The Chedi Al Bait, Sharjah, UAE

No wonder this is Sharjah's top hotel! It's brimming with history. The library is actually the former home of Sharjah's first journalist, and it houses the UAE's only remaining circular wind tower. The walls are even made from coral stone, a signature material of that era. There are several museums nearby, and the adjoining souk has been around for over 190 years. The staff are all incredibly warm and friendly. The hotel offers two restaurants: one serving Korean and Japanese cuisine, and another featuring Italian and local specialties. Personally, I preferred the latter. Breakfast is à la carte, generous in portions, and offers a great variety of choices. The bedding was super comfortable, the duvet smelled lovely, and I slept incredibly well.

The ancient Persian Empire intertwined with modern culture. I stumbled upon The Chedi in Sharjah on Trip.com, and after booking, I curiously researched the hotel's history. The Al Midfa family's century-old ancestral home and shops are located on the Sharjah side near the Persian Gulf. The family partnered with GHM Group, renovating the old mansion into The Chedi Sharjah in 2019. Interestingly, the GHM Group was also founded by Adrian Zecha, the founder of Aman, and you can definitely feel a lot of Aman's influence in the hotel's interior and exterior design and location philosophy. The price is lower than Aman, so while the design is very similar, it hasn't quite reached Aman's level of extreme seclusion and exceptionally high service quality. I just hope the service can improve! The restaurant's responsiveness was a bit lacking; I waited about fifteen minutes for a tea bag. The attitude was good, though, and it would be even better if the front desk staff were a bit more enthusiastic.

Very good, excellent service, the hotel is exquisite, and the breakfast is delicious.