Review: St. Regis Abu Dhabi

On the tail finish of my journey to the Center East, I used to be trying end on a excessive observe with a luxurious resort keep.

Having already stayed on the St. Regis Saadiyat Island beforehand on this journey, I made a decision to take a look at the St. Regis Abu Dhabi, which is the second St. Regis property within the UAE capital.

St. Regis Abu Dhabi – Reserving

Money charges on the St. Regis Abu Dhabi sometimes hover round 800–900 AED ($300–330 CAD) during times of low demand, whereas during times of excessive demand, money charges can bounce as excessive as 1,000–2,000 AED ($370–740 CAD).

For a factors redemption, this property will price you between 45,000–63,000 Marriott Bonvoy factors per evening. In my case, I booked utilizing 58,000 Bonvoy factors.

Whereas this redemption falls on the upper finish of what you may count on to pay, it’s value noting that this keep would have in any other case been a wholesome sum in money due to some main occasions taking place within the area.

Due to this fact, I used to be happy with the general worth of this redemption regardless of the excessive variety of factors used, particularly when contemplating our valuation of Bonvoy factors at 0.9 cents per level (CAD).

If reserving a paid fee, needless to say the St. Regis Abu Dhabi participates in Marriott STARS, Marriott’s most well-liked associate program for luxurious accommodations. 

By reserving your keep via a licensed journey advisor, you’ll pay the identical because the best-available versatile fee, however you’ll get pleasure from a collection of perks, together with complimentary breakfast for 2, a $100 (USD) property credit score, and extra.

St. Regis Abu Dhabi – Location

The St. Regis Abu Dhabi is nestled contained in the Nation Towers complicated instantly on Corniche Street, which winds alongside the northwest coast of Abu Dhabi.

It’s a leisurely 20-minute stroll to The Corniche, a well-liked spot for its scenic waterfront promenade.

Inside the instant space, there’s a wealth of outlets, eating places, and high-end boutiques. What’s extra, the resort is linked to the Nation Galleria Mall, which is tucked away on the foot of the Nation Towers.

The resort’s comparatively central location means it’s straightforward to entry Abu Dhabi’s widespread sights and sounds. The fashionable district of Al Bateen and Emirates Palace are a 10-minute drive from the resort, whereas the Qasr Al Watan Palace is only a five-minute drive away.

Different widespread sights, just like the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, are a bit additional afield, a few 30-minute drive from the St. Regis Abu Dhabi.

By way of seashores, the pristine Corniche Seaside is simply throughout the street, flaunting crystal-clear waters and comfortable white sands, in addition to the St. Regis’s very personal seashore membership. In the meantime, Saadiyat Seaside is a 15-minute drive from the resort.

For these flying into the realm, it’s a 30-minute drive from Abu Dhabi Worldwide Airport. In the meantime, Dubai Worldwide Airport is a few 90-minute drive from the resort.

St. Regis Abu Dhabi – Test-in

Upon arriving on the St. Regis Abu Dhabi, we had been greeted by the Nation Towers: two glass constructions which dominate the skyline of Abu Dhabi.

We had been shortly welcomed on the entrance by pleasant and attentive employees, who assisted with our baggage and guided us to the check-in space.

The St. Regis Abu Dhabi boasts three entrances, with the principle entrance situated instantly on the Corniche. The doorway is a powerful welcome to the resort, framed by stone pillars and tall glass doorways.

The second entrance is situated behind the resort, after which a 3rd entrance is situated on the aspect of the constructing with a direct path to the beachfront and the seashore membership amenities.

Entering into the foyer, marble flooring gleamed beneath my toes as I gazed up in the direction of the excessive ceilings and grand pillars. Right here, the ostentatiousness of the St. Regis was on full show, setting the tone for the luxurious keep that awaited us.

A bespoke chandelier suspends from the ceiling, complemented by a grand staircase that results in the Crystal Lounge.

There are various seating areas dotted round and organized in intimate groupings, with subtle and stylish furnishings.

We had been directed over to a devoted room, the place the check-in desk and affiliate had been prepared to help us.

My Titanium Elite standing was acknowledged, and to my delight, we had been knowledgeable we’d be upgraded to the unimaginable 360-square-metre Al Hosn Suite, the resort’s second-highest suite kind.

