Dubai: Tears welled up in the eyes of Khalid Nazir Mir, Metropolitan's telephone manager, who said his whole life centred around this Hotel.
"When I heard about the demolition, it was as if my own house was going to be no more," he choked.
He has been with the property for the past 26 years. "My children were born here. We live behind the hotel premises," said Mir who joined the hotel on March 1, 1986.
At the front door of the hotel, the job of the doorman has been held by members of one Pakistani family over the years. Before Syed Hussain Shah, who worked as the doorman and is now a valet driver, his father, a retired army man, held the position for 20 years.
‘Tough work'
The father, Syed Taib Hussain Shah, with his luxurious moustache, was the staff member the hotel guests saw first. He has retired now.
His son says guests come to this hotel from across the globe and some will not stay anywhere else in Dubai.
Hussain's uncle is now the doormen. Syed Shabbir wears a top hat, an elaborate uniform and also sports an elaborate moustache, like his brother. "It's tough working as a doorman," says Shabbir, who earlier worked in Islamabad as a chemist. "It gets very hot in summer and in winters, it's very cold," he said.
He advises guests where to go when they want to explore Dubai and sends them to Dubai Mall or Meena Bazaar, he said. Over the years he has learned to speak a few sentences of English. His nephew meanwhile, also works for the group, at Al Habtoor Grand.
Tariq Khurshid, senior credit supervisor, has been with the hotel for 34 years. He came to Dubai three months before the opening of the Hotel.
"Shaikh Zayed Road had two lanes then and there was sand all around. The first patrons were employees of Gulf News and Kodak, across the road," he said.
‘My family'
He said he could walk down to Jumeirah across the Shaikh Zayed Road. Khurshid started out as a waiter at the hotel. "What I am today is entirely due to the opportunities provided by the management. He said he had the good fortune to serve many esteemed guests including Shaikh Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum.
The hotel's history of mentoring is further illustrated when Crasto Arthur, the Indian assistant head of Concierge, said he joined as housekeeping personnel.
"The management trained me. My boss Khalaf Al Habtoor, chairman of Al Habtoor Group, has helped me many times. I pray for his success. I am sad and upset that after all these years, I have to leave behind a hotel that has been my family."
