Hotelchain: Rotana
Location: Abu Dhabi – UAE
Classification: 5 star hotel
Official website: rotana.com/…/saadiyatrotanaresortandvillas

Situated on the beautiful island of Saadiyat, Saadiyat Rotana Resort & Villas is one of the top beach resorts on the amazing island in Abu Dhabi. This luxurious five star resort has only opened 1,5 year ago and everything still looks brand new.

Location is perfect! It is peacefully located at the beach. It is one of the nicest beaches I have seen throughout the UAE. Louvre Abu Dhabi is only a few kilometers away. Make sure to visit this architectural wonder.

The entrance of the resort is truly spectacular. You enter the large beautifully designed lobby area and immediately notice the fantastic view all over the resort. I couldn’t believe my eyes, it is so beautiful… so peaceful and oh so romantic. When I think of a peaceful stylish five star beach resort, this is exactly what I would expect. Check-in was very efficient and personal. A nice smile and useful information about the resort was offered and the administration only took a few minutes.

This actually was my first experience at a Rotana property and I had high expectations. The brand is well known for its service and overall quality. When I entered the hotel, everything felt right here. After check-in we were escorted to our beautiful Premium room with sea views which was located in the main building. Do note that Saadiyat Rotana Resort & Villas also has several types of villas. That’s right, the hotel is build up in several buildings and the resort does feel like a small luxurious village. At 45m², our room was huge and the king sized bed was heavenly. I read that several guests actually buy the beds after their stay? I can easily understand why! I loved the lay-out of the room and the minimalistic yet stylish decor.

The semi open bath room has a tub, huge walk-in (rain)shower and large sink. The oversized balcony offered the most amazing views all over the resort and sea.

There is so much to do here and even just walking around the resort is so much fun. It is almost unbelievable how well maintained this place is. I saw staff working and maintaining the gardens each time of the day. There are several types of suites and villas at the resort. They even have access to a private pool. Let me share some pictures with you of the villas. They are mind blowing!

There are 2 main pools located right at the beach. The pools are large and very clean. They are open all year long: they are heated during winter and cooled down during summer. There’s a great laid back ambiance around the pool and beach area with a lot of comfortable loungers. No need to put your towels here to ‘reserve’ your spot in the sun. Pool service was great too, they greet you as soon as you approach the pool area and make sure you’ll have everything you need. Your own ice buckets with complimentary water is offered as well and much appreciated with those hot temperatures in Abu Dhabi! They even provide complimentary flavored water. 

There are several secrets spots to be discovered at Saadiyat Rotana Resort & Villas. Let me share some secrets: Aladdin’s Cave is the place to be for kids. Kids have their own pool area with a water slide and … a lazy river! So much fun! They even can enjoy themselves at the cinema zone. Did you know this resort has their own mini golf course? That is right. And the best part: it is all free of charge.

When I was there, I saw several kids playing together, making new friends etc. while the parents were relaxing at the resort.

The awarded Zen the spa at Saadiyat Rotana Resort & Villas is enormous and one of the best spa facilities I have ever seen. They have a spectacular Turkish and Moroccan Hammam and 10 luxuriously designed treatment rooms. We thoroughly enjoyed the aromatherapy treatment. This treatment took about 1 hour and will make you feel like reborn! Without any hesitation, this was one of the best spa treatments I have ever experienced! It starts with a relaxing foot bath. After that it was time to relax with a complete body massage using inspiring oil that totally left me with a calm and tranquil feeling. The therapists were very knowledgeable and kind. Make sure to book your treatment here. You won’t be disappointed!

There are several dining options at Saadiyat Rotana Resort & Villas, each impressed me. The first night we had dinner at Turtle Bay Bar & Grill. This unique grill restaurant offers delicious dishes. The hand cut steak tartare was one of the best I’ve ever had. You can request the food to be prepared exactly the way you want it. The potato & herb gnocchi with torn kale and asparagus I ordered was served exactly how I requested it to be. It came with sundried tomatoes, feta cheese and pine nuts. Service was so friendly… They will make sure you are enjoying your time here and every single request has been taken care of with a smile! On the top of that, the location of this place is so peaceful right at the water.

The second night, it was time to explore Si Ristorante Italiano & Bar. Here they serve Italian dishes which tasted excellent. I was happy to find out they don’t only serve pasta … a lot of anti pasti options are available as well. The Sea Bass all Toscana tasted heavenly. It came with oven roasted cannellini beans with rosemary and peperonato. Oh, and do not skip dessert here. Nutella di Cioccolato gelato tasted amazing. So worth the calories!

For dishes around the globe, Sim Sim Restaurant is the right choice. This buffet style restaurant has something to offer for anyone. This is also the restaurant where breakfast is served. The breakfast consists of a very large buffet with endless options. The food is of an excellent quality.

It truly is all about service here! People are so nice, the level of service is very high. I never felt uncomfortable requesting for something and I was greeted every single time I met one of the staff members.

My Saadiyat Rotana Resort & Villas experience was amazing! From the beginning to the end, everything felt right here! Highly recommended for a romantic getaway in paradise!