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St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort, Abu Dhabi, UAE United Arab Emirates Opened Nov,11

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St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort, Abu Dhabi, UAE United Arab Emirates Opened Nov,11

 
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Old Apr 1, 2012, 4:02 am
  #31  
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Programs: UA-1k, 1mm, Marriott-LT Platinum, Hertz-Presidents Circle
Posts: 6,355
As promised here is a rundown of my experience.

as a plat I was upgraded to a suite. I was here for the Colin Montgomerie spg moment and the room was included as part of the package for 2 nights. Olea full buffet breakfast was given as a plat amenity. It was On par with what you would get from the great buffets in Thailand. I would have liked to see a more central location for juice and a few more smoothies but the layout of the restaurant limits it some.

The beach and pool areas are great. There are 3 pools; adult, family, and lap pool. The beach has cabanas and full staff throughout providing towels, drinks etc. Very impressive staffing as with most St. Regis properties.

The room was good with the exception that the shower didn't drain well at all. They have some type of filter on the drain and even when taken out the cover lodges in and won't allow the water to fully drain to keep up with the water pressure. Engineers didn't fix the problem and had to switch the water flow to the hand peice that is mounted on the wall. The overhead rainwater head overwhelms the plumbing.

The relatively small entrance for cars and such makes it tight with multiple arrivals and departures. It takes an inordinate amount of time to get one's car delivered and to retrieved. This could be better in the future I hope.

Big props to the iridium spa. Great facility. The ambiance was as good as any I have been. The steam, sauna, whirlpool, multiple shower head showers, locker room and treatment rooms were top shelf. Maybe 25% more than what you could typically find in hotel in the region but the before and after time spent in the facility makes up for this. BTW there is a separate men/womens section as is customary in the middle east.

Only other critque is that only 3 desks checking in and out guests isn't enough. Easily another 2-3 desks should be installed for the wait to check in/out was not up to expectations.

As a cat. 5 I would spend cash and points to stay here again, as the beach facilities make it unique for Abu Dhabi. The Westin is great as well but they don't have the beach.
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Old Apr 2, 2012, 9:18 am
  #32  
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
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Thanks for the TR. How was the event ? I missed it as I had to go to Beijing...it sounded like a great program and incredible value.
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Old May 12, 2012, 8:56 am
  #33  
NoY
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Phuket
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Sounds like a great place to chill. Does anyone have any SPG Gold experiences to share? Many thanks.

Last edited by NoY; May 12, 2012 at 10:55 pm
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Old May 14, 2012, 6:07 am
  #34  
NoY
 
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Originally Posted by NoY
Sounds like a great place to chill. Does anyone have any SPG Gold experiences to share? Many thanks.
Nobody? Ok, well then I will report back following my stay in June
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Old Jun 18, 2012, 12:45 am
  #35  
NoY
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
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Originally Posted by NoY
Nobody? Ok, well then I will report back following my stay in June
Ok, as promised here is my report from the St Regis;

We stayed during this last long weekend for four nights and we very much enjoyed our stay. Having said that there are really quite a few details that still need to be addressed before it fully lives up to it’s perception of its own image.

Booking
We booked a standard King Superior room on Cash + points at 4800 points plus $90/night as I had about 20K points that I found I simply was unable to use. A day before arrival I called the hotel & enquired what would be the best room I could get (as SPG Gold) and was told I would receive a King Superior Sea View. Nice, but for four nights we wanted to spread out a little. I was offered a St. Regis Suite Sea View for approx. $50/night. I accepted this. Upon check-in we were upgraded to a 1 bedroom Ocean Suite.

Check-in Process
We left our car to be valet parked (FOC) and were taken to be checked in at reception.

The check-in process was friendly but a bit cumbersome/awkward. We were offered a cold towel & overall the process was reasonably swift. A choice of amenities were offered (drinks voucher chosen – more on that later). We were offered a late check-out and a 4pm departure was agreed.

We were escorted to our Suite and given a (looong) “tour” of its facilities. A little unnecessary but the lady (butler?) was delightful. We were not offered a welcome tea or coffee & had none of the Butler duties/services explained to us – unlike our last stay at a St Regis, in Osaka.

The Room
I believe we had exactly the same room type (4th floor though) that RAPC described in his excellent stay report. There was a small fruit plate awaiting us & a lovely note from the lady I spoke to on the phone the day before.

The room consisted of a small hallway leading the spacious living room. There is a separate bedroom and a very large bathroom. The bathroom has twin sinks, toilet, shower and a very, very large & deep bath. The access to the balcony via the bedroom was not possible as the door was jammed.

As RAPC pointed out, there are some minor finishing quality issues, although I have seen much worse. My wife’s biggest gripe in hotels manifested itself here – NOWHERE to plug in hairdryer/straighteners in front of a mirror – with or without a seat - designed for & by men? Yes, indeedy.

