Staycation review: The Chedi Al Bait, Sharjah
Welcome Home…
The Chedi Al Bait, Sharjah is a collection of five heritage houses that were once owned by local families and have now been transformed into elegant guestrooms and suites while carefully preserving the historical structures.
The location
The property is located in the restored Heart of Sharjah – a heritage neighbourhood in Downtown Sharjah facing the corniche.
The look and feel
Under the guidance of GHM, the rooms that once belonged to notable local families who made an impact on Sharjah in the fields of culture, intellect and politics have been refurbished while preserving the historical structures.
The rooms
Inside the guestrooms and suites, you will find a perfect blend of Arabic and Asian design elements. Our favourite bits would have to be the comfortable four-poster bed and the living room – where we ended up spending most of our free time – which is inspired by a traditional majlis (meaning ‘place of sitting’) complete with a low sofa and plenty of cushions.
Dotted across the room, you will find plenty of Arabian wall hangings and artefacts – a great touch that art and heritage fans will adore.
Facilities and activities
On the facilities front, The Chedi Al Bait, Sharjah is home to The Spa. After a busy couple of weeks, I decided I was in need of some pampering and opted for a therapeutic Ancient Balinese Massage for one-hour with aromatherapy oil.
It was so relaxing and as the masseuse worked away at the knots in my back I found myself drifting off to sleep more than once (okay, five times…) during the session. There are even hot and cold plunge pools apart from the pools located outside of the spa and a gym for those gym-goers who don’t want to miss working out.
Besides this, there is also a small museum, a library with hundreds of antiquarian and contemporary books spanning a variety of subjects and interests and an Emirati-inspired jewellery shop.
But of course, this is Sharjah, and for art and culture vultures, there is plenty to see and do. The hotel is snuggly nestled within several must-see spots including Souq Al Shanasiyah, Souq Al Arsah, and much more.
The food and drinks
During our stay, we dined at The Restaurant. Breakfast is an a la carte affair where you can pick from American, All English, Indian, Arabic, healthy and more. We opted for and split the scrambled eggs and pancakes. We returned here for lunch as well just before checking out, but still reeling from breakfast we opted for a club sandwich with fries. If you do have an appetite though, the extensive lunch menu offers up seared scallops, saffron paneer, spiced prawns, wagyu sirloin, honey glazed duck breast and much more with plenty of options for a sweet treat.
Attention must be given to a lavender-based beverage served to us during our welcome at check-in. The sparkly purple-colored drink is pretty Instagrammable but also refreshing and we lavished it after the long drive to the cultural city from Dubai.
The room rates
Room rates start from Dhs600++ but keep your eyes open for some great summer deals.
You can book your stay here.
Chedi Al Bait, Heart of Sharjah – 79 Corniche St – Al Shiokh – Sharjah, Tel: (0)6 502 5555. ghmhotels.com