Back in October I went to Dubai for a few days to visit Nigel and Kristina and get some sunshine and warmth before the British winter. We went to various bars and restaurants, but one of my favourite days was when we drove down to Abu Dhabi in Nigel’s fancy new Porsche (they are living the LIFE out there) to Abu Dhabi to spend the day at Saadiyat Beach Club.
I’ve been to Dubai a few times now to visit Nige and Kristina, and written about my favourite bars and clubs, and my perfect 48 hour guide to Dubai before, so I didn’t want to go overboard on the Dubai content. But I did want to tell you all about Saadiyat Beach Club, and I also have an exciting restaurant review coming up for you all!
So, ready to find out what Saadiyat Beach Club is like and if it’s worth the money? Read on!
What to wear
Visiting Saadiyat Beach Club
You may remember that three years ago I visited nearby Zaya Nurai Island and absolutely LOVED it, so Saadiyat Beach Club had a lot to live up to. We arrived in Abu Dhabi just before lunchtime and paid the Saadiyat day pass fee of AED 375 each. Unlike Zaya Nurai, the Saadiyat Beach Club day pass fee isn’t a minimum spend that you can use for the restaurants and bars.
At Saadiyat you have to pay on top of the day pass fee for food and drink, which makes it much pricier than Zaya Nurai. Anyway, we went and got changed and then headed out to the pool to find sunbeds.
We were pretty hungry so I ordered sushi while Nige and Kristina ordered burgers. I also had a lychee cocktail which was DELISH and made me very happy.
Pool Area at Saadiyat Beach Club
We spent a couple of hours sunbathing and chilling by the pool at Saadiyat, staring up at the palm trees and clear blue skies, and then decided to head down to the beach part of the beach club.
The Beach at Saadiyat Beach Club
The beach at Saadiyat Beach Club reminded me of the beaches in Western Australia – it had soft powdery white sand and clear blue water that was so warm it felt like a bath! The water was actually too hot after a while, and with the 36 degree celsius outside temperature I desperately needed some water that was actually refreshing, so I headed back to the swimming pool.
Vibe and Atmosphere at Saadiyat Beach Club
Later in the afternoon they had a saxophone player playing by the poolside, which I absolutely loved! The music actually was one of my favourite things about Saadiyat Beach Club – it gave it a very chilled out vibe and atmosphere.
As well as the music the architecture and art around the pool was really cool. We stayed at Saadiyat beach Club until the sunset, and then spent some time in the spa area inside (they have a sauna, steam room, jacuzzi, and an iced plunge pool in both the men’s and women’s changing areas). Before we knew it, it was time to head back to Dubai for a final dinner before I flew early the next morning.
Saadiyat Beach Club is a great place to spend a day if you want to stay on the mainland or don’t have an entire day and don’t mind the price. It’s also a good choice if you go on a weekday or ladies day when it’s *much* cheaper. But honestly if you want a beach club on the weekend, Zaya Nurai is FAR more impressive and works out much cheaper than Saadiyat, so I would recommend Zaya Nurai over Saadiyat!
Catherine Lux is a veteran travel blogger by night and the Head of SEO at Havas Media Group by day. Originally from Surrey, she spent four years living in Australia (2007-2009, and 2016-2018), and now lives in London. An ex-party girl sometimes prone to relapses, she loves nothing more than sharing her fine dining and luxury travel experiences with her loyal readers.
