CHECK-IN
Regis Saadiyat Island Resort Abu Dhabi’s handy location makes it good for stopovers, however its amenities are designed to attraction to long-stay company. Just 20 minutes’ drive from the airport and 10 minutes from downtown, Saadiyat Island is being reworked into a serious leisure vacation spot. Its clear seaside, lined with powdery white sand, is named one of the best seaside within the United Arab Emirates and you’ll find a few of Abu Dhabi’s greatest accommodations right here, together with the St Regis Saadiyat Island Resort.
THE LOOK
Banish all ideas of blinged-up Middle Eastern interiors. The St Regis model is thought for its refined design sensibility and this lodge is not any exception, utilizing luxe supplies in a pared-back palette. Instead, it’s the hovering scale of the lodge that makes an influence right here, notably on arrival, if you find yourself met with views throughout the gardens and swimming pools to the seaside past, framed by triple-height home windows. A way of place comes courtesy of Middle Eastern motifs scattered with a lightweight contact – within the lighting fixtures, for example, and within the delicate etchings on the again of the elevator doorways.
THE ROOM
My suite is extra of an condominium, with separate lounge and sleeping areas, an outsized rest room with separate bathtub and bathe, views out throughout the water and a small balcony. St Regis accommodations are recognized for his or her butler service, and never lengthy after I arrive one of many crew knocks on my door to introduce themselves. As is more and more frequent throughout the luxurious sector, WhatsApp is the really helpful option to contact them, they usually reply promptly to each request, whether or not it’s printing a doc or delivering some service baggage. One small contact I respect within the room is that the mini-bar has been left empty, permitting you to fill it with your personal drinks and snacks as an alternative of counting on the lodge’s choice.
FOOD + DRINK
Apart from its beachside location, the St Regis’ glorious meals and beverage providing could also be its largest promoting level. There are six separate eating places together with Olio, the Mediterranean restaurant that serves up a breakfast buffet that’s extraordinary even by Middle Eastern requirements. Other highlights embrace the Greek restaurant, Maki – attempt their very good roast aubergine – and Signature 3, serving gentle bites together with a wonderful rooster salad on a shady verandah. On a balmy night, sit back on the beachside Buddha Bar, the place Asian-inspired bites are accompanied by cool beats. Opt for one of many tables on the sand, kick off your footwear, and savour the tropical resort vibe.
OUT + ABOUT
Among the company I chat to, many confess to hardly ever leaving the resort, preferring to chill out on the deckchairs on the seaside or within the cabanas by the varied swimming pools that supply each type of swim expertise, from family-friendly splash swimming pools to lap swimming pools. Golfers will love the truth that the 18-hole Gary Player-designed Saadiyat Beach Golf Club is true subsequent door. If you might be eager to discover, nonetheless, there may be loads inside straightforward attain, together with the Louvre Abu Dhabi.
THE VERDICT
Location, service, fantastic meals, and a seaside thrown in – St Regis Saadiyat Island ticks all of the bins.
ESSENTIALS
Rates from $700 an evening . See st-regis.marriott.com
HIGHLIGHT
The beachside setting and the abundance of eating choices provides this lodge a laidback resort vibe.
LOWLIGHT
In a lodge advanced this measurement, some individuals could really feel there may be an excessive amount of strolling concerned – though I really like the chance to stretch my legs when it is too sizzling outdoors for a stroll.
OUR RATING OUT OF FIVE
★★★★
Ute Junker was a visitor of St Regis Hotels.
Source: traveller.com.au