Where to stay in Abu Dhabi – The St. Regis Hotel Review
If you are looking for where to stay in Abu Dhabi, this is a review of the St. Regis Hotel – THE best hotel I’ve ever stayed in. Abu Dhabi is known for its grand, sleek, breath-taking architecture and my stay at The St. Regis Hotel confirmed that this description extended beyond mosques, malls and museums but included hotels too.
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The Area
The hotel is conveniently located in the centre of Abu Dhabi, everywhere is a 5 – 25-minute distance away. Navigating around the city was very easy, whenever we stepped out of the hotel, the doorman called a local taxi for us (they usually wait at the entrance).
The Food & Drink
I still dream about the caramel cruffins I had every morning; they were the perfect balance of flaky and fluffy (I may have eaten more than 1 each time). Booking comes with a complimentary breakfast which I truly think was a gift from God himself. I mean, we woke in the morning, strolled into the breakfast hall and has a feast every morning for 7 days.
Breakfast was always a buffet with an assortment of options from; salmon sandwiches, and pastries to caramelised bananas that just melt in your mouth. You are also given a menu of eggs that are made to your preference. Along with your food, your drinks (any kind of juice, flavoured water, tea or coffee) are constantly replenished ensuring your glass is never empty.
For lunch and dinner, there are numerous options of in-house cafés and restaurants to choose from. We never had lunch or dinner in the hotel as we were always out exploring.
The Amenities
As soon as you step into The St. Regis Hotel Abu Dhabi, your eyes will first connect with the strikingly adorned double stairs leading to the first floor (where I would soon find out houses the indoor luxury mall. Every single tile, on the floors, walls, and stairs is marble, you instantly feel like you’ve been transported.
The hotel was designed to entice guests to spend their entire stay within its “4 walls” and if I didn’t have other activities planned, I most definitely would have spent my trip just in the hotel.
1. The Azura Panoramic Lounge
With how hot Abu Dhabi is, on one day it was 50 degrees Celsius, making time for beach days or to cool off at the pool is not optional but more of a necessity. The lounge is huge and often quite empty, so you may be lucky and get the pool all to yourself. There is a restaurant/ bar at the poolside where you can order freshly grilled food.
2. The Nation Riviera Beach Club
The beach club is where all hotel guests can be found relaxing and sunbathing. The public Corniche Beach has an AED10 entrance fee and costs AED 25 to rent an umbrella but if you’re staying at the St. Regis Hotel you can access the Beach Club via a private, air-conditioned, marble underpass that runs below the Corniche. You can enjoy the solitude of the private beach (along the Corniche strip) secluded cabanas, an infinity pool and a swim-up pool bar as well as an exclusive fitness centre.
3. The mall
It’s dripped in gold. The entrance, at first sight, is quite deceptive, not giving anything away, but as soon as you step through the doors, you’re in another world. Consistent with the hotel theme, the design of the mall does not disappoint, everything is tiled in marble.
The mall has everything you could possibly think of from; a café, luxury stores, a cinema, an organic foods supermarket, and restaurants to a nail salon. Just get your coins ready.
4. The spa
I did not have time to visit the spa and it does come at an extra cost but, I would definitely recommend getting one here. There is nothing like too much self–care.
5. The gym
Just beside the spa on the third floor is a well-equipped gym, I packed workout clothes and had every intention of exercising but I never seemed to have the time. It was just nice to know the gym was there if I ever needed it.
The Rooms
Arabian architecture at its finest. The St. Regis Hotel boasts an impressive 283 rooms and signature suits, each room opens up to magnificent views of the alluring Abu Dhabi corniche. Each room basks in the illuminating lights that pour in during either sunset or sunrise captivating all who watch.
The bathroom is adorned in marble so clear that you can see your reflection in it. The double bed is also perfect for two people sharing, there’s no risk of running out of bed space.
The Service
This was the first time I had experienced turndown service and it was tough rular life after. The room was cleaned once mid-morning and again in the late afternoon and more often than not, we came back to the room to find sweet treats or fruits on our table – all complimentary.
The concierge was probably my favourite part of my stay. He was extremely helpful with booking some of the activities that had to be pre-booked online (he used the hotel card and we paid him in cash) as well as offering suggestions for things to do during our stay (he provided tour guides we could use).
The overall service was very pleasant throughout our stay, all staff were extremely helpful and more than happy to answer any questions we had.
The Cost
We stayed in the Superior Guest room with 1 king bed and the price may vary depending on the platform you make your booking. It is cheaper to book through third-party sites like booking.com than directly on Marriot’s website. However, on average, it is $550 a night. So, please do your research beforehand.
Is it worth booking?
I have never been more impressed with the service, design, amenities and food in a hotel. This was my first 5 – star experience and it was indeed an unforgettable stay. Every black woman truly deserves luxury.
Have you ever stayed in a 5 – star hotel? I’d love for you to share your experience in the comments! If you have any questions, please ask away!
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