The St. Regis Saadiyat Island: Abu Dhabi's Formal Beach Resort
Abu Dhabi's Saadiyat Island is the calm alternative to Dubai. The St. Regis is the formal way to stay on it, with marble floors and a butler, and the beach right outside.
We stayed here in January 2024, when the weather in the Gulf is at its best.
The building
This hotel takes its interiors seriously. Long marble halls open up under lanterns and curved ceilings, and the geometric floors are worth looking down for.
The thing you'll photograph is the spiral staircase. It winds down in dark blue under two gold, star-shaped chandeliers, and it's far better than a hotel staircase needs to be. Go early, before anyone else is on it.
The rooms
Our room had warm wood panelling, a proper desk and a sofa at the foot of the bed. The style is classic, and you won't find any design tricks here. St. Regis is also known for its butlers, so use yours from the first evening.
Food and the beach
We'd come here for the food alone. The buffet is long and serious, with pastry, sushi and a grill, and the restaurants each have their own mood:
Buddha-Bar Beach: low red light, big music and a table by the sea
Mazi: an Arabic-styled beach club with turquoise umbrellas, for a slow lunch
The resort overlooks a clean white beach, the Arabian Gulf and the Saadiyat Beach Golf Club, and its pool runs out towards the water.
Getting out
You're only minutes from downtown Abu Dhabi and from the Saadiyat Cultural District. Give one morning to the Louvre Abu Dhabi, which is a short drive away.
Who should book it
Book it if you want a beach holiday with city-hotel polish, or a calmer base than Dubai. Families who'd rather have everything included should read our reviews of Rixos Saadiyat Island and Rixos Club Privé on the same island.
The full list is in the best luxury hotels in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
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