Now, to be clear, this was fairly doubtless an improve that was prolonged as a result of the resort knew that I used to be coming in my capability because the founding father of Prince of Journey. Even so, it’s a great reminder that it’s at all times value attempting to “suite-talk” to the room or suite kind that you really want, since you merely by no means know should you may get fortunate with a really good improve. 

The employees then knowledgeable me of our advantages as a Titanium Elite member, together with complimentary breakfast within the morning. Lastly, we had been launched to our butler, who’d be obtainable 24/7 for something we’d want.

We then had been escorted to the elevator foyer, and whisked up the uppermost ground, the place the Al Hosn Suite awaited us in Room 4903.

St. Regis Abu Dhabi – Al Hosn Suite

As I stepped into the grand lobby of the Al Hosn Suite, I used to be instantly suffering from the luxurious and outsized environment that will be my residence for the evening.

Certainly, I believe it’s truthful to say that this was essentially the most extravagant resort suite I had skilled amongst all of my travels but. 

The Al Hosn Suite is decked out in pristine marble, from the ground and partitions to the pillars that adorn the entryway.

To the left of the lobby is a half-bathroom, appointed with a single vainness and a rest room.

Transferring deeper into the suite, there’s a spacious lounge with tasteful and stylish furnishings, together with a big plush couch.

The ground-to-ceiling home windows that line one wall of the room provide gorgeous panoramic views of the Persian Gulf and bathe the suite in ample pure gentle.

A darkish oak-walled non-public workplace supplies further house for rest and productiveness, with cozy seating, a cushty desk tucked within the nook, and a flat-screen TV.

Heading again via the lounge is an adjoining eating space with a big eating desk for as much as 10 folks, in addition to a secondary seating space for socializing post-dinner.

The desk was set with a handwritten observe and a considerate assortment of sweets, in addition to bowls of crunchy nuts and dried fruit.

Simply off the eating room is a full kitchen, full with an oven, microwave, sink, and fridge. That is additionally the place the Nespresso espresso maker is housed.

As you proceed down a maze of hallways, there are a number of further surprises, together with a spa room and a glass room with a seating space.

My understanding is that the glass room beforehand housed a non-public in-suite health club, though this will have since been eliminated attributable to security considerations. 

The bed room itself is equally spectacular, with an ample quantity of house. A king mattress stands proud, adorned with luxurious linens and a chandelier hanging opulently from the ceiling.

The bed room is provided with its personal seating space, and floor-to-ceiling home windows present sweeping views of the town and sea.

The ensuite rest room is a powerful house – though maybe not fairly as over-the-top grandiose as the remainder of the suite – with polished chrome fixtures and a seamless theme of marble. There’s a central freestanding bathtub, bathe, and ample counter house.

Lastly, the Al Hosn Suite boasts an enormous walk-in closet superbly appointed with darkish wood cabinetry and loads of cupboard space for belongings.

To name the Al Hosn Suite on the St. Regis Abu Dhabi ostentatious would hardly be doing it justice.

That is hands-down the most important resort suite I’ve ever stayed in, and it was fairly enthralling to revel on this one-night expertise, from hopping round from room to room…

…to basking within the suite’s breathtaking views of the town and shoreline in two instructions, together with just about everything of the breakwater islands off the shore.

St. Regis Abu Dhabi – Al Manhal Suite

Throughout my keep, I additionally had the chance to tour a number of the resort’s different room sorts, together with the Al Manhal Suite, a couple of commonplace suites, and some commonplace rooms.

The Al Manhal Suite on the St. Regis Abu Dhabi is the third-highest suite kind, and gives one other impressively spacious and opulent suite possibility for friends in search of outsized dwelling areas to chill out, work, or entertain.

The dwelling space is luxuriously furnished, and excessive ceilings and floor-to-ceilings enable loads of pure gentle, making a brilliant and ethereal environment.

As you discover the suite additional, there’s a eating room, a completely outfitted kitchen, a non-public workplace, and a TV room, all impeccably designed in step with the opulence of the St. Regis model.

The Al Manhal Suite encompasses a lavish separate bed room, furnished with a king mattress and two seating areas. One seating space has two loungers positioned in the direction of the floor-to-ceiling home windows

The ensuite rest room right here encompasses a completely different format with the free-standing bathtub positioned close to the home windows versus the centre of the house.

