With the few days we had in the United Arab Emirates, we whisked our way down the road to the nation’s capital Abu Dhabi, to go to one of the hotels we had been wanting to check out for a while, the Jumeirah at Saadiyat Island property, which opened last November 2018.
We entered the doors of the property and noticed how open the lobby design was, giving us a feeling of grandeur as we walked in. The lobby seemed very huge and full of natural light. Our check-in was smooth and despite not having a room ready (we were too excited and got there super early) they arranged our breakfast and made us feel comfortable as we sipped on hot coffee and got work done.
The Room at Jumeirah at Saadiyat Island
Dining at Jumeirah at Saadiyat Island
The food selection at the hotel was first class. Breakfast was served every morning for 6:30 am at the White restaurant on level one. There was a massive buffet and had everything you would EVER need in breakfast. There were juices, sorbets, bread, an egg station, Indian, Chinese, salads and dry meats.
We had one of our dinners at Tean, which had a strong Arabic influence in its meals. Tean has some of the tastiest Arabic food we have had in a long time. We tried the hummus and lamb, cheesy bread, Lentil soup, Mixed grill for two and a delicious Manti dish as well. We were actually too full for desserts at that stage. The design is that there is an open kitchen where you can talk to the head chef and watch them look at the incredible food while you wait. Make sure you book this place as it fills up fast.
Our other dinner was spent at Mare Mare. An Italian restaurant overlooking the pools and the beach, it is a great place to have a sunset cocktail, followed by some Italian treats. Campania pizza, tuna tartare, octopus carpaccio, two-person cheese gnocchi. We finished this down with some mocktails and an espresso martini which was very well done. The Gnocchi was massive and we ordered too much food but it was so tasty.
Facilities at Jumeirah at Saadiyat Island
Our favourite place in the resort was the beach area. You can walk down fro the resort, past the infinity pools and along the walkway to the crystal blue water. The colour of the water looks more like you are in the Maldives and Cuba than in the UAE. The deck chairs were never full and the beach felt like our very own.
If you have a family, there is a kids room and teen room so they will be busy while you enjoy life on the beach or by the pool, and believe us, you will be enjoying it!
Health/Fitness at Jumeirah at Saadiyat Island
The gym and fitness area is one of the most comprehensive we have had the pleasure of going to. There is no heavy lifting area, however, there are many machines, treadmills, rowers, boxing and stretching machines that are suitable for anyone’s level. There are also bikes and foam rollers to use, plenty of them!
We enjoyed a Bodyism class in the morning, aptly named “Burn”, this involved a great stretching session combined with a high-intensity workout with bodyweight and equipment. They also do women’s only classes and yoga sessions too. Bodyism has a cafe that is almost completed which will sell healthy eats and treats.
Spa at Jumeirah at Saadiyat Island
The Spa and wet area are one of the top one we have ever seen in a resort. All clients can use the plethora of facilities available including; relaxation rooms, salt rooms, steam room, sauna, plunge pool, cold pool, ice bath, massive jets,
For our massage, we chose the couples experience, one hour of heaven in our private room followed by showers, steam rooms and sauna. The masseuses were asking plenty of questions to make sure they get all the aches and pains out. It was so soothing we were going to request another hour of massage!
Sustainability at Jumeirah at Saadiyat Island
We were so impressed with the variety of Sustainability projects that the hotel endorsed. As soon as we walked into reception, we were handed plastics re-fillable bottles we could use. They were in the place of plastics around the property. There are water stations everywhere which saved the environment all over the property. They also have regenerated the sand dune area near the beach and have also released dozens of turtles back into the ocean. As far as sustainability goes, it is certainly one of the most forward-thinking hotels.
- Have you been to the United Arab Emirates? What are your perceptions of this place?
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