Rixos Premium Saadiyat Island

This is the 3rd time I have stayed here and it absolutely won’t be my last. Like with anywhere there is always a few issues but nothing major. Upon on arrival your AI starts immediately which gets your holiday off to a great start. We arrived at 8am and went straight for breakfast. I had taken a separate suitcase with everything we needed for a day by pool so after breakfast we headed straight to the spa to change. A WhatsApp informed me Our room was ready for us at lunchtime and our luggage was taken straight up to the room ready for us. We stayed in a Garden room which was always kept immaculate and with fresh towels daily (sometimes twice a day ) a well stocked mini bar of soft drinks which was restocked daily plus chocolate bars and crisps. Also you have teabags and a kettle plus a coffee machine with pods. I got a bottle of milk for the room from the coffee lounge as only a couple of the mini milks were in the room and we do like a hot drink. We had no issue with finding a sun lounger whilst we were there. It was a little busy for the first couple of days so we sat in the adult area but when the schools had gone back the hotel was much quieter so getting a bed right next to the pool was no problem as always plenty available. All the Guys who work around the pool are brilliant. You can’t single anyone out. Drinks were always delivered quickly with a smile and tasty. The area is always kept immaculate and just a nice atmosphere around the whole area. The 2pm fruit platter delivery was always a hit, however I found it to be a large portion (watermelon, melon, dragon fruit, passion fruit) and they ran out quickly so I think smaller portions would be better as there would be more to go around. Let’s be honest, no one is hungry. We only had breakfast a couple of mornings, i wanted an avocado to go with my salmon but was unable to find it, a member of staff got some for me very quickly so do not hesitate to ask. We enjoyed lunch every day at ‘Peoples’ and were served by the lovely Marilyn. I found though that the menu did not always show allergens clearly. I had informed staff that I did not eat nuts due to my son’s nut allergy and had apple pie one day, it did not show a nut on the allergen symbol however the next day I was informed it contained walnuts. This could have potentially been fatal for someone so I think this needs looking into and I would recommend discussing with the hotel/food and beverage manager to get clarification on what is/is not safe. The buffet of an evening in ‘Turquoise’ was always a hit with the staff working tirelessly. I would especially like to Thank Angelyn and Lyzzeth for their attentiveness and taking such good care of us at meal times. Once again, the allergen symbols were not clear so I did have to ask a few times. We enjoyed grabbing a coffee in the evening from the lounge and Patricia always showed us such kindness. My son enjoyed watching sports in the Savanna lounge and the cocktails were amazing. We have always found that there isn’t much going on in the evenings, they may be because of the heat outside but this didn’t bother us. I did find it to be absolutely freezing inside in the aircon so ensure to take a cardigan or ask for a blanket from any member of staff. I really enjoyed a walk along the most stunning beach, my dream is to see the dolphins but I have never been so lucky, another reason to return!! I had an issue with my foot so I asked reception if I could visit the first aid room. A nurse was called to me promptly and after a little check it was decided I was fine but she was very professional and well equipped to deal with anything. Upon departure I had a few books that I had read to leave, reception informed me that they do not have a bookshelf/library but it is something they are going to do. All in All, I recommend this hotel, i have previously to friends who have been and would also recommend. Thank you for another wonderful stay and I can’t wait to return. Read less

First day here at Rixos leaves a sour taste in the mouth for the rest of the holiday. So, third time staying at this hotel, having previously stayed here for the last 2 years. My wife and i arrived here at 8am after a day of travelling, both very tired, only to be informed by the manager that our room would not be ready until 3pm. Having asked if there was anywhere we could have a few hours rest we were told there was available, when clearly the hotel is quiet and underoccupied. This has not happened on our previous 2 stays. Definitely not the service levels that we have come to expect from this hotel. Extremely disappointing Read less

