The Radisson Group’s first property in Azerbaijan opened last May. A 30-minute drive from Heydar Aliyev airport in Baku, the four-star hotel is located alongside the stunning Milli Park waterfront.
A family-friendly property, it costs less than half to stay here than at both the Hilton next door, as well as the InterContinental one street up.
The welcome
Language can be a barrier in Baku, but the reception staff at the property are well-versed and tackle most queries without fear of miscommunication. Of the two rooms my family of four booked, one was ready well before the official 3pm check-in time, and luggage service was prompt, too.
The neighbourhood
This is perhaps the hotel’s strongest USP. The century-old Baku promenade, located a footbridge away, is a hubbub of activity, with cutesy cafes, lush green spaces, picturesque carousels and a carpet museum all popping up alongside the waterfront stretch.
Park Bulvar Mall, located directly opposite the hotel, has a multi-cuisine food court, bank and money exchange services, and a massive and inexpensive children’s play area (an hour-long session in the soft-play section costs about Dh10).
Old Town is a 20-minute walk, Highland Park takes 30, while the idyllic cafes, pub crawl haunts and nightclubs of Nizami Street can be reached within 15 minutes on foot. The only time we needed a taxi was to and from the airport, but that could be down to the cool-bordering-on-cold weather at the end of March.
The room
We stayed in connecting Sea View rooms, convenient when you’re travelling with children. Each room is not overly capacious at 23 square metres, but is still a well-appointed space with all the necessities: a wardrobe with an ironing board; a study table and chair; a side table and plush armchair; a full-length mirror; and a telly.
It’s decorous, too. Views of the glittering Caspian Sea aside, the space has framed black and white posters of Old Baku, while pendant lights in matte black hang tastefully on either side of the bed, and the headboard matches the trunk-style wood finish of the wardrobe.
Tip: Ask for a second duvet if you’re sharing the bed as the queen bed registers even the slightest movement.
The bathroom – complete with a hygiene hose – has hand and rain showers (but no tub), and Radisson-branded toiletries.
The scene
The hotel was busy, but not bursting, with a near-equal split between families (mainly Russian-speaking) and groups of friends (mainly male, and from India and the UAE).
The property has a gym but no pool. Its second level is dedicated to business travellers, with well-equipped meeting and conference rooms and computer stations. Night owls will appreciate the hotel’s 24-hour room service.
The food
The smoked veal (a highlight of the breakfast menu) was tender enough to slice through with a butter knife; the French toast, bizarrely, was not. The rest of the buffet-style menu at the hotel's sole restaurant Lagom was classic and expansive. Eggs, sausages, waffles, baked beans and a bread section ensured we were energised enough to take on the day. The cheeses and dips deserve a shout-out, too, for sheer variety (cream cheese, salty local variants, Gouda, crumbled cottage cheese, sour cream and some of the best hummus I’ve eaten) and freshness of taste.
From the main menu, we only sampled an excellent pan-fried chicken and a basic, but well-executed pasta with oodles of Parmesan for the baby.
The service
This is a tricky one to encapsulate. On the one hand, all the staff we encountered in person – even the ones who did not speak much English – were efficient, brisk and helpful. The housekeeping, however, was sorely lacking.
Shower caps and other vanity items were not replaced once over our four-night stay, despite a special request to do so; clean towels were provided, but the old ones not picked up off the floor; and an uneaten welcome pastry with sliced bananas stayed in our room from day one to day five. It was all rather basic clearing up, and all the more bizarre for the lack of it.
Highs and lows
Given how warm and helpful all the staff seemed (thereby enhancing our experience in various ways), the tardy housekeeping was bemusing.
Insider tip
Have the reception staff order and negotiate for local taxis on your behalf.
The verdict
The price and location make this property a clear winner in its category. The tariff at the Hilton next door as well as the InterContinental two streets are more than double. Just carry your own shower cap.
The bottom line
Standard rooms start from Dh400, including breakfast and tax.
For more information, visit www.radissonhotels.com
Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Performance: the specs
Engine: 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 plus rear-mounted electric motor
Power: 843hp at N/A rpm
Torque: 1470Nm N/A rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.6L/100km
On sale: October to December
Price: From Dh875,000 (estimate)
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Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
MATCH INFO
Juventus 1 (Dybala 45')
Lazio 3 (Alberto 16', Lulic 73', Cataldi 90 4')
Red card: Rodrigo Bentancur (Juventus)
The Voice of Hind Rajab
Starring: Saja Kilani, Clara Khoury, Motaz Malhees
Director: Kaouther Ben Hania
Rating: 4/5
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Teaching your child to save
Pre-school (three - five years)
You can’t yet talk about investing or borrowing, but introduce a “classic” money bank and start putting gifts and allowances away. When the child wants a specific toy, have them save for it and help them track their progress.
