IHG’s new voco brand to open in Dubai, rebranding the Nassima Royal Hotel

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voco is IHG’s latest hotel brand. We discussed it in this article when it launched.

Voco is to be an ‘upscale conversion’ brand, allowing existing luxury hotels to switch to IHG without needing to undertake expensive changes to meet the brand standards demanded by Holiday Inn, Crowne Plaza etc. It only seems to require the hotel to put in a lot of yellow furnishings 🙂 You can learn more about the brand here.

One of the first voco hotels is the St David’s Hotel in Cardiff, which IHG acquired when it bought Principal Hotels recently. Here is the voco St David’s website.

voci has just added a new property in Dubai. It isn’t one I’d ever heard of, although keeping track of Dubai’s ever-changing hotel scene is beyond the ability of mere mortals. The Nassima Royal Hotel on Sheikh Zayed Road will soon be voco Dubai.

Looking at the Nassima website, the hotel looks very smart and very funky. Don’t get too excited by the mention of beach views – that is mainly due to the fact that it is 51 stories high and not because it is near the beach.

voco Dubai is not yet bookable, and IHG is saying that rooms will be available from 1st April. The voco Dubai website is here but, with little information, you should use the Nassima site instead for now.

IHG Rewards update – December 2021:

Get bonus points: You can earn up to triple IHG Rewards base points with IHG’s new Autumn promotion. It runs from 1st October to 31st December. You can register here and our full article on the offer is here.

New to IHG Rewards? Read our overview of IHG Rewards here and our article on points expiry rules here. Our article on ‘What are IHG Rewards points worth?’ is here.

Buy points: If you need additional IHG Rewards points, you can buy them here.

You will get a 100% bonus when you buy IHG Rewards points by 4th January 2022. Click here to buy or learn more.

Want to earn more hotel points? Click here to see our complete list of promotions from IHG and the other major hotel chains or use the ‘Hotel Offers’ link in the menu bar at the top of the page.

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This article is closed to new posts. Discussion continues in the HfP Forums.

Tony says:

11 Dec11 December 05:25

The Nassima Royal was a Radisson a little while back (but wasn’t for long). For me it’s memorable as when you walk past in the height of summer you can stand outside getting a waft of the chilled air as you walk from the metro to the pub.
- Ross says:
  
  11 Dec11 December 07:35
  
  Are you a Fibber Magee’s Fan? 🙂
JK says:

11 Dec11 December 07:14

Although I’ve never stayed The Nassima Royal, I can highly recommend the Tresind restaurant – fantastic Indian food, and we always go out of our way for the experience.

The Movida club isn’t too bad either, for a post-meal club – but there are obviously much better places in Dubai.

But Tresind – do give it a go!
Ross says:

11 Dec11 December 07:34

The Nassima was (in)famous last year due to a lightning rod (originally reported as a crane) crashing through the lobby after it was blown over in high winds… http://www.hoteliermiddleeast.com/29469-metal-rod-cause-of-crash-at-nassima-royal-hotel/#.XA9nkRanyaM

Location-wise, it is almost right opposite the Dubai World Trade centre and a couple of minutes walk from the Trade Centre metro station (which you can use to cross the Sheikh Zayed Road to the venue). It’s also just along the road from the always busy, but very dated Crowne Plaza, so could be a good alternative.

The IHG site says rooms available from April 1st and opening in Q1, so may be subject to Middle East ‘flexibility’ on dates.
SWwomble says:

11 Dec11 December 07:43

OT Bits- tried to get into the new MyLounge at LGW South with Priority Pass this morning, only to be told that they don’t accept it. I asked if this was temporary and it was suggested they hope to accept PP at some point in the future. Was directed to No1 but popped over to the Grain Store as usual.
- Rob says:
  
  11 Dec11 December 08:27
  
  Their website specifically says they DO accept it – this is on the My Lounge South page.
  - SWwomble says:
    
    11 Dec11 December 09:30
    
    Indeed it does, which made it all a bit surprising… hoping others have better luck!
    - Ed says:
      
      11 Dec11 December 10:35
      
      I am also at LGW South and have just been turned away from MyLounge. I asked the agent about Priority Pass. They said no, despite acknowledging that their lounge in the north Terminal accepts it. I did point out that it shows on their website.
    - Shoestring says:
      
