Sharjah – just the name reminds you of amazing cricket matches between India and Pakistan played since the ’80s! The city in the middle of the desert had the unique distinction of hosting maximum number of Cricket One Day Internationals in the world! Now Sharjah has become the gateway to the Arab world and it’s main tourist attraction too! If you are ever around Sharjah either for transit or for visit, you must absolutely visit Centro Sharjah which is one of the best and affordable hotels in the area.
If you alight in Sharjah International Airport, either to catch a transit flight or to go to Dubai and Abu Dhabi, it would be worth your while to have a layover stay at Rotana’s Centro Sharjah hotel just adjacent to the airport. What I liked as soon as I entered was the huge atrium which was very inviting and spacious. It had lot of elements of the Arab world like palm trees, exquisite paintings and was really cool even in the hot Arab summer.
Perched in close proximity to the Sharjah International airport and the SAIF zone business hub, the hotel is the perfect haven for the next generation traveller offering style, sophistication and value. Centro by Rotana won the Best Budget Hotel in 2012 during the Business Travellers Award Middle East. It’s not too tough to understand why. The rooms are spacious for 1 or 2 travelers who are primarily traveling on business or are going via transit. The rooms were very tastefully done with artistic decor and drapes.
The hotel features 306 meticulously designed rooms and suits, WiFi access all throughout, chic meeting rooms and a dedicated team for bespoke catering services. This is in addition to the fully equipped gymnasium overlooking the temperature regulated swimming pool with plush landscapes. This is the view of the hotel atrium from the 4th floor where we were staying. The lighting in the night was quite beautiful too.
The Centro Sharjah dining experience emphasises on serving a delicious array of world cuisine for breakfast, lunch and dinner at c.taste, the all day dining restaurant. The gamut of food on display was very good. There was not just Arab food but also continental, Chinese and Indian food too.
It was wonderful to be delighted by the culinary expertise of Centro Sharjah’s chefs who delighted us with visually captivating live cooking stations. One of the live cooking stations I enjoyed was where they were frying the fish right in front of us on the grills which added to the amazing taste.
There was also a coffee shop called c.deli (Where I relaxed). This newly refurbished 24 hours delicatessen is the perfect synthesis between a take away and fast food joint with both indoor and alfresco seating. The menu had a wide offering of salads, sandwiches, bakery items and desserts.
Centro Sharjah is uniquely located adjacent to Sharjah International Airport and close to the business districts of Sharjah. The hotel is just 15 minutes away from the city centre. It features 306 rooms classified as Classic Room, Classic Studio, One Bedroom Suite, Classic Studio Plus and One Bedroom Suite Plus. Check out Centro Sharjah website for amazing promotions & offers including Ramadan Sale, giveaways and rewards programs.