[2025 Abu Dhabi Stay] Travel Guide for Al Wathba, a Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa, Abu Dhabi (Updated Apr)

Join me on a kid-friendly adventure in Abu Dhabi, UAE! Following up on my previous post about family travel in the UAE, this time we'll delve into Abu Dhabi with all the essential tips. Save this post! Day 3: Travel from another location to Abu Dhabi (a 2-hour drive, costing over AED 300 by taxi). Check in to Al Wathba, a Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa, Abu Dhabi (make sure to use the full name). The hotel is incredibly photogenic, with a stunning pool – every shot is Instagram-worthy. Dine at the hotel's Terra Secca Italian restaurant in the evening. Remember to book in advance if you want an outdoor table where you can feed the horses! Day 4: In the morning, head to the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. As the hotel is remote, arrange a taxi through the front desk for around AED 130 (using the meter). Be mindful of the dress code for the mosque. If you're tired after your visit, grab lunch at McDonald's in the underground mall. Next, check out the Louvre Abu Dhabi and its iconic walkway (expect a queue for photos), which makes for artistic shots. Finally, visit the National Aquarium, although some find it less worthwhile due to the limited variety of fish, so choose based on your preference. Day 5: Visit Warner Bros. World. While not huge, it's perfect for kids, offering a relaxed and enjoyable experience. Interact with various cartoon characters and immerse yourselves in the joyful world of animation. Day 6: Check out at noon and return to Dubai. Check in to Al Seef Heritage Hotel Dubai, Curio Collection By Hilton. Spend the afternoon exploring the surrounding area and soaking up the local atmosphere. In the evening, dine at the Michelin-recommended Al Khayma Heritage Restaurant and savor the local cuisine. Day 7: After breakfast, check out and head to the airport for your flight home. Key takeaway! When staying at Al Wathba hotel in Abu Dhabi, arrange taxis through the front desk for metered fares. For other trips, use Careem – it's convenient, reliable, and hassle-free. Follow this guide for an unforgettable UAE trip with your kids!

Stayed at the Life Hotel in Abu Dhabi Let’s talk about the price first!! 1400 in the off-season!! You can take a bus from Dubai to Abu Dhabi in about 1.5 hours, and then take a taxi for another 45 minutes to reach Awa Zabad, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Abu Dhabi. The hotel is located deep in the desert of Abu Dhabi. There are very few tourists, and there are more staff than guests. They are super polite. It's really chill and cozy! This hotel should be a low-end version of the luxury one in Dubai. I chose this hotel even though the room rate is tens of thousands of dollars. The 1.4k Platinum guest was upgraded to a garden view suite on the first night. On the second night, he said he wanted to experience a villa, so he upgraded us to a villa with the best sunset view. 1400 in the off-season!! Why would you need a bicycle if you live in a big villa? Compared with the 4000+ desert hotel in Ningxia, it's really a waste!! Abu Dhabi is really a treasure city. It is much more fun than Dubai. It has everything from desert to sea and CBD. The next article will talk about Pakr Hyatt on Satyat Island. Recommended Abu Dhabi's most cost-effective desert hotel Name: Al Wathba, a Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa, Abu Dhabi :It is about dozens of kilometers away from the city of Abu Dhabi and can be reached by taxi. :This hotel is recognized as having a high cost-effectiveness among many desert hotels. The only drawback is that the desert outside the hotel is not very beautiful, but the overall experience is very good. We stayed for two nights. Every staff in the hotel was very good. Any questions we encountered were actively solved, and everyone was smiling, enthusiastic and cheerful. The hotel's breakfast environment is also very comfortable, the quality of food and drinks is very high, and I eat very full every morning. In the evening we had an Italian restaurant and Vietnamese noodles, both were delicious (Marriott members can get a 20% discount on meals). In addition, there are very few people in this hotel during the Chinese New Year, so the whole environment is very suitable for vacation. Going to the sauna, swimming, and riding camels in the desert are all private, which is very comfortable. The hotel also offers many paid experience programs (spa, camel riding, horse riding, etc.) and the prices are reasonable. This is my favorite hotel on this trip

This time we stayed in a basic room with desert view, which is about 50 square meters. The room is very new and the design is quite satisfactory. It would be much better if we could experience a villa with a swimming pool. The hotel breakfast does not have many varieties, but the quality is quite good and the ingredients used are also great. The swimming pool is highly recommended! The water temperature is so comfortable, and combined with the desert landscape, the experience is perfect!

