Hotelier's Unsung Hero's Cinderella story

The Burj Al Arab Team Leader for Laundry, Anees Abubacker picked up Hotelier's Unsung Hero of the Year award at the Hotelier Middle East Awards.

He was praised for accommodating specific guest requests with a can-do attitude and his colleagues described him as a genius who looks on anything that others might see as a challenge as an opportunity.

He said: "We always try to do our best for the guests and ensure the same level of service for them all."

Abubacker added: "I can't tell you what this award means... it is very big, I am very happy. This award will make me do even more in the future."

The first Highly Commended Unsung Hero was Khaled Aziz, who was praised for his dedication to the Crowne Plaza Dubai family and for welcoming every guest with a smile over the past 14 years. 

The second Highly Commended Unsung Hero was Malik Khudaksh, who worked for InterContinental Dubai for 37 years before moving to InterContinental Dubai Festival City in 2007 as a bell supervisor for the pre-opening.