The last time I visited Abu Dhabi, I stayed at the Ritz-Carlton. It was a beautiful hotel, but I was unimpressed with the service, cleanliness, and pool area. The location was also very far out from all of the main attractions, as it was located near the Sheikh Zayed Mosque. This time around, we stayed at the Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi Hotel & Villas on Saadiyat Island (yep, right by Saadiyat Beach Club!), and my goodness, the difference was immense.
Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi Hotel and Villas Review
We arrived at the Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi late at night after a long day of travelling. However, we were instantly greeted warmly by the check-in staff, and the beautiful scent of the hotel lobby instantly relaxed us. The hotel feels like a cross between a luxury hotel and an art gallery, with tranquil water features, sculptures, and impressive artwork adorning the public areas.
After tearing our eyes away from the walls, the staff were really helpful in answering a few questions we had regarding our itinerary and the Covid restrictions in Abu Dhabi, and after helping us with our queries, we were shown up to our Park Sea View room on the fourth floor of the hotel.
The Room at Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi
Our room was just above an entry level room as it had a balcony with a seaview, but it was absolutely huge! We had a lovely entrance-way with mini-bar, coffee machine, which led into the bedroom which featured two large twin beds, a table and chairs, and a chaise lounge.
The bathroom was equally as impressive, with gorgeous Le Labo amenities, a gigantic, luxurious bath tub and rain shower, twin sinks, and a separate powder room with the toilet. On the other side of the bathroom is the closet, which was more than ample for two women on a five night stay, although we could have done with more hangers.
We were ecstatic to find two fresh coconuts filled with fresh coconut water in our room, as well as some delicious little chocolates! I love little touches like that, and it filled our tummies a little until we could make our way downstairs for a late-night dinner.
Dining at Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi
For the duration of our five star stay, we were constantly impressed with the food at the Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi. On our first night at the hotel we went to the main restaurant and thoroughly enjoyed the chicken burgers there, after a day of travelling and being subjected to awful plane food. Then there were the breakfasts…my gosh. You can choose to either sit in the indoor area which, like the lobby, feels like an art gallery, or you can sit in the restaurant itself, or outdoors on the terrace. We loved the terrace, and they have a man in traditional Emirati dress walking around with a falcon most mornings!
The breakfast at Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi was ‘hotel buffet breakfast’ dining at its finest. I’ve said for the past three and a half years now, but ever since I started working at Google I just can’t enjoy a hotel breakfast in the same way because our buffet breakfasts at Google were so incredible. The Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi completely changed this. It was hands down one of the best hotel breakfasts I have ever had. They have multiple stations: a juice station, hot breakfast foods, fruits and yoghurts, cheeses and meats, cereals and nuts/seeds, pastries and bread, and then there’s the waffle and pancake station. Naturally, this was my favourite of them all.
In addition to the buffet breakfast, you’re also able to choose items from the A La Carte breakfast menu free of charge. We adored the truffled scrambled eggs, and the classic avo and eggs on toast.
As well as the exceptional breakfast, we also enjoyed lunch by the pool one day, and lunch in the beach restaurant another. Unfortunately I didn’t have my camera or phone with me the day we ate at the beach restaurant as they were all charging in the room – so you’ll have to imagine it! But we had the most delicious beef croquettes, a watermelon and feta salad, and a portion of fries, and it was just perfect for what we wanted.
Lunch by the pool consisted of sushi, and guacamole and plantain chips, and again, it was just very tasty and exactly what we wanted!
The Pool & Beach at Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi
So everything so far sounds pretty dreamy, right? Could it possibly get any better!? Boy oh boy, it certainly can – I’ve saved the best ’til last 😉 The pool at Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi is stunning. Absolutely breathtaking. Just make sure you see it at both day and night! We loved spending a lazy afternoon by the pool in a cabana, sipping cocktails, eating snacks, having a dip in the water, and reading our books.
The pool shown above is adults-only, so as well as the main pool, there’s also a smaller pool which is child-friendly, and jacuzzis are dotted alongside a small stream, with relaxing loungers next to them.
We also spent some time on the beautiful white-sand beach and swam in the ocean, and it just felt so lovely to have sandy feet and salty skin again.
Final Thoughts of Our Stay at Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi
We honestly loved every minute of our stay at the Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi Hotel and Villas. Everything was completely perfect, from the room, to the food, service, and location, and I honestly much preferred it to the Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi. It just has a really lovely vibe and atmosphere and feels very friendly and welcoming, and is much more of a contemporary hotel in style than your usual ostentatious, OTT Middle Eastern luxury hotels. If you’re planning a trip to Abu Dhabi, I would wholeheartedly recommend staying at the Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi, whether you’re a group of friends, a family, or a couple.
Honesty Box
Our stay was provided complimentary as part of an Instagram campaign with Visit Abu Dhabi. The hotel was booked and paid for by the PR agency, and they were not aware that we were staying in collaboration with the tourism board. This hotel review and any blog content was not part of the contract as it was a pure Instagram-only campaign, and as such it has been written purely because I wanted to share my experience with you all and provide you with – hopefully – useful content.