The above are all minor points & didn’t detract from our overall enjoyment.

Now - the bed. In a word? Awesome. Simply the most comfortable bed/bedding/pillows I have ever experienced (except at home). Top, top quality. I even checked the bed’s branding – it is branded “St Regis”.

In general, the furnishings are of high quality & are traditional but with a modern twist. Very tasteful.

Facilities
The hotels three pools are very nicely done. There is a family pool (huge, open design) with plenty of loungers & pool drinks/snack service. There is a children’s activity pool (think mini water park) plus (thankfully) an adult’s only pool. We spent the day here & it is beautiful & peaceful (except for some noisy/well-oiled Arabic couples dominating the Jacuzzi areas built into the café end of the pool)

The large windswept beach area is rustic and therefore not ideal for waters-edge strolls as it is very stony/debris laden as you approach the water.

We did not visit the The Iridium Spa & this oddly enough was not publicised at all during our stay. We do not even know where it is. Neither did we make use of the St Regis Athletic Club.

Restaurants

We had booked (via the Butler Service) 55&5th, The Grill, some 3 days before we arrived. We turned up for our 8pm table and yes, you guessed. “What reservation, sir?” Much grimacing follows & we are nervously ushered in to take….the worst table in the house by the worried looking (though ultimately delightful) Italian manager. I quietly pointed out that we expected something a little better given the circumstances (booked 3 days ahead, Suite Guest, SPG Gold etc) & we were given a lovely booth. The food was delicious & we were very well looked after following the arrival mini-debacle. Complimentary appetisers etc. Very nice.

We dined in Olea one evening – with much trepidation – we do not “do” buffets (apart from champagne brunch!) but decided to brave it. Excellent quality ingredients but so-so service & ambiance. Our waiter was too busy clearing vacated tables & allowing ours to pile up. I cleared my own table in the end. The waiter later approached us to apologise as he had seen me clearing the table. Fair enough.

We ate breakfast on all days via room service. Something we do not normally do. Excellent quality & given the cost of the buffet (SPG Gold remember) the room service was fantastic value. One energiser breakfast satisfied the 2 of us easily. Juice/smoothie/large jug of coffee/pastries/toast/fruit plate/egg white omelette/jams etc. was more than ample. Hot food was hot & cold was cold. Cost about $30. Perfect.

We enjoyed our free drinks voucher in Manhattan Bar. This was good for a Cosmopolitan & a (very!) dry Gin Martini. Excellent amenity. The problem was Euro 2012 football was on & they turned most of the bar into a TV zone – why? Set aside somewhere else. Please. We consumed our drinks & left but we would have eaten there in a more suitably serene environment.

Housekeeping

In a word? Poor. Used glasses never replaced in mini bar. Used glasses not removed from the room on at least one occasion. Dirty/blemished “clean” towel placed in bathroom. Had it replaced so that I could shower. Fine. Knock on door 20 minutes later offering another clean towel. Bathroom vanity never cleaned properly during stay. They clean around personal items never removing & replacing them. Really? Not anywhere else I have stayed.

Summary
We have very much enjoyed our stay here. There are, however, most certainly improvements that need to be made. Mainly the concept of joining up the service. Some service delivery was exceptionally good (room service) but inexperience showed in too many places (housekeeping). This is one of the problems with the multi-cultural staff harmonising effectively enough in a consistent & joined up way. A problem in the UAE generally.

I will definitely stay here again as it really does provide an environment that does NOT feel as though you are in the UAE. A real benefit if you live here. It felt almost Asian in its vibe & staff demographic. And I am very happy about that. Recommended, despite the niggles.

If anyone has any questions – just ask.

Right. I'm off to the pool to soak up my last few hours before checking out at 4pm today. Hope you found the report helpul.

Last edited by NoY; Jun 18, 2012 at 9:46 pm
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Old Sep 9, 2012, 10:18 am
  #36  
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Italy
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Posts: 393
sea and rocky beach

Two question on the property for those who have been:

1) Sea quality - I have been many times in Dubai and never went in the sea given the pollutted condition. Is this the case in Abu Dhabi and more specifically just in front the hotel? I always considered Dubai a "pool" destination....can we aspect anything better here?
2) Are the rocks close to the shore really unbereable for children? It looks this hotel is really children friendly but the beach might be an issue.

thanks anyone that can give any advice on those matters.
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Old Sep 9, 2012, 10:31 am
  #37  
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
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Originally Posted by The_Daddy
Two question on the property for those who have been:

1) Sea quality - I have been many times in Dubai and never went in the sea given the pollutted condition. Is this the case in Abu Dhabi and more specifically just in front the hotel? I always considered Dubai a "pool" destination....can we aspect anything better here?
2) Are the rocks close to the shore really unbereable for children? It looks this hotel is really children friendly but the beach might be an issue.

