Al Aqah is in the top 3 Le Meridien properties in the Middle East, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2006 Middle East Hotel Satisfaction Index Study-- Wave 3 released recently. The study, which is conducted annually, ranks all Le Meridien hotels in the region based on a number of criteria including food, dining and bar, check-in check out, guest room, hotel services and hotel facilities.

Coming 2nd in the region, Al Aqah steadily increased its score against the previous wave for overall guest experience, and beat the regional and corporate average in all categories for guest rooms, including cleanliness of room, comfort of bed, in-room entertainment, bathroom amenities and decor. It also beat the Le Meridien average in all categories under hotel services scoring high for security and safety and helpfulness of staff.

“As the industry gets more competitive, we realize the importance of providing guests with a more all-inclusive experience when they stay at Al Aqah. The results of the survey reflect their appreciation for the improvements we’ve made to hotel services and facilities. Guests get all the comforts of home when they stay at our hotel,” said Patrick Antaki, general manager, Le Meridien Al Aqah.

“This achievement is all the more remarkable when you consider the fact that the hotel is only 3 years old,” he added.

Additional guest services that have been implemented at the resort in the past year include the opening of the Nail Spa and the popular Indian restaurant Swaad. Daily diving trips to Musandam and a wider range of spa treatments have also added to the allure of Al Aqah.

The hotel is also the first tourism related property on the East Coast to be recognized and certified for its outstanding quality standards, having achieved the ISO 9001:2000 (International Organization for Standardization) certification last year.

Recently awarded the title of Middle East’s Leading Beach Resort at the prestigious World Travel Awards (WTA), the hotel has not only become the preferred regional property for the outbound leisure segment in key European markets but has also made key inroads in the Middle East market for weekend getaways and residential conferences.

“This recognition is shared with the hotel staff who work tirelessly to deliver unparalleled levels of customer service and have played a significant role in taking Al Aqah to the top,” added Antaki.

J.D. Power and Associates is a global marketing information firm that conducts independent and unbiased surveys of customer satisfaction, product quality and buyer behavior.