Nobody does a family resort like Rixos. The key difficulty of the family resort is balancing the experience so that all members of the family enjoy it equally and that there is something for everyone – not an easy task but one that Rixos manages to pull off with consummate ease. Rixos Premium Saadiyat Island is an ultra-luxurious family getaway on the idyllic beach of Saadiyat Island with shimmering blue waters and fine white sands overlooking the Arabian Gulf. This is where exclusivity and luxury come together to help you escape to a world of pampering and excess.
An Arabian paradise island offering wonderful nature and cultural highlights and a perfect base to explore the rich culture and heritage of Abu Dhabi which is only a short ride away. Rixos Premium Saadiyat Island is truly a slice of heaven.
The hotel is a palatial resort with a European/Mediterranean style and blends centuries-old traditional Arab culture with its oriental court gardens and extensive water features. Water, water everywhere as the saying goes….
We were very fortunate to be staying in a prestigious family suite which is as decadent as you can get. A large suite with 2 bedrooms and a separate living room and all the modern conveniences you can imagine. The highlight for the kids was, of course, our own private pool (well almost - we shared with one-two other suites) directly accessed via our patio. Were it not for the restaurants and the water slides on offer at the resort, the kids would have been happy to spend the entire week in our room!
The culinary offering is extensive with restaurants to suit everyone. The Italian L’Olivio is superb and has all the Italian classics and my children loved their pizza and pasta. For the adults, the Italian offering had a sense of old-world cuisine with natural flavours and fresh ingredients. Other choices include Peoples - a casual dining restaurant that offers a nice range of smaller snacks and drinks.
The Turquoise restaurant is an all-day dining concept, and another treat was the Orient – a fine-dining Turkish restaurant as good as any in the Levant with service to match and a menu that explores the region with a few subtle twists. My favourite was Aja – a spectacular experience of Japanese cuisine and sushi and there is even a live Teppanyaki station where you can watch the masters create your dishes in front of you – real theatre and a treat that my children were mesmerised by.
My wife made an excursion to their award-winning Anjana spa and said the therapeutic experience was fabulous and left her feeling rejuvenated and ready for the week ahead. She also noted that the team were welcoming and very professional. This was true of all the staff at the resort who made it a point to greet us and especially the children by name every time our paths crossed - it really makes you feel special.
The highlights for the kids were, of course, the Kids Club and the water slides at the pool. There are two pools here – a wave pool and one with slides and fountains that kept them entertained all day. The team at the kids club were a natural with children and organised all sorts of activities and kept the children laughing, learning and engaging all day.
I couldn’t recommend the resort highly enough to anyone looking to get away from it all while having it all – the resort for family and adults alike – Rixos is paradise!
Saadiyat Island, 51249, Abu Dhabi, UAE
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