thanks anyone that can give any advice on those matters.
Sorry man I only used the pool myself.
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Old Sep 9, 2012, 10:34 am
  #38  
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: La Quinta
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Originally Posted by The_Daddy
Two question on the property for those who have been:

1) Sea quality - I have been many times in Dubai and never went in the sea given the pollutted condition. Is this the case in Abu Dhabi and more specifically just in front the hotel? I always considered Dubai a "pool" destination....can we aspect anything better here?
2) Are the rocks close to the shore really unbereable for children? It looks this hotel is really children friendly but the beach might be an issue.

thanks anyone that can give any advice on those matters.
Ad1) the sea is amazing. Compared to Dubai 100% better.

Ad2) there are some stones but only 50cm wide, after that best sand. So no worries. However PH next door has the better beach (no stones) and is also kid friendly.
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Old Sep 9, 2012, 10:58 am
  #39  
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Italy
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@schley
@LFCorsten

thanks for the prompt response ^
Looks like it is an ideal destination and, actually, quite convenient in terms of rate....I strongly suspect they will see me there before 2013

any additional info is welcome.
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Old Oct 16, 2012, 12:15 am
  #40  
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
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St Regis Saadiyat Island (Abu Dhabi) takes bookings mid Jan 2012

On property for a 3 night stay.

Property and grounds are stunning - as expected I guess. Friendly service. Had a good light dinner at the Asian restaurant (appetizers around AED 70, mains 100-200). Upgraded to St Regis suite few days prior arrival. Great room. No other platinum recognition though compared to other St Regis hotels (SIN, BKK, BJS, etc), i.e. no breakfast, no free pressing, no free cocktails, and so on. Chose breakfast as Plat amenity, offering is very good.

However some serious issues:

- my room is not far from the cocktail bar, and a piano/opera singer combo would not let me sleep until midnight. Very annoying. Could not get another room as hotel is allegedly full.

- bed is great but pillows are very hard, ordered softer pillows for tonight, will see if that works

- sun bed on balcony is completely covered in bird faeces. It looks disgusting, certainly not St Regis standard.

- spa/heealth club is in a separate building, can not walk there in swimsuit/bathrobe, need to change there which is inconvenient.

Based on the first 24h experience I would be hesitant to return to this hotel
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Old Oct 16, 2012, 11:48 pm
  #41  
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
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Posts: 960
St Regis Saadiyat Island (Abu Dhabi) takes bookings mid Jan 2012

Just to update, upon returning to my room I had kind of expected to find some sort of apology, but no such thing.

Sun bed was changed but bird faeces on the floor still there.

No soft pillow was provided.

I had handed in a shirt for laundry and clearly marked return folded. I had to call in past due time to get it back and it came on a hanger and not folded.

I had dinner at the seafood place, food quite good. The waiter spilled the dessert, the setting outside was very dark. Upon returning to my room I realized that shoes and pants were stained. I asked for a complimentary cleaning which was granted without hesitation.

I had ordered an airport taxi for my departure. The taxi is AED 70 or so, compared to AED 350 for a hotel car. The taxis are perfectly fine. They got the date wrong for my departure and taxi order and called me past midnight in my room that my taxi was waiting. Why would I want to leave if I hadn't checked out and was booked for another night ? They then apologized for getting it wrong but clearly sleeping times don't seem to be valued highly at the hotel.

I am usually not that difficult but I find these experiences definitely below expectations, in particular for a St Regis in this part of the world. I am tempted to demand a compensation from the hotel.

On the positive side I had a stroll to the beach and a dip in the sea this morning. It was lovely and I only saw very few stones and the sand is excellent. The golf course also looks great.
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Old Oct 30, 2012, 3:36 am
  #42  
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
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Posts: 960
just to follow up, I had written to the hotel and received a comprehensive reply including a promise to follow up on the issues. It also included some goodwill Starpoints.
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Old Dec 12, 2012, 3:31 am
  #43  
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Public Transport

Is there a public transport from Abu Dhabi airport to the St. Regis?
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Old Dec 12, 2012, 7:55 am
  #44  
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Geneva, Dubai, Paris
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Originally Posted by TallestHotelInJapan
Is there a public transport from Abu Dhabi airport to the St. Regis?
No, your only choices are taxi or hotel car. Taxis are very cheap (the ride to the StR will cost you a maximum of 20 USD.)
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Old Dec 12, 2012, 8:18 am
  #45  
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Raleigh
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Posts: 754
Originally Posted by JohnRain
No, your only choices are taxi or hotel car. Taxis are very cheap (the ride to the StR will cost you a maximum of 20 USD.)
Yes, and often very stinky (B.O.).
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