Culture and relaxation at Rixos Premium Saadiyat!

Last February, we stayed with our family at the Rixos Premium Saadiyat. Here are our impressions.

Located just 6 hours’ flight from Europe, Abu Dhabi is a less turbulent destination than Dubai and is very popular with families who come here to recharge their batteries. Resting was one of our desires, but we also wanted to make our stay a cultural one. We were not disappointed.

The hotel is 25 minutes from the airport. If you take an Uber or taxi to the airport, the cost is around €40. If you opt for the hotel’s beautiful private shuttle bus, expect to pay around €125 per journey.

The hotel is located on Saadiyat Island, nicknamed « the Maldives of the Emirates » for its fine sandy beaches and turquoise sea. The location of the Rixos is really perfect and its beach is splendid.

For the safety of swimmers (and especially children), there are numerous lifeguards on the beach and by the hotel’s various pools. It’s really very reassuring.

The ‘premium all-inclusive’ concept of the Rixos reminded us (in a slightly more glitzy way, but we’re in the Emirates, so it’s not a shock) of that of the Ikos group in the Mediterranean, with a top-quality buffet restaurant and à la carte restaurants that can be booked at no extra charge. There are no soda fountains or cheap spirits here, just brand-name sodas served in glass bottles and internationally renowned spirits. The wines served at the table are made from classic grape varieties (Cabernet, Chardonnay, Merlot, etc.) are very decent and come from South Africa and Australia.

A little tip: book the à la carte restaurants (very popular!) as soon as you arrive, to make sure you have room.

We were really impressed by the quality of the food and drink, but also by the impeccable service and the beauty of the place.

An example of our sense of service: one day, it was very windy at the swimming pool and the staff came to hand out plaids to customers enjoying their sun loungers.

Everything here is designed with children in mind!

The rooms are spacious (we stayed in a One Bedroom Suite with a separate living room and large sofa bed for our son), the paths are pushchair-friendly, the kids’ club is great and offers a host of sporting and creative activities, while the water park and wave pool guarantee thrills!

The majority of Rixos guests are families with children. We met a lot of English, Russian and German families, but also a few French ones.

For older children and teenagers, the teens room offers arcade games and PlayStation 5 consoles.

The Rixos is designed as a magnificent resort on a human scale, with the air of a majestic oriental palace, where numerous activities are offered every day, including group sports classes (aquabike, Pilates, CrossFit, etc.) and musical performances.

The spa is not accessible to children and some outdoor areas are reserved for adults.

Abu Dhabi’s famous Louvre museum is only a 15 minute drive away and I would recommend visiting with the family, you won’t be disappointed! Admission is free for children (€16 for adults). On arrival you can scan a QR code and access a treasure hunt game on your mobile phone, to make the visit even more enjoyable for your children. The Louvre Abu Dhabi also has a large section dedicated solely to children. Our son Achille loved the section dedicated to the conquest of space.

In conclusion, our stay at the Rixos Premium Saadiyat exceeded our expectations. The value for money is excellent. The all-inclusive formula, combined with the top-of-the-range service and facilities, are perfect for demanding families.