On corniche road in Abu Dhabi, St Regis offers gorgeous views of the Gulf, but you won't want to leave the premises
The first thing you’ll notice in the morning when you wake up and look out the window from your room at the St Regis in Abu Dhabi is the view: That futuristic theme park and taller version of the Atlantis hotel in Dubai surrounded by a dark and empty expanse is actually breakwater in the middle of the turquoise blue waters of the Arabian Gulf. It’s quite a sight.
Across the Corniche Beach, St Regis is minutes away from the nightlife around the area. But step indoors and it will make you forget any well-intentioned plans to stay out and away from the hotel.
It doesn’t take getting used to being waited on by a butler: he’ll help you unwind with freshly made tea, whisking your clothes and shoes away to be pressed and shined for any morning rendezvous, all while you enjoy reservations he’s made at one of the hotel’s highly rated restaurants.
Those restaurants deserve separate mention themselves: Asia de Cuba, connected to the hotel by way of an opulent labyrinthian tunnel, offers Chino-Latin fusion right on the edge of the beach; Villa Toscana serves fine Italian cuisine; and the Azzuro Panoramic Lounge offers a relaxed atmosphere to satisfy cravings for Japanese food – though the Teriyaki could be better.
Transfers and pickups at St Regis are arranged via chauffeur driven Bentley’s, while burnished leather and beige interiors with silver tinted chandeliers pose for classic luxury. There are a few others that have managed automation within their rooms better, but the hotel’s attempts with motorised drapery, ambient light settings, and an ‘electronic mirror’ in the bathroom, still get an A for effort. Meanwhile, Remedé Spa lives up to its name with a solution for every ache, and elsewhere in the hotel, the stylists promise to keep a shave close and quick.
Now a Marriott brand after its acquisition of Starwood, St Regis rests near the highest experience offering of the hotel’s many brands in the Middle East, and it certainly shows.
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