Creative Adwa Bader on Solving Writer’s Block in Dubai

Actress Adwa Bader reveals how a life spent travelling has fuelled her creativity – and shares the sheer joy of shopping in Dubai

Does a childhood spanning cultures make a person more creative? To judge by 26-year-old multidisciplinary artist and actress Adwa Bader, you’d be inclined to say it does. Born in Florida to Saudi parents, Adwa and her family moved to Riyadh when she was nine. She has since worn a variety of creative hats, from acting and screenwriting to publishing a book of poetry.

Of course, you don’t have to cross continents to reap the benefits of travel. With the promise of new experiences from sights and sounds to aromas and flavours, even a weekend break can work wonders. Indeed, Adwa started on her poetry book while on a train trip through Canada: “The train ride was amazing, just seeing all the beautiful Canadian greenery.”

The story of the muse and the hotel

Hotels can inspire in a similar sort of way, especially when they’re full of surprises. With their bold design, immersive architecture and seize-the-moment energy, W Hotels have a flair for inspiring their guests to see things with fresh eyes. And a breakthrough is exactly what Adwa needs in her Hotel Tale, where she puts on a show of struggling with writer’s block.

W Hotels have a flair for inspiring their guests (Credits: Marriott International)

In the film, part of a series of shorts that playfully explores W Hotels’ tendency to spark the unfiltered and unexpected, it’s W Dubai – Mina Seyahi that comes to Adwa’s rescue, replacing writer’s block with a flurry of bright ideas.

Lobby vibes at W Dubai – Mina Seyahi: a modern souk brought to life with floating glass pages and bold Arabian-inspired art. (Credits: Marriott International)

Of course, to go by Adwa’s output so far, writer’s block does not come calling very often. Here her upbringing, uncommonly empowering by all accounts, must have helped.

But on the relatively rare occasions when the muse is being evasive, Adwa adopts a mindful approach. “I just let everything go,” she explains. “I let go of the desperation to know, and once I let go of that desperate longing for creativity, I sit with myself as an empty vessel. Then it just comes back to me.”

Travel has taught Adwa how to get in touch with her inner self. (Credits: Marriott International)

It’s a gift she nurtured on one of her more remarkable trips. “I did a silent retreat in the dark for thirty days in the Tibetan mountains,” she recalls. “What it taught me is how to get closer to myself. It opened up my eyes to the world. Not having a voice and not being able to see really had me cleanse my inner realm.”

A glimpse of the universal

Inspiration for Adwa doesn’t always require such far-flung adventures. It also responds to the everyday. “People-watching is something I’ve always done, especially in childhood when I spent so much time in hotels. Even just seeing an old couple sitting together can spark an idea for me.” With its sumptuously comfortable lobby, all antique Arabian carpets and jewelled flourishes, W Dubai – Mina Seyahi is perfect for those who love to sit back and observe – as Adwa discovered during her stay.

Dubai, a melting pot of cultures, holds a special place in Adwa’s heart. (Credits: Marriott International)

The beauty of people-watching is that it teases out the timeless elements of human behaviour. The little looks and gestures you’ll notice whether you’re in Saudi or Texas, another of Adwa’s early homes. The habit cultivated in Adwa a passion for seeing beyond people’s surface differences, a universality she explores in the characters she writes.

“Moving forward into the future, I see the new world having a mixture of both Western and Eastern cultures,” Adwa says. “That’s just how it is. It's a blend.”

The UAE’s biggest city, home to W Dubai – Mina Seyahi, might be the epitome of this blend. “What draws me to Dubai is that it's a melting pot of cultures,” Adwa continues. “You can find any kind of world there, whether you're a morning person, night person, whether you're a souk person or a luxury shopping person. You can find anything there, and it's very similar to Saudi in that sense.”

The hotel is situated in the heart of the Marina and offers unobstructed views from each over the Arabian Gulf (Credits: Marriott International)

This melding of old and new cultures is exemplified by Dubai’s shopping scene, which Adwa adores. On her visit to the city to film her Hotel Tale, she fell in love with the centuries-old Deira Old Souk. But she also waxes lyrical about the utterly modern Dubai Mall. “I found this runway piece by Dior there, a butterfly pearl choker, and I am so grateful that I found it. You find things at Dubai Mall that you won’t find anywhere else. It's so fashion forward and they have limited pieces.”

E WOW Suite at W Dubai – Mina Seyahi: bold design, sweeping views, and ultimate luxury (Credits: Marriott International)

But in everything for Adwa, it all comes back to family. “I wish I could put them in my pocket and take them everywhere with me,” she says. “Even though the world has opened my eyes to different aspects of fashion, my mother is my fashion inspiration – she's the queen – and my most-cherished item is my grandmother's scarf, her shayla, which is made from 100% Saudi silk. It reminds me that she has always been my biggest supporter.”

W Hotels, part of Marriott Bonvoy’s portfolio of over 30 hotel brands, unveils its Hotel Tales series in Europe and the Middle East. Shot in an editorial-documentary style and released on Instagram, the brand content series captures the spontaneous, unfiltered, “You just had to be there” moments that unfold when travel plans give way to the unexpected energy of W Hotels. Watch Adwa’s video here.

Published: November 27, 2025

Last Updated: November 28, 2025