THE LOBBY . The hotel is strikingly good-looking. Expanses of marble, lacquered wood and glass highlight the spacious Atrium-style lobby, in a manner that is extravagant yet welcoming. Two exposed, glass-front elevators move silently up and down giving balace and movement to the entire seven-storey Lobby area. The domed skylight spanning the length of the Lobby ceiling dictates the mood of the Atrium: emphasising natural light by day and the starlit sky at night. The architect has subtly used the circle as his source of inspiration - the elevators, the entrance door, the atrium skylight are just a beginning... chair backs, Roman urns, a central podium, an Italian fresco, numerous columns... all follow the clean contours of the circle.

ACCOMMODATION Aside from being tastefully furnished, every room is "over-sized". Each has at least one television and two telephones, plus a sofa, an easy chair and a desk. The bathrooms continue the "big is beautiful" theme - with a dressing area, bathtub, a separate walk-in shower and two wash basins. Air conditioning and temperature controls are easily operated; the closet has a camera-sized safe; the TV is programmed for a variety of channels, including CNN, Star and the in-house movie.

Room service is always swift - the JW Marriott Hotel guarantees a five-minute breakfast delivery, or the meal is on the house! Twelve Executive Suites and two stunning Royal Suites complete the 195-room core hotel.

The Royal Suites are the largest in the Marriott system, each more than 450 square metres, with a huge lounge-dining area, two elegant double-bedrooms, a kitchen and an adjoining butler-suite. A private elevator gibes direct access to the main lobby.

CONFERENCES BANQUETING. The JW Marriott Hotel has plenty of space dedicated to flexible function rooms, including an elegant, column-free ballroom (420 at dinner, 650 for receptions); an adjacent, independent reception area for up to 70 persons and a unique majilis or Arabian sitting area - the Zabeel Room. Four discrett, purpose-built meeting rooms comfortable for eight to 40 persons border the Lower Lobby area. Each is structured to accommodate video and overhead projection equipment.

So far so good - but it is the Marriott Meeting Planner, a dedicated member of the Marriott team, who will make the difference. The Meeting Planner will handle a project from booking through to completion, ensuring that requirements are understood and effectively communicated.

The JW Marriott Hotel catering team live for the next good banquet! Be it a product launch, a birthday party or a wedding feast, they think creatively yet realisitically. Their collective years of experience ensure accuracy and consistency. And while the hotel outlets provide varied choices of menu and venue, the JW Marriott Outside Catering Unit is equipped to feed 1,000 plus, dining among the desert dunes or on the garden lawn.

THE OUTLETS Palms is the coffee-shop with great ambitions. The 'a la carte' menu goes beyond the obvious with suggestions such as Almond Chicken Fettucine, Grilled Darne of Fresh Salmon or Sauteed Crab Cake. Buffet breakfast, lunch and dinner selection are consistently tempting.

The Swan is more bistro than pub. Dark, carbed wood prevails, complemented by brass trimmings. Super-soft sofas and armchairs enhance the casual yet chic atmosphere. The menu comprises tasty finger food, and the service is friendly and efficient.

Mirage offers a taste of California... the cuisine is based on freshness, diversity and abundance, with ample market vegetables, fruits and berries. A noticeable cocktail of national influences - namely Mexico, Italy and a cluster of South-East Asian countries - add up to a mouth-watering dining experience.

The Atrium Cafe graciously dominates the left-hand side of the Lobby. Teas, coffees, light food and delicious pastries are served throughout the day... and well into the night. This is a popular meeting spot, comfortable yet atmospheric.

Champions - Good food, Good times, Good sports! This is the first Champions Sports Restaurant outside the United States. The concept of sports entertainment is both intellectual and fun. A network of twenty-five TV monitors air simultaneously, while the walls are dressed with sports memorabilia, creating a museum-like atmosphere. Champions is open seven days a week, 'till late - for lunch, dinner and dancing.
HEALTH CLUB & POOL DECKTwenty Nautilus stations; three spa pool tubs; two squash courts; a competition-sized snooker table; a roof top swimming pool; an aerobics room and separate ladies' and mens' steam room and sauna bath collectively put Griffins Health Club above the rest.

Griffins Health Bar is located within the stunning Griffins Health Club. This venue offers a creative menu for calorie-conscious diners who prefer something a little area with their lettuce.The Pool Deck Terrace rims the roof-top swimming pool.

Here a Mediterranean ambience has been created by careful use of terra-cotta tiling, flowerpots and Grecian columns. The menu is tempting and a sunken pool-bar serves thirst-quenching cocktails.

The Pool Deck terrace on seven, Griffins on five and Champions Sports Restaurant on basement one, are connected by a seperate elevator.