      11 Dec11 December 10:43
      
      We’ve been here before, it’s a shame for folks getting turned away as if the past is any guide, in a few days somebody complains to MyLounge, Mgr intervenes and MyLounge starts allowing PP in after all
Alan says:

11 Dec11 December 07:45

Are there restrictions with these LNER vouchers? I seem to recall something about only being able to spend them on purchasing Advance tickets?
- Andy S says:
  
  11 Dec11 December 07:49
  
  yep, just checked in the nectar app, can only use on AP tickets.
  - Macca says:
    
    11 Dec11 December 08:31
    
    It says “LNER Advanced” tickets. Does this mean the e-vouchers are only valid on routes operated by LNER, and not, for example, Manchester to Euston Virgin trains?
    - Rob says:
      
      11 Dec11 December 08:41
      
      Correct. Added that in.
    - Rich says:
      
      11 Dec11 December 09:19
      
      Per a comment on Railforums, I believe they will also work on routes with a leg on another operator, as long as one leg is on LNER. So there could be some mileage there.
      
      No way I can see that working for London – Manchester though, unless you want to go via Leeds and can force the booking engine to price that up!
      
      The same comment also suggests they won’t work on sale fares.
    - RussellH says:
      
      11 Dec11 December 11:37
      
      Time was when King’s X – Sheffield – Manchester would certainly have been a valid LNER routing, but over Woodhead between Sheffield Victoria and manchester, which has long since been closed.
    - Sussex bantam says:
      
      11 Dec11 December 11:54
      
      I have no experience of LNER at all but am interested as my mum uses them when she comes to see us travelling Bradford to Haslemere.
      
      Can someone who knows about this stuff tell me how to find out if the vouchers will work for that trip ?
      
      Thanks
    - Rich says:
      
      11 Dec11 December 12:16
      
      It will certainly work on the direct Bradford – King’s X service, and quite possibly the ones with a connection at Leeds. Worst case, you’d have to buy the London-Haselmere ticket separately.
    - Sussex bantam says:
      
      11 Dec11 December 17:48
      
      Thanks rich
  - Alan says:
    
    11 Dec11 December 22:44
    
    Thanks Andy/all – may have some use for my folks.
Adam says:

11 Dec11 December 07:51

I wrote down every hotel price for Dubai for Radisson the night before dream deals. Unimpressed. The best discount is 7% from the prepaid rate the night before.
Victor says:

11 Dec11 December 08:06

OT: Grain Store at LGW. My wife and I have 2 Priority Pass cards each from Amex Platinum. Can we therefore get double the amount of credit? I.e. 8 x £15 to use.
- Shoestring says:
  
  11 Dec11 December 08:29
  
  Yes in practice if you have a friendly cashier, by all accounts
- Nick Burch says:
  
  11 Dec11 December 21:09
  
  Getting 4 credits from 2 people sat down can be done, but needs friendly staff
  
  Getting 2 credits (on 1 PP) from 2 people sat down is easy, then another 2 credits for takeaway (from the other card) is fine too. Do you need coffee and sandwiches and cake for your onward flight? 🙂
Jovanna says:

11 Dec11 December 08:06

I’ve just had a notification through from Award Wallet. My Nectar account has gone down by a number points. I’ve not redeemed anything.

I checked my Nectar app and LNER have taken 96 points several times on 2 December. I can only see the last 8 transactions in the app and 5 are for a ‘redemption’ on LNER, for 96 points each time. I don’t know how many points until I can view my full account.

I booked a ticket with LNER a few weeks ago. I entered my Nectar number but I didn’t redeem anything.

Anyone any idea what’s going on?
- Lister says:
  
  11 Dec11 December 08:40
  
  LNER tweeted a few days ago about a known issue with nectar points vanishing from accounts and that all would be returned.
- Jovanna says:
  
  11 Dec11 December 10:45
  
  117 movements on my Nectar account on 2 December by LNER. There were 36 transactions of +96 points, 65 transactions of -96 points, 10 transactions of +480 points and 6 transactions of -480 points. I’m 864 points down.
  - Delbert says:
    
    11 Dec11 December 20:07
    
    LNER can’t run a railway let alone a simple electronic transaction. I can just imagine the intern going crazy with her Nectar administrator privileges.