Featured image: Abidos Hotel Dubailand photographed during my visit to Dubai in March 2015. Laura Vanessa Nunes stayed at the hotel during the final weeks of her life, and documentary evidence relating to her accommodation forms an important part of the evidentiary record.
Abidos Hotel: Physical Evidence from Laura’s Personal Effects
Laura’s handbag, the only personal item returned to me shortly after her death, was sent to me on 7 January 2015. Two empty white envelopes, a gold Abidos Hotel bill folder and luggage ticket were discovered among the contents of Laura Vanessa Nunes’ handbag, the only personal item returned to me shortly after her death. At the time, Dubai Police maintained that they did not know where Laura had been staying in Dubai. These items provided the first tangible indication that Laura had been staying at a hotel and ultimately contributed to identifying the Abidos Hotel Dubailand as her place of accommodation.
Three consecutive hotel invoices document Laura Vanessa Nunes’ stay at Abidos Hotel Dubailand during October and November 2014. Together with the hotel envelopes, bill folder and luggage ticket, they were later used in the process of recovering Laura’s luggage and personal effects.
Two Empty White Envelopes
Gold Bill Folder
Luggage Ticket
Luggage ticket issued by Abidos Hotel Dubailand on 16 November 2014, documenting luggage handling associated with Room 309 during check-out. The ticket bears the notation “C/O” (Check Out). The ticket remained attached to one of Laura’s suitcases and was returned to South Africa with her luggage in February 2015.
Luggage Inventory
The inventory identifies Room 309 and lists numerous personal belongings, including electronic devices, clothing, books and personal effects. The inventory also contains entries for “2 debit cards” and “Passport (Portugal)” alongside a notation referring to the police.
Luggage Ticket
Hotel Correspondence
Introduction
Following the recovery of physical evidence indicating that Laura may have been staying at Abidos Hotel Dubailand, I contacted the hotel seeking clarification regarding her accommodation, bookings and personal belongings.
Extract
“9 Jan 2015. My daughter, Laura Vanessa Nunes, was staying in Room 309 at the time of her death at 6.45pm Dubai time on 16 November 2014. Please would you let me know what happened to her belongings…”
Extract
29 January 2015, from Abidos Hotel. “Miss/Laura made booking with hotel reservation from 18.10.2014 to 19.10.14 ,from 19.10.2014 to 23.10.14 from booking.com and from 23.10.2014 to 16.11.2014 the booking was with our hotel reservation.We confirm that…”
Extract
18 February 2015. from Abidos Hotel. “Please find the attached copy of hotel invoice which we hand over to Dubai Police by our room division director on 11.02.15…”
Booking.com Review Request
This automated email was sent to Laura’s Yahoo email account on 18 November 2014, two days after her death. The booking appears under one of the alternative names Laura occasionally used. The email forms part of the documentary record relating to Laura’s accommodation at Abidos Hotel Dubailand.
Photographic Evidence
Two photographs retained on Laura Vanessa Nunes’ mobile telephone contain GPS metadata linking them to Abidos Hotel Dubailand during her stay in Dubai.
GPS Metadata
GPS coordinates embedded in the original image (EXIF metadata): 25.08928, 55.37985 (WGS‑84).
Description
The GPS metadata embedded within the original image links the photograph to the vicinity of Abidos Hotel Dubailand and forms part of the documentary record relating to Laura Vanessa Nunes’ accommodation in Dubai during October and November 2014.
GPS Metadata
GPS coordinates embedded in the original image (EXIF metadata): 25.08928, 55.37981 (WGS‑84).
The GPS metadata embedded within the original image links the photograph to the vicinity of Abidos Hotel Dubailand and forms part of the documentary record relating to Laura Vanessa Nunes’ accommodation in Dubai during October and November 2014.
Conclusion
Taken together, the physical items, hotel records, Booking.com correspondence, luggage documentation, photographs and associated communications establish Laura Vanessa Nunes’ accommodation at Abidos Hotel Dubailand during the final weeks of her life in Dubai. These records form an important part of the documentary evidence relating to her whereabouts immediately prior to her death.
Additional correspondence relating to Laura’s accommodation, personal belongings and the recovery of her luggage is discussed in Suicide at the Burj Khalifa and preserved within the documentary archive.
Further Reading
Suicide at the Burj Khalifa
The full narrative surrounding Laura’s stay at Abidos Hotel Dubailand, the recovery of her belongings, correspondence with the hotel, and subsequent investigation is documented in Suicide at the Burj Khalifa.
N.B. The Abidos Hotel Al Barsha transitioned to Icon Delux Hotel Apartments.