Rixos Premium Saadiyat Island

First the good - the lobby and decor of the hotel is very much what you'd expect from the UAE. The waiting staff are friendly and attentive, especially in the buffet restaurant, Turquoise. The gym (and smoothie bar) are pretty good. Now the bad.... The place is full of kids. Great if you have kids with you, not so great if you are a couple looking to get away. Don't get me wrong, we love kids - we have four of our own (all now young adults). We just didn't expect the hotel to be overrun with them. Very unlike anywhere we have stayed in the UAE before. More fool us for booking an all inclusive, we should probably have expected it. But all the same, parents, please, keep an eye on your children. It is not the job of the waiting staff in the restaurants or the lifeguards at the pool to watch them for you. Secondly, the bedrooms are not great. Too much furniture in too small a space. The fifth hotel we have stayed in the UAE, by far the worse. The Rotana next door is 10 times better. The rooms simply don't have that high end feel to them which they should for the price. Lastly, my wife fell ill on our last night. Undoubtedly from one of the restaurants. Confirmed as norovirus once she had tests. Meant we had to miss our flight back, and rearranging cost us £££££. A shame because the restaurants seem good (and the food quality generally very good). The hotel helped us to get a doctor but charged us AED6200 (GBP1200) to extend our room for 24 hours. Daylight robbery. The highest per room charge I have paid in the UAE (albeit for a one off), the poorest room quality in the UAE. Go figure. The hotel have denied my wife caught the virus in the hotel - well they would, wouldn't they..... So if you love spending a week with noisy and unruly children, and fancy losing 5kg through being ill, go for it. Read less

We’ve just returned from an incredible stay, and it exceeded our expectations. The service throughout the hotel was exceptional - every member of staff we encountered was friendly, warm, and genuinely committed to making our stay special. The atmosphere strikes a great balance: relaxed and welcoming in the main hotel areas, with more formal touches in the restaurants and lobby bar during the evenings. There was live music every night, plenty of entertainment for the kids, and the all‑inclusive element made the whole experience feel effortless. Our family room with pool access was outstanding. Standards across the board were extremely high - concierge, cleaning, bar staff, pool staff - everyone went above and beyond. A special mention for John at the sports bar! One area for improvement: I feel the restaurant booking system really needs attention. We tried to book on the first morning of our stay (the earliest opportunity we had, having arrived at 4am off our long-haul flight) and were told there was no availability until the day we were leaving (we were there for a week). With no option to pre-book before arrival, this didn’t seem right to us. We eventually managed to secure tables at three restaurants, but only after expressing our disappointment and speaking with a manager - not the way we wanted to start our holiday. What made this even more difficult to understand is that all three of the restaurants were actually quiet throughout our meals - loads of empty tables. Perhaps a deposit to secure the table with a clear cancellation policy would help to avoid this issue. Thankfully the above doesn’t take away from the fact that this was a fantastic holiday with exceptional service and a family‑friendly, welcoming atmosphere. Read less