#besthotels I stayed at a desert hotel in Abu Dhabi that offers great value for money!! Successfully unlocked another super great desert hotel in Abu Dhabi ! You really live well 😭😭 The hotel is located in the vast desert, passing through the city center 🚗 Although Cheng was a bit long (about 1 hour), seeing the spectacular desert landscape full of Arab charm all the way, I knew it was worth it! If it's just for vacation, it's still more suitable. If there are also sightseeing spots or shopping activities 🛍️ The idea is not very convenient. The hotel front desk was very friendly and even gave away a ticket to the mosque! And the hotel environment is very beautiful. Bring some nice clothes and take photos. The room is very large, starting from 45 square meters. Even if the whole family comes to stay with an extra bed, they won't feel crowded. They have all the necessary amenities, and the bedding is very comfortable. There is also a turndown service at night, which is very thoughtful! Breakfast is plentiful, with a variety of bread, fruits, yogurt, and freshly squeezed juice to drink. You can have whatever you want, and just having breakfast in the morning makes you feel extremely happy 🥰 The activities inside the resort are quite diverse and exciting, and you won't feel bored. Even if the surroundings are all desert, the outdoor swimming pool is clear and transparent, very clean! Outdoor activities include horseback riding and camel riding 🐫 Wait, the price is also reasonable, very ssatisfied. 🏨 Hotel: Abu Dhabi Avazaba Luxury Collection Spa Resort Hotel 📍 Address: Al Wathba South 56620, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates #historicallandmarks #localguides

🏨✨ Al Wathba, a Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa, Abu Dhabi 📍 Al Wathba South, Abu Dhabi, UAE ▪️ This hotel is located in the suburbs of Abu Dhabi. Although the location is a bit remote, the tranquility and beauty here are definitely worth a visit! There is no city noise, only birdsong and the vastness of the desert. The hotel is about an hour's drive from the city center, but the hotel offers shuttle service, which is very convenient👌. 📌 The location is excellent, and being in the desert can only be described as spectacular. The hotel's decor is high-end and atmospheric, and every detail is full of traditional Arabic elements and modern luxury. The front desk staff is very professional and attentive, and I felt at home from the moment I walked in😊. They will also enthusiastically answer all your questions, down to every detail. 🛏️ The room is spacious and comfortable, about 40 square meters, very spacious. The bed is very comfortable, and resting here at night is definitely a treat. The room is fully equipped, from the coffee machine to the high-end toiletries, everything is very well prepared. Outside the window is the vast desert scenery, and every morning you can see the endless sand dunes, which is amazing!🏜️ 🌟 The hotel has a wide range of facilities, including a luxurious swimming pool, gym, and spa. The pool is not only large, but the water quality is very good, and there are staff cleaning it every day. The hotel also keeps camels, horses, peacocks, and eagles, just like a small zoo! It is very suitable for families with children😄. In addition, they also have surfing facilities, but they were temporarily closed when I checked in, so I look forward to experiencing them next time. 🍽️ There are many recommended restaurants nearby, such as Terra Secca, Al Mesayan, Panache, and Bait Al Hanine, each with unique cuisine and excellent dining environment. Among them, the Arabic cuisine at Al Mabeet and Hayaakom is unforgettable and super delicious🤤. In short, this stay was simply perfect. Not only is the environment beautiful, but the service is also very attentive, and the perfect combination of desert and luxury resort hotel made me completely relax. I look forward to coming back next time to enjoy this peaceful oasis!

[ Al Wathba, a luxury Collection resort & spa] Have you ever imagined experiencing a moment of Arabian nights while looking at the beautiful stars in a desert oasis? This is a place that makes that imagination a reality without being too expensive. Marriott Luxury Collection, Al Wathba Resort. It is a desert resort in the suburbs that takes only about an hour from Abu Dhabi. It is literally a desert resort! Camels, oasis, desert. It is a very exotic resort. It is a desert resort where you can stay for about 450,000-480,000 won per night, which is quite cost-effective(?). You can fly drones, ride camels, and there is a restaurant where you can have dinner while watching a wonderful performance and horses. If you are traveling to Dubai or Abu Dhabi in the Middle East, wouldn't it be a shame to miss out on such a unique and exotic resort? 🏖️🏨🏝️ #New York Flight Ticket Event #November Travel Support Grant Event

