In a digital world, it was inevitable that the 9-5 office routine would go the way of the woolly mammoth. Unshackled from the bonds of stuffy offices, business owners, entrepreneurs and creatives alike can choose work wherever they please, from castaway coffee shops to urban escapes like 25hours Hotel Dubai, where the traditional hotel lobby has been reimagined as a creative and collaborative environment that’s purposefully pitched for work, rest and play.
Beneath a spectacular mural called Under the Same Sky by Polish artist Dominik Bulka, the lobby is dotted with digital nomads tapping away at laptops and tablets, colourful cups of coffee from Nightjar Coffee beside them. Base yourself on the long workstation beside the entrance and you’ll have front-row seats for the diverse parade of characters that come and go throughout the day.
Take advantage of Dubai’s gentle Spring temperatures and head for the terrace at Nomad Day Bar, where fresh, made-to-order sandwiches and sweet pastries tantalise long before the clock strikes lunchtime. Inside, large L-shaped sofas present an irresistible opportunity for a midday nap or a cosy afternoon spent sharing ideas with co-workers and impromptu business meetings.
A trip up the spiralled, pine-coloured staircase reveals fully kitted out co-working spaces with comfortable leather stools and black spotlights for those who need to put in some extra hours after dark. Organise a team workday out and inspire creativity in one of the meeting rooms that are decked out with stereos, guitars and model cars as well as obligatory wide screens. Next door, The Gallery cafe is on hand to provide caffeine-based sustenance to get you through the day.
Should writer’s block strike or if it’s simply time for a break, wander over to the Analogue Circus on the first floor for some retro decompression. Vienna-based analog concept store Supersense’s ode to the eighties and nineties sees more than 500 vinyl records stacked on shelves and a Walkman Station for a mid-afternoon mellow-out. Better yet, childhood memories can be revived by burning your favourite tunes on a compact disc for later listening.
Those who want an extended break can hop on the arcade machines where Pac-Man continues his eternal struggle against the four-coloured ghosts of Blinky, Pinky, Inky and Clyde. Or if a complete digital detox is needed, curl up in a gargantuan hanging swing basket with a book selected from the 5,000 available from the elaborate Fountain of Tales, a conceptual library that dominates the lobby.
When work is done, there are decisions to be made. Say Prost! to Bavaria-inspired Ernst Biergarten, where hearty German dishes and European pop anthems reign supreme alongside foosball and ping-pong tables; or kick back in the jungle with an animalistic cocktail and sunset at rooftop venue Monkey Bar, which offers views of Downtown Dubai’s skyline and the jaw-dropping Museum of The Future. Alternatively, grab some popcorn and a seat at independent picture-house Cinema Akil in the hotel’s courtyard and enjoy cult-hits from yesteryear and the latest indie showings on an outdoor screen.
‘Don’t mix work and play!’ they said. They clearly haven’t been to 25hours Hotel Dubai.