Catering And Events For All Budgets: Holiday Inn Has It All

We know how hard it can be to find the perfect venue for events. The room needs to be big enough (but not too big); have great light (but not too stark); and most importantly, have great food (but not with a massive price tag). We think we’ve found just the place that ticks all those boxes and more.

We recently visited Holiday Inn on Airport Road to check out the Al Dana Ballroom and all it has to offer, and the first thing that struck us was the fantastic light! The panoramic windows provide the perfect setting for daytime or evening events, and the room can comfortably hold up to 170 people (150 with a stage).

The accommodating chefs prepared a sample of the food available for events and external catering so we could tell you all what to expect when you book this space. The appetizers we tried included two types of skewers: a fresh and tasty turkey, olive & tomato; and watermelon, feta & mint, the fruit contrasting perfectly with the tang of the cheese and freshness of the mint.

Next up was a beautifully balanced bruschetta. The exceptionally fresh tomatoes and basil combined with crusty bread meant that we had to sample quite a few … just to be sure!

The mezze platter was excellent and perfect for any kind of gathering and the fragrant biriyani platter had us oohing and ahhing before we even took a bite- the golden chicken tasted as good as it looked (and smelt!)

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Then followed a great range of desserts that would tempt even the most restrained diner. The strawberry & vanilla cake had layers upon layers of light, airy sponge and vanilla cream, all encased in a dark chocolate shell and topped with juicy strawberries - this is something we would order from the hotel for a special occasion too. The exceptionally well-textured carrot cake would rival the best – so much so that I checked that you can also buy it in the coffee shop (you can!).

A decadent lotus cheesecake that had us reaching for just one more bite, and the rich red velvet cake parcels were just too easy to keep popping into our mouths.

Macarons with just the right amount of chewiness, a toffee cake topped with zesty blueberries, and a delicate tiramisu, continued to showcase the skills of the pastry chef.

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Whether you‘re looking for a formal setup, a casual buffet, a party, or a meeting - the team at Holiday Inn will be able to come up with something that meets your needs and budget, and with packages starting at just AED85 per person, we think this is a great value option.

Location: Holiday Inn

Bookings: +971 503 756424/ sales.hiaabudhabi@ihg.com

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