Awa Zarba, a Luxury Collection Resort and Spa, Abu Dhabi ~Luxury vacation time in the two-bedroom pool suite! Awa Zarba, a Luxury Collection Resort and Spa is a wild luxury resort hotel located in the desert of Abu Dhabi. The hotel is located in the vast desert, more than 40 minutes' drive from the city center. As a resort hotel, this location is truly a retreat! Unlike Al Maha, Al Wathba's Luxury Collection is more like a real hotel⭐✨🌙👍👍, with low stone buildings full of Arabic style🏩🌆🧨. Tall palm trees remind you that this is the dreamy Middle East all the time, 🧨🪂🪁 and the excellent public area landscape construction, as well as the long pool landscape ⛰️🏔🎪, while having an excellent resort atmosphere, are still in harmony with the surroundings. The desert forms a strong contrast🏊‍♂️🏊‍♀️🏄‍♂️. Everything in the hotel has returned to traditional architecture, 🏆🥇🥉 instead of unique tent villas~ Compared with Al Maha, the price of Al Wathba is also much cheaper🏫🌇🏉. If you want to experience a desert vacation, it is a cost-effective option Choose ⛱️🏖🏡. The entire hotel is inspired by a historic desert village. Accompanied by the sound of gurgling water☘️🌴🥦, stroll through the charming courtyards and trails to explore~ The typical luxurious Arabic style is filled in every corner of the hotel🥰😘😍, from the appearance to the room decoration, it is full of Arabic style, low-key and luxurious~ It was already dark when we arrived last night🎀💘 and checked into the two-bedroom pool suite. 🥪🧅🥞The private courtyard and swimming pool are extremely private, so you can enjoy your exclusive vacation time quietly ~ experience Talk about your feelings❤💋🎈

🌵Dubai Chapter🌵 💎Al Maha, A Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa💎 (Al Maha, A Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa) Address: Located in the Dubai Desert Reserve. ✅Independent suite with private heated infinity pool, sun deck and terrace garden. ✅You can have close contact with wild animals. Antelopes and gazelles shuttle freely around you, as if you have entered a fairy tale world (antelope oasis hidden in the desert). ✅All-inclusive service for a luxurious experience, from delicious dining to relaxing spa treatments, everything is just right. 💫Bab Al Shams Desert Resort and Spa💫(Bab Al Shams Desert Resort and Spa) Address: About 1 hour from Dubai Airport and about 45 minutes from the city. ✅Convenient transportation, not far from the airport and the city. ✅Newly renovated in 2023, the Arabian architectural style is so beautiful that it will be a blockbuster whenever you take a photo. ✅The infinity pool surrounded by palm trees is like an oasis in the desert, bringing endless coolness and comfort. ✅115 elegant rooms, some with private terraces, allowing you to enjoy privacy ✅There are rich and colorful entertainment projects, including sandbathing, hot air ballooning, falconry performances, archery, camel riding, children's parks, equestrian, etc... ✅Various dining options to satisfy your taste buds. 🌸Meliá Desert Palm Dubai🌸(Meliá Desert Palm Dubai) Address: Located on the 160-hectare Polo Estate, only 20 minutes from downtown Dubai. ✅Famous for its high-level polo competition, it is a paradise for horse lovers. ✅The 38 rooms have their own characteristics. The Palm Luxurious Rooms overlook the pool and garden, and the Villacayali has its own open-air courtyard and swimming pool. ✅The hotel's 65 hectares of lush lawns and green spaces are an excellent place to enjoy a private picnic. ✨The Ritz-Carlton Ras Al Khaimah, Al Wadi Desert✨ Address: About 1 hour away from downtown Dubai ✅Away from the hustle and bustle of the city, enjoy tranquility and privacy. ✅Luxurious decoration and top-notch services bring an unparalleled vacation experience. ✅Enjoy the magnificent sunrise and sunset in the desert and feel the charm of nature. ✅Large desert villas of over 500 square meters, all with private swimming pools and wide views ✅ Rich desert activities, you can watch falcon performances and interact with owls for free. 🌵Abu Dhabi🌵 🌟Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara🌟(Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara) Address: About 5 hours from downtown Dubai; about 3 hours from Abu Dhabi ✅Desert Oasis Castle, far away from the city ✅The catering is rich and diverse, with Arabic cuisine and international cuisine for you to choose from. ✅A wealth of leisure activities, including desert safari, camel tours, starry sky camping, etc., will help you appreciate the charm of the desert. ✅"Star Wars" and "Mission: Impossible 7" movie filming locations. 💫Al Wathba, A Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa💫 (Al Wathba, A Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa) Address: About an hour’s drive from downtown Abu Dhabi. ✅A secluded resort with cluster-style low stone buildings, full of Arabian style. ✅The public area landscape is excellent, and the long pool landscape forms a strong contrast with the desert. ✅The spa center has complete facilities, such as snow cave, sauna, wet steam, salt steam, Turkish bath, etc., allowing you to relax and enjoy luxury. Come to the desert hotels in Dubai and Abu Dhabi and start a dream desert trip! 🏖️

Located deep in the Abu Dhabi desert, Anantara Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort combines modern luxury with the essence of traditional Bedouin lifestyle. I stayed here twice last year and really liked it! It feels like a tranquil haven, far away from the hustle and bustle of the world. The environment is quiet and leisurely. