WITH a reputation for the occasional dolphin sighting and one of the UAE’s most natural beaches Saadiyat Island is already somewhere special.
Now thanks to the opening of Saadiyat Rotana Resort & Villas there’s a stunning new location from which to enjoy these wonders.
Now thanks to the opening of Saadiyat Rotana Resort & Villas there’s a stunning new location from which to enjoy these wonders.
Recently opened and occupying a prime beachfront site, Saadiyat Rotana Resort & Villas is a signature address in this homegrown hotel group's portfolio.
While its mix of modern Arabic design and contemporary features mark the resort out from many staycation challengers, its use of location underlines the appeal.
Wooden and matted boardwalks link the hotel to a white sand shoreline, passing over protected dunes that remain fertile as nesting territory for challenged turtle species.
While its mix of modern Arabic design and contemporary features mark the resort out from many staycation challengers, its use of location underlines the appeal.
Wooden and matted boardwalks link the hotel to a white sand shoreline, passing over protected dunes that remain fertile as nesting territory for challenged turtle species.
While they’ve made their much-photographed breeding journey for this year, the small grassy bumps remind that Saadiyat is more than simply another beach destination.
That said, surfboards and calm waters make this an ideal paddle-boarding location while there’s a general under-populated peacefulness to this stretch of the Abu Dhabi coast. You can hire equipment on-site or simply soak up the ebb of the waves from loungers a short hop from the sea.
That said, surfboards and calm waters make this an ideal paddle-boarding location while there’s a general under-populated peacefulness to this stretch of the Abu Dhabi coast. You can hire equipment on-site or simply soak up the ebb of the waves from loungers a short hop from the sea.
POOL ALL: This new resort features a hugely generous swimming area, complete with turtles, suitable for everybody
Directly out back of the hotel is a generous pool area, flanked by lawns and trees, and served by a central swim-up bar for snacks and refreshments.
Plentiful loungers and cabanas line a huge swimming area that is ripe for all demographics; with a strong lifeguard presence ensuring it is perfect for young families.
Little cool boxes with complimentary local water is a nice touch, as is the towel design. Both the latter and poolside turtle waterspouts pay homage to the protected and private residents of this island and the nearby dunes.
This also extends to the name of the hotel’s signature restaurant.
Come sunset, Turtle Bay Bar & Grill takes on a cool ambience as subtle lighting illuminates the pool and strategic beams around the building pick out its eye-catching architecture.
Plentiful loungers and cabanas line a huge swimming area that is ripe for all demographics; with a strong lifeguard presence ensuring it is perfect for young families.
Little cool boxes with complimentary local water is a nice touch, as is the towel design. Both the latter and poolside turtle waterspouts pay homage to the protected and private residents of this island and the nearby dunes.
This also extends to the name of the hotel’s signature restaurant.
Come sunset, Turtle Bay Bar & Grill takes on a cool ambience as subtle lighting illuminates the pool and strategic beams around the building pick out its eye-catching architecture.
TURTLE BLISS: Great food and refreshments beckon inside and beside the pool at signature F&B outlet Turtle Bay
A thorough, but not over-facing menu includes melt-in-the-mouth beef Carpaccio, beautifully fresh crab, perfectly seared yellow fin tuna steak and Chilean sea bass, lit up by some well-imagined sauces, respectively the tomato and caper and lobster and tarragon. Mashed potato here is so good it’ll leave you craving more.
Seating is inside and out, the former including a bar boasting some clever cocktails and speciality gins.
You’ll also find the latter at Hamilton’s Gastropub.
This urban meets industrial-themed venue mixes brick walls and steelwork and US-style bar area with pull-up stools while TVs for sport viewing and a mix of seating areas allow you to be as cosy or sociable as you wish.
The same can be said of the stylish and fairly epic space occupied by impressive new dining concept Si Ristorante Italiano & Bar.
Seating is inside and out, the former including a bar boasting some clever cocktails and speciality gins.
You’ll also find the latter at Hamilton’s Gastropub.
This urban meets industrial-themed venue mixes brick walls and steelwork and US-style bar area with pull-up stools while TVs for sport viewing and a mix of seating areas allow you to be as cosy or sociable as you wish.
The same can be said of the stylish and fairly epic space occupied by impressive new dining concept Si Ristorante Italiano & Bar.
URBAN HANGOUT: Design again triumphs in Hamilton's Gastropub where sports and music add to the vibe
This blend of concrete finishes and funky artwork is populated with booths and standalone tables with a very high ceiling that the pizza oven chimney reaches on one side of the restaurant.
Led with enthusiasm by general manager Mario, this high-end establishment offers a consummate menu that includes Italian staples of pizza and pasta, but also scours other regions of the country for more sophisticated and rustic flavours.
Many highlights lurk, but we found particular joy in the lamb meatballs in a rich pomodoro sauce and chicken liver pate with pomegranate molasses and stewed grapes, while ossobuco Milanese, braised veal shanks with saffron risotto was classy comfort food in keeping with the surroundings.