The lavatory right here is arguably extra spectacular than the higher-tier Al Hosn Suite, because it’s full with floor-to-ceiling home windows that supply spectacular views, taking bathing to new heights of luxurious.

The spotlight of the Al Manhal Suite is certainly the toilet and its panoramic views of the Persian Gulf.

Imagine it or not, the Al Manhal and Al Hosn Suites aren’t anyplace close to the most important on the property.

That honour goes to the Abu Dhabi Suite, which occupies the sky bridge between the resort’s two towers and is available in at a staggering 800 sq. metres – one to save lots of for subsequent time!

St. Regis Abu Dhabi – Grand Deluxe Suite

The usual suite on the St. Regis Abu Dhabi is the Grand Deluxe Suite, that includes a separate seating space and bed room, divided by a partial wall.

The seating space is positioned in the direction of the again of the suite, with sweeping nook views of the town and sea via the floor-to-ceiling home windows.

On the opposite aspect of the partial wall, the bed room encompasses a king mattress, minibar, and flat-screen TV.

The marble-finished rest room is way smaller right here, with a bathe and bathroom individually enclosed behind glass doorways and an alcove bathtub.

St. Regis Abu Dhabi – Superior Room

The Superior Room is the base-level room at St. Regis Abu Dhabi, supreme for {couples} or solo travellers. The room encompasses a king mattress, flat-screen TV, comfy couch, desk, and minibar.

These base rooms are extra restricted in measurement in comparison with the luxurious suites on the resort, however you’ll nonetheless profit from the identical floor-to-ceiling home windows that supply breathtaking views of the town or sea.

From the richly detailed motifs to the grandiose furnishings, the dwelling quarters at St. Regis Abu Dhabi transport you into old-world opulence. In case you respect this specific model of luxurious, you’ll actually get pleasure from posting up in any of the rooms or suites.

It doesn’t matter what your room kind, you’ll get pleasure from sweeping views that stretch throughout the cityscape or the glowing shoreline.

Plus, with 24/7 butler service available to take care of our each want, we felt like royalty from the second we arrived.

You’ll be able to ask for espresso or tea at any time (I loved a French press supply at 6am within the morning), packing/unpacking service, and you’ll even request as much as two items of garment urgent per day.

St. Regis Abu Dhabi – Breakfast

Within the morning, we headed all the way down to The Terrace on the Corniche, which is the place Marriott Bonvoy members with Platinum Elite or greater standing are entitled to complimentary breakfast.

The Terrace on the Corniche is the all-day eating venue situated on the resort’s floor stage. There’s indoor seating and outside seating the place you may bask in breakfast while searching over the turquoise water.

As one may count on from a St. Regis resort in Abu Dhabi, the buffet on provide is huge and complete with a further egg choice obtainable à la carte.

There was a wealth of Western and native gadgets. Western favourites included crepes, waffles, and pancakes, amongst classics like poached eggs, hash browns, and sausages.

Native specialties included baked feta with tomato, lamb soju, and foul medames, amongst many different tantalizing dishes.

A sturdy choice of charcuterie, bread, and pastries had been on show to select from in addition to an assortment of chia, yogurt, muesli, cereal, fruits and dips.

Lastly, you will have your choose of pastries, muffins and pudding.

The restaurant additionally options a powerful choice of gluten-free, vegan, and vegetarian choices, in addition to an array of drinks.

Certainly, the breakfast buffet on the St. Regis Abu Dhabi is on par with a number of the finest breakfast spreads I’ve seen at St. Regis places world wide, with an abundance of delectable choices to maintain you coming again for seconds.

St. Regis Abu Dhabi – Eating

Along with the Terrace on the Corniche, you’ll discover a number of of the resort’s eating places simply up the grand staircase on the higher stage, or out on the resort’s seashore membership.

Villa Toscana embodies conventional Italian and Tuscan delicacies. The menu encompasses a hand-crafted choice of regional specialties from Tuscany, Umbria, and Emilia-Romagna.

The restaurant’s interiors are impressed by the grandeur of a Tuscan villa, creating an inviting environment that evokes the sensation of being welcomed into the house of an Italian noble.

An alternative choice for high-quality eating is Azura Panoramic Lounge on the 51st ground of the resort. The lounge extends mesmerizing views making it an ideal spot to get pleasure from a drink whereas taking within the sights.

