welcomed approximately 417,000 hotel guests during March, highlighting Abu Dhabi's growing appeal as a global tourist destination. The surge is attributed to the emirate's diverse accommodation offerings and high-quality hospitality services. A total of 171 hotel establishments, comprising 34,341 rooms, operated across Abu Dhabi in March. These properties recorded over 1.2 million guest nights, achieving an average occupancy rate of 69%. The average revenue per available room (RevPAR) stood at AED486. Non-Arab Asian nationals topped the list of international visitors, accounting for 152,000 hotel guests. European travellers followed with 123,000 guests, while UAE nationals accounted for 58,000 stays. These figures underline Abu Dhabi's sustained tourism growth and its strengthening position as a preferred destination for a wide range of global markets. Five-star hotels hosted the highest number of guests, totalling 205,000 in March. European visitors made up the largest segment within this category, with 78,000 guests. Four-star hotels received 119,000 guests, followed by three-star and below hotels with 54,000 guests. Additionally, serviced apartments accommodated 38,000 visitors. The strong performance aligns with Abu Dhabi's Tourism Strategy 2030, which aims to attract 39.3 million visitors annually, generate 178,000 new jobs in the tourism sector, expand hotel capacity to 50,000 rooms, and increase the sector's contribution to the emirate's GDP to AED90 billion by the end of the decade.
Times of Oman
10-06-2025
- Business
- Times of Oman
Revenue of 3-5 star hotels in Oman exceeds OMR109 million
Muscat: Revenue from 3-5 star hotels in the Sultanate of Oman saw a 17.3% increase by the end of April 2025, reaching OMR109,213,000, compared to OMR93,094,000 during the same period in 2024, according to statistics released by the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI). The statistics indicate that this growth is attributed to an 8.6% rise in the total number of hotel guests, recording 831,751 guests by the end of April 2025, compared to 766,153 guests in the corresponding period in 2024. Additionally, the occupancy rate increased from 53.4% by the end of April 2024 compared to 61.1% by end of April 2025, marking a 14.4% growth. The number of guests from Oceania surged by 57.8%, totaling 18,124 visitors, followed by Africa with a 57.6% increase, reaching 5,993 guests. European guests rose by 19.9%, totalling 314,535 visitors. Meanwhile, guests from the Americas increased by 19.1%, reaching 28,843 visitors, while GCC nationals saw a 12.6% increase, totaling 53,642 guests. Asian nationalities recorded a 5.4% rise, with 114,426 visitors. Conversely, the statistics revealed a 0.7% decline in Omani guests, totalling 238,895 visitors by the end of April 2025. Additionally, guests from other Arab nationalities decreased by 2.3%, recording 32,072 visitors.