Save room for dolci a finire – aka dessert – which includes the mini cannoli filled with sweetened ricotta, chocolate chips and maraschino cherries and some clean-tasting gelato.
Led with enthusiasm by general manager Mario, this high-end establishment offers a consummate menu that includes Italian staples of pizza and pasta, but also scours other regions of the country for more sophisticated and rustic flavours.
Many highlights lurk, but we found particular joy in the lamb meatballs in a rich pomodoro sauce and chicken liver pate with pomegranate molasses and stewed grapes, while ossobuco Milanese, braised veal shanks with saffron risotto was classy comfort food in keeping with the surroundings.
Save room for dolci a finire – aka dessert – which includes the mini cannoli filled with sweetened ricotta, chocolate chips and maraschino cherries and some clean-tasting gelato.
SI FOR YOURSELF: Say yes to Si and experience classy Italian cuisine in a super stylish modern setting
Authenticity is taken the extra yard by a dedicated cheese and charcuterie counter and there’s a contemporary buzz that makes this place great for groups as well as couples.
As with the other outlets in the resort, menu prices do the 'Dubai thing' of already including taxes so you don’t get any shocks when the bill lands.
Sim Sim provides a broader option as the hotel’s all-day dining international restaurant.
It is here that you also have breakfast; an extensive affair that majors on its baked goods section, good fruits and yoghurts and cooked choices that include Asian dishes.
Above all that, though, there are the guest bedrooms and the designers have infused contemporary colour and material palates with subtle Arabic touches and artistic flourishes.
As with the other outlets in the resort, menu prices do the 'Dubai thing' of already including taxes so you don’t get any shocks when the bill lands.
Sim Sim provides a broader option as the hotel’s all-day dining international restaurant.
It is here that you also have breakfast; an extensive affair that majors on its baked goods section, good fruits and yoghurts and cooked choices that include Asian dishes.
Above all that, though, there are the guest bedrooms and the designers have infused contemporary colour and material palates with subtle Arabic touches and artistic flourishes.
PLUSH QUARTERS: Modern features and warm colours combine for comfort and calm at this stand-out capital resort
Accommodation feels modern yet warm, with calming shades that give way to – in our case – a stylish bathroom separated from the bedroom by a sliding screen for privacy or inclusion.
Cute black Noir shampoos and gels add further sophistication while a balcony lets you take in the cooler night air.
All in all, Saadiyat Rotana Resort & Villas is a triumphant destination for the Abu Dhabi hotel group; surely set to enjoy the kind of impact The Cove Rotana had on its arrival in RAK.
It is a large resort that is as befitting romantic couples seeking private enclaves as it is young families looking to reconnect in the pool, at Aladdin’s Cave kids club or in the seclusion of a dedicated beach-front villa with dedicated pool.
Rotana’s Saadiyat entry balances smart and sassy with a fun side; stylish design with a sense of surroundings and the right amount of luxury without feeling stiff.
From the lobby glass floor displays of sands from different emirates to the stand-out F&B options and blissful shoreline, this a place that will stick in your mind long after you've departed.
Cute black Noir shampoos and gels add further sophistication while a balcony lets you take in the cooler night air.
All in all, Saadiyat Rotana Resort & Villas is a triumphant destination for the Abu Dhabi hotel group; surely set to enjoy the kind of impact The Cove Rotana had on its arrival in RAK.
It is a large resort that is as befitting romantic couples seeking private enclaves as it is young families looking to reconnect in the pool, at Aladdin’s Cave kids club or in the seclusion of a dedicated beach-front villa with dedicated pool.
Rotana’s Saadiyat entry balances smart and sassy with a fun side; stylish design with a sense of surroundings and the right amount of luxury without feeling stiff.
From the lobby glass floor displays of sands from different emirates to the stand-out F&B options and blissful shoreline, this a place that will stick in your mind long after you've departed.
SHORE TO PLEASE: The epic modern lobby of this new Rotana star sets the theme for a resort to remember
And for those reasons alone, it rightfully occupies the hallowed coast of this stunning UAE island.
DETAILS:
ROOMS at the five-star Saadiyat Rotana Resort & Villas start from AED 975 per night, before taxes (based on late May). Look out for summer offers for residents.
TO find out more about the resort and room and villa options – or to make a reservation – please click onto www.rotana.com/rotanahotelandresorts/unitedarabemirates/abudhabi/saadiyatrotanaresortandvillas/dining
DETAILS:
ROOMS at the five-star Saadiyat Rotana Resort & Villas start from AED 975 per night, before taxes (based on late May). Look out for summer offers for residents.
TO find out more about the resort and room and villa options – or to make a reservation – please click onto www.rotana.com/rotanahotelandresorts/unitedarabemirates/abudhabi/saadiyatrotanaresortandvillas/dining
