Abu Dhabi hotel is draw for wildlife lovers, says manager Ali Salih

Abu Dhabi, 13 March 2006: Following a year of study and photography, Mirfa Hotel has issued two environmental books on the native bird and plant life surrounding the popular weekend resort.

Set on an island, the hotel's lush grounds are a natural haven for many indigenous species, and general manager Ali Salih has carefully documented the details of the seldom-seen varieties in a set of books for guests to enjoy during their visit to the property.

According to Salih, guests are flocking to Mirfa for a glimpse of Arabia's natural beauty in surroundings far from the dust, haze and noise of big city construction.

He said: "So few people have experienced the natural wildlife of Arabia. Our work and schedules don't often permit us to slow down and see more than just sand in the desert. These environmental books are educational as much as they are interesting to discover the subtle wonders of nature in our own back yard."

The 50-room hotel is located 160 kilometres from the capital where Abu Dhabi's west coast shelters a peaceful refuge for some of Arabia's finest flora and fauna. The emirate of Abu Dhabi, through the policies of the late President His Highness Sheikh Zayed, has long had an ecological lean towards implementing various reforestation and environmental tactics.

With a considerable amount of development and construction taking place throughout the country Salih touches on the importance of maintaining tradition, heritage and the environment.

He said: "Many of our plants and animals are already lost from the region and unfortunately numerous species are extinct as little as only 20 or 30 years ago. Documenting the flora and fauna in their natural habitat through descriptions, photographs and drawings helps protect and preserve our environmental heritage from one generation to the next.

"And you never know, some of the species, such as the honey badgers, may just reappear from the 'missing in action' list as more people become educated in what they are looking at."

Mirfa Hotel plans to expand upon their environmental cache with guided nature walks, interactive children's activities and garden teas in order to make the environment a part of the guests' daily lives while staying at the resort. Already avid bird watchers have made Mirfa Hotel a weekend base for expeditions and Salih expects interest to grow.

He said: "Our guests are becoming more in touch with their ecological surroundings. Mirfa Hotel offers a peaceful retreat from the city and here, the only sounds to break the silence are natural ones."

Mirfa Hotel offers competitive winter rates and complimentary leisure and recreation facilities for overnight guests. Access to the golf and putting greens, as well as two floodlit tennis courts, a volleyball court and fitness facilities are all included during their stay. A swimming pool, along with a climate-controlled child's pool and play area, round up the activities for the whole family.

Mirfa Hotel has a variety of dining experiences from the Al Manara restaurant and the Sports Pub & Lounge with live entertainment, to 24-hour room service for those who prefer to dine en suite. A swim-up pool bar quenches the thirst of guests soaking up the sun.

Mirfa Hotel is managed by Danat Hotels & Resorts, a division of the National Corporation of Tourism & Hotels based in Abu Dhabi. 

-Ends-

Notes to the editor:
Danat Hotels & Resorts, a division of the Abu Dhabi-based National Corporation for Tourism & Hotels (NCT&H) manages two five-star resorts, the Danat Resort Jebel Dhanna and the Al Raha Beach Hotel, as well as a cluster of four-star properties in the emirate, including Mirfa Hotel. The hotels are either owned and/or managed by the group, or where the group is the owner-representative. 

The National Corporation for Tourism & Hotels (NCT&H) was formed in 1996 in response to the need to develop both tourism and commerce in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), especially Abu Dhabi.  

The Corporation was formed as a semi-government organisation. NCT&H's primary objective is to promote Abu Dhabi as an international destination, manage hotels and provide transportation and industrial catering services.

Contact for media information:
Kirstie Hepburn / Mohamed Tawil
Euro RSCG Furness for Mirfa Hotel
tel +971 4 3903030;
email kirstie.hepburn@eurorscgfurness.com

© Press Release 2006