The lounge gives handcrafted cocktails and savory dishes. Moreover, on Saturday evenings, there’s a stay DJ.

Cabana Seaside Bar & Grill is situated inside the Nation Riviera Seaside Membership. I finished by the lovely seaside restaurant for lunch and ordered a rooster burger and fries.

The menu principally gives burgers, salads, and contemporary seafood; nevertheless, additionally they have a ceviche bar and a mojito bar. I assumed it was a beautiful spot to cease and seize a chunk whereas marvelling on the gorgeous view of the limitless seashore and gleaming ocean.

Catch at St. Regis is one other venue situated inside the premises of Nation Riviera Seaside Membership. It’s the latest addition to the resort, and focuses closely on seafood, highlighting caviar, oysters, sushi and crab.

St. Regis Abu Dhabi – Swimming pools & Seaside

One of many resort’s outside swimming swimming pools is situated on the third ground. That is the smaller of the 2 swimming pools, however nonetheless serves a beautiful place to take a dip, because it’s well-equipped with solar loungers and personal cabanas.

The primary pool and seashore are discovered within the related Nation Riviera Seaside Membership throughout the freeway. To get there, there’s a really elegant set of elevators and an underground tunnel that brings you over to the seashore membership, though it’s a little bit of a trek.

That is the place you’ll discover the resort’s spectacular temperature-controlled infinity pool that includes a real swim-up bar, fountains, a wading space, and a jacuzzi. The pool space is surrounded by lush gardens, palm bushes and its personal comfy lounges and cabanas.

In case you’re extra of a seashore goer, the membership is flanked by 200 metres of personal white-sand seashore, overlooking the turquoise waters. Right here, there are ample loungers lined alongside the seashore completely for resort friends.

We spent the afternoon enjoyable out at Nation Riviera Seaside Membership, having fun with the crystal-clear waters of the non-public seashore and taking refreshing dips within the infinity pool.

St. Regis Abu Dhabi – Different Amenities

I additionally took a while to take a look at the St. Regis Bar throughout my keep on the St. Regis Abu Dhabi. Usually, these bars are recognized for his or her subtle and stylish environment, in addition to their choice of premium spirits, wines, and cocktails.

The St. Regis bar right here’s no exception, comprising three distinct areas open from that includes a traditional and timeless design. You’ll be able to indulge within the cocktail menu in addition to a wide array of high-quality wines and spirits.

Lastly, the Crystal Lounge is situated instantly atop the grand staircase. The house is adorned with regal chandeliers, polished wooden tables, and upholstered armchairs.

Right here is the place the well-known St. Regis nightly sabering ritual takes place. You may as well partake in afternoon tea, and a spread of refreshments and snacks all through the day.

The St. Regis Abu Dhabi health centre operates from 6am–10pm. The house is well-equipped with a complete vary of cardiovascular tools, weight-training machines, and free weights.

Past this, the health centre additionally encompasses a sauna and steam room.

Lastly, the Remède Spa gives a spread of therapies with non-public therapy rooms along with a sauna, a steam room, and a whirlpool.

Conclusion

The St. Regis Abu Dhabi made for a unprecedented keep, particularly due to the excellent Al Hosn Suite improve that we acquired upon arrival.

Even absent such an sudden improve, although, the entire resort’s commonplace rooms provide an elevated stage of opulence, with sweeping panoramic views of the town and shoreline.

The resort’s complete breakfast buffet was one other spotlight, with an array of dishes and native flavors. You’ll actually get your cash’s value, particularly as a Marriott elite member, and it’s an important place to start out the day.

Furthermore, the resort’s pool and seashore amenities are second-to-none in comparison with different properties within the space, with direct entry to the sprawling Nation Riviera Seaside Membership for swimming laps within the gorgeous infinity pool and absorbing the solar on the pristine non-public seashore.

Lastly, the service on the St. Regis Abu Dhabi was distinctive, with 24/7 butler service at all times available and employees who had been attentive and courteous all through all parts of our keep.

Even placing apart my jaw-dropping suite improve, the St. Regis Abu Dhabi is a top-notch luxurious resort with a wholesome mixture of metropolis and seashore experiences, all accentuated by the model’s signature old-school opulence.