Early childhood (six - eight years)
Replace the money bank with three jars labelled ‘saving’, ‘spending’ and ‘sharing’. Have the child divide their allowance into the three jars each week and explain their choices in splitting their pocket money. A guide could be 25 per cent saving, 50 per cent spending, 25 per cent for charity and gift-giving.
Middle childhood (nine - 11 years)
Open a bank savings account and help your child establish a budget and set a savings goal. Introduce the notion of ‘paying yourself first’ by putting away savings as soon as your allowance is paid.
Young teens (12 - 14 years)
Change your child’s allowance from weekly to monthly and help them pinpoint long-range goals such as a trip, so they can start longer-term saving and find new ways to increase their saving.
Teenage (15 - 18 years)
Discuss mutual expectations about university costs and identify what they can help fund and set goals. Don’t pay for everything, so they can experience the pride of contributing.
Young adulthood (19 - 22 years)
Discuss post-graduation plans and future life goals, quantify expenses such as first apartment, work wardrobe, holidays and help them continue to save towards these goals.
* JP Morgan Private Bank
Muslim Council of Elders condemns terrorism on religious sites
The Muslim Council of Elders has strongly condemned the criminal attacks on religious sites in Britain.
It firmly rejected “acts of terrorism, which constitute a flagrant violation of the sanctity of houses of worship”.
“Attacking places of worship is a form of terrorism and extremism that threatens peace and stability within societies,” it said.
The council also warned against the rise of hate speech, racism, extremism and Islamophobia. It urged the international community to join efforts to promote tolerance and peaceful coexistence.
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
FIXTURES
All times UAE ( 4 GMT)
Saturday
Fiorentina v Torino (8pm)
Hellas Verona v Roma (10.45pm)
Sunday
Parma v Napoli (2.30pm)
Genoa v Crotone (5pm)
Sassuolo v Cagliari (8pm)
Juventus v Sampdoria (10.45pm)
Monday
AC Milan v Bologna (10.45om)
Playing September 30
Benevento v Inter Milan (8pm)
Udinese v Spezia (8pm)
Lazio v Atalanta (10.45pm)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
Company Profile
Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
Current number of staff: More than 150
Funds raised: $22 million
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
THE BIO: Martin Van Almsick
Hometown: Cologne, Germany
Family: Wife Hanan Ahmed and their three children, Marrah (23), Tibijan (19), Amon (13)
Favourite dessert: Umm Ali with dark camel milk chocolate flakes
Favourite hobby: Football
Breakfast routine: a tall glass of camel milk
The alternatives
• Founded in 2014, Telr is a payment aggregator and gateway with an office in Silicon Oasis. It’s e-commerce entry plan costs Dh349 monthly (plus VAT). QR codes direct customers to an online payment page and merchants can generate payments through messaging apps.
• Business Bay’s Pallapay claims 40,000-plus active merchants who can invoice customers and receive payment by card. Fees range from 1.99 per cent plus Dh1 per transaction depending on payment method and location, such as online or via UAE mobile.
• Tap started in May 2013 in Kuwait, allowing Middle East businesses to bill, accept, receive and make payments online “easier, faster and smoother” via goSell and goCollect. It supports more than 10,000 merchants. Monthly fees range from US$65-100, plus card charges of 2.75-3.75 per cent and Dh1.2 per sale.
• 2checkout’s “all-in-one payment gateway and merchant account” accepts payments in 200-plus markets for 2.4-3.9 per cent, plus a Dh1.2-Dh1.8 currency conversion charge. The US provider processes online shop and mobile transactions and has 17,000-plus active digital commerce users.
• PayPal is probably the best-known online goods payment method - usually used for eBay purchases - but can be used to receive funds, providing everyone’s signed up. Costs from 2.9 per cent plus Dh1.2 per transaction.
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
Men from Barca's class of 99
Crystal Palace - Frank de Boer
Everton - Ronald Koeman
Manchester City - Pep Guardiola
Manchester United - Jose Mourinho
Southampton - Mauricio Pellegrino