Arrival - room was t ready. Early check in was arranged. Hotel told me my agent had lied. We were out into a holding room. A room in the middle of a car park. This is suppose to be child friendly? We had no they option then o change in this disgusting room in front of other guests. All parents were so stressed with our children running around in and out of the car park with cars everywhere. There needed to be a better set up for these situations. This is a 5* family hotel. All families were so upset and shocked this was the start to our vacation. Rooms dangerous, not child friendly, dirty. Wardobes stunk of musk - like an old smell. All our clothes then of course stunk too. I’ve stayed in 5 star my entire life, as a child I always had little extras. For example - little dressing gown, little slippers, kids hangers.. the turn down staff would make sweet animals out of towels. These small but wholesome gestures is what earns a ‘family hotel’ name. We have experienced nothing at all. Terrace - Our terrace was never cleaned. Dirty ashtray daily and towels never replaced. The staff did not step foot out there. Dirty ashtrays left on our balcony. We have a child! Dirty towels left there. I’ve stayed in 5 star my entire life, as a child I always had little extras. For example - little dressing gown, little slippers, kids hangers.. the turn down staff would make sweet animals out of towels. These small but wholesome gestures is what earns a ‘family hotel’ name. We have experienced nothing at all. Service - the worst I have ever experienced. Staff were rude and were only nice when ‘tipped’ cash. I was resulted to tears in the lobby by staff. My sister and her 10yr old son came to visit, security and staff wouldn’t stop following until they paid 2500AUD. They were aggressive and we were all embarrassed beyond words. Handled so badly. She was my guest and this is a 5* hotel - staff should have bedside manner and respect. To result a guests to tears or embarrassment is shameful. Not to mentioned security were men and to be hounded and followed by men is scary and not at all warranted. Amenities - kids club had zero nappies and only alcohol rich wipes!! Toys were dirty. we caught staff shouting at someone’s kids on two occasions. I caught staff shout at my child and my son’s child. When confronted she muttered something under her breath and ‘shooed’ me away. On site store - The shop on site had wooden toys displayed and on a low kids table. My son obviously as any child would, touched a toy. He was shouted at by the man in the store. My son got super upset, as did I and his father. Again not a ‘family hotel’ environment. Staff informed me the man was ‘joking’ but had received many complaints about this gentleman in particular shouting a children. Food at kids club - terrible and not a vegetables on site. My son was sick one day and a doctor came, I was advised to get some pasta for him and get him to try and eat. I was terrified at this time. Kids club refused to get us any pasta. again I was resulted to tears and had to sign a waiver for the pasta to be given to my child. My child, who has now seen his mother in tears and was already upset from the emergency doctors. Kids club ‘event’ My son was touching the ‘smoothie bike’s’ wheels - some manager kept staring at him and hovering over him, tutting and shaking her head. She then went to a different member of staff and started whispering and pointing at my son. He wasn’t hurting anyone or causing any damage - again this is a kids club? This is their safe space! Restaurants - food was overall terrible. Asian got out table wrong and said either sit in a quickly made table in the walkway or don’t come in at all. Again blamed my travel agent for everything. Zero apologies and we felt embarrassed. Staff raised voices. Canteen the food was the same everyday and it was awful. The staff didn’t want to be there. Pool - Food around the pool was like the service - not to be seen. If you tipped the pool guys you would be treated well. In cash. No beds were free because the pool staff had saved them and got paid cash to do so. I was verbally attached one day because I took a bed that was empty at 8am. Myself and my 2 yr old sat there until 1pm when a lady came screaming telling us, to ‘remove ourselves from her bed’ she then went to show my the text msg from the pool guy showing which bed he had saved for her. She told me she has spent cash to assure her bed. 5*? Towels around the pool - Not once in my entire stay were towels brought over. Everyday I had to get them (not the end of the world) but why were other guests treated better than us? They were welcomed at pool side / beach side - we were ignored People’s Restaurant (pool resturant) - No kids menu and the poorest selection for adults. The menu is far from 5star. Again not a family hotel. Our plates were taken before we had finished. We were rushed so they could seat other guests. Again because of my religion? Other guests take priority? Greek Resturant: Drilling by the pool all night. No aubergine left. No meat in a Greek restaurant? Lobster was inedible - dry and tough. Seabass was tasteless to say the least. Food was NOT 5*. Waiters were rushing us through the meal. Table not ready for a toddler, waited and waited while he bragged the knifes and plates Mediterranean restaurant: Table wasn’t ready for my son . Yet again we are waiting and grabbing the knife’s and China plates off him. Menu underwhelming. Kids menu the same as always French friend, nuggets or pasta. I had to beg for some vegetables. The most bog standards bland menu. Could make any of it at home myself and I am not a chef. Tuna tartar tastes of air. General smell: We could smell sodium/sewer - we smelt this and so did numerous other guests. Other guests were compensated and had room upgrades, I was told the smell would pass Room service: Only chicken nuggets and pasta for the kids. No vegetables. My friend had to beg the kitchen to add some cucumber for our kids. Not acceptable to only have carbs and fried food for children. They need vegetables and we shouldn’t have to fight for that. Once speaking with another family we learnt, the way to get what we wish in room service is to tip cash to the staff. Their own children had anything they wished for. Kids - this is NOT a kids friendly hotel: the kids food is not ok. It’s bland and unhealthy. Zero vegetables. Milk - I asked for a carton of milk for my soon for my son, I was told it’s against hotel policy and they refused. This is a kids hotel!!! How can we not be allowed milk? Spa - I booked a massage and like any 5* hotel expected to add it to my room and pay at the end of my stay. The spa lady made it perfectly clear I had to pay on the spot - I was yet again made to feel embarrassed as one other lady and one gentleman in the same spa, in the same hotel were allowed to sign. I explained I have no form of payment on me and they said my ‘husband has until 8pm to come and pay in full’. They made me feel like I was a thief or a guest who couldn’t be trusted with this payment. I was then hounded via WhatsApp an hour later for payment. I was getting my son ready to get him some dinner and organise him - they hounded me again ‘not a family hotel’. Why was it one rule for me and another for other guests? When I later went to discuss this with the staff, the lady told me ‘this is because it was a gift we didn’t want to discuss money with you’. I informed her that was nonsense as I was told payment had to be made the. And there by cash or credit card, when I explained I had no form of payment - I was told my husband had to pay by 8pm. I am not a fool and don’t approached being gaslight. I know exactly what happened. Audit Day - No snacks around the pool for an entire day due to an internal audit. This should never be the case, they should always have an alternative. Crisps? Why would they be so hard to offer. They had nothing for the kids. The staff couldn’t of cared less about the situation and told me - if your son is hungry take him to the kids club, this was said with a tone that should never apply in a five star hotel to the guest. Sports bar - my son wanted to nap and sit in his buggy while we watched the football. The security came over and told her rudely to ‘remove’ our buggy from the bar. The bar was empty. A max of 6 people. This is a kids hotel! Of course there are going to be buggy’s, the man was so rude and aggressive. Beach service: Every time we went to the beach we didn’t get served. We pressed the button once, twice, three times.. no waiter. We have to go and find someone. Other families were receiving perfect service, I assume they had tipped the staff in order to receive this. Why are we different Over all I am not only disgusted but let down hugely by the brand. Rixios as a brand is always perfect from the staff to the food. This hotel shouldn’t be allowed to carry the brand name. They are shameful. The staff are rude and disregarding. The restaurants are not below average and not suitable for children. The rooms are dirty and far from child safe. I will never return here again. I was resulted to tears, embarrassed, my son was made to cry by staff and my husband felt awful because we were meant to be enjoying some family time. We all work super hard to have these holidays and I would strongly recommend that you don’t waste your hard earned money at this establishment. It was just a huge heartbreaking disappointment. Read less