An all inclusive hotel Went for my special birthday 4 adults and 2 children 6 & 9 and was not disappointed, the Hotel is beautiful offering everything that was promised and more, all the staff we’re so attentive, bedroom was clean, had fridge with free soft drink, water and nibbles Food was excellent throughout, you need to book into the bootable restaurants as soon as you arrive, as well worth a visit also worth paying extra for the Teppanyaki experience around £60 pp The main pool did get busy but always managed to get a sunbed with umbrella, there was also a children’s pool, wave pool and a beach with beautiful relaxing bar, great in the evening watching the sunset. All the staff were fantastic , a special mention to Husanboy in the restaurant always smiling and so attentive 😊 The hotel in a great location as loads to see and do in Abu Dhabi, we definitely be visiting this hotel again soon Read less

We recently stayed at Rixos Premium Saadiyat Island and, unfortunately, came away disappointed with the overall experience. This was our third Rixos holiday, having previously stayed at Rixos Premium Tekirova and Rixos Sungate, so we booked Saadiyat Island with very high expectations based on our previous experiences with the brand. Firstly, the positives. The hotel itself is beautiful, the beach and surroundings are stunning, and there are some fantastic members of staff who work extremely hard. However, for the price we paid and for a hotel carrying the Rixos Premium name, there were too many issues that affected our stay. Construction Work One of our biggest frustrations was the amount of construction work taking place around the hotel during our stay. We were not made aware of this before arriving, which was extremely disappointing. When booking a luxury five-star resort, particularly at this price point, I believe guests should be informed beforehand if significant building or construction work is taking place. Had we known the extent of it before travelling, it may have influenced our decision to book. Food & Restaurants The main buffet generally offered good-quality food, although during a longer stay it became quite repetitive. The à la carte restaurant system was another disappointment. Reservations could be difficult to get, and when we did manage to visit the restaurants, we felt the menus were surprisingly restricted for a premium all-inclusive resort. We also expected much better availability of food throughout the day. One particular incident really disappointed us. Our daughter became very hot and dizzy and wanted to go back to the room to rest. We asked if we could simply take a burger and chips from the Aqua Bar back to the room for her and were told that we couldn’t. For a five-star, family-focused all-inclusive resort, we found this unnecessarily inflexible. We weren’t asking for room service or anything special — simply to take some food we were already entitled to back to our unwell child. Housekeeping & Minibar Housekeeping was inconsistent during our stay. We had to make repeated requests regarding the minibar and cleanliness, including bird mess around our patio area. These might sound like relatively small things individually, but at a premium five-star resort you shouldn’t have to repeatedly chase basic housekeeping standards. Pool & Family Facilities There were also issues around getting pool loungers, and we were surprised that children weren’t permitted in the swim-up pool, which limited the areas we could enjoy together as a family. We were also disappointed with the Rixy Kids Club. Compared with what we expected from a Rixos Premium family resort, it felt surprisingly small and basic. Conversations With Returning Guests What was particularly interesting was speaking to other guests during our stay who had visited Rixos Premium Saadiyat Island previously. Several returning guests told us that, in their opinion, the hotel had gone downhill compared with their previous visits. Obviously everyone has their own experience and expectations, but hearing similar comments from people who had stayed there before reinforced some of the concerns we already had ourselves. Overall There is still a lot to like about Rixos Premium Saadiyat Island. It’s in a beautiful location, the beach is fantastic and many of the staff deserve recognition for how hard they work. However, our disappointment comes from knowing how good Rixos can be. After our previous experiences at Rixos Premium Tekirova and Rixos Sungate, we expected Saadiyat Island to be another level again. Instead, it was unfortunately the weakest Rixos experience we’ve had. Between the construction work we weren’t informed about, difficulty with restaurants, inconsistent housekeeping, restricted family facilities and the overall level of service compared with our previous Rixos holidays, we simply didn’t feel that the experience matched the Rixos Premium name or the premium price. Sadly, based on this stay, we wouldn’t rush back to Rixos Premium Saadiyat Island unless there were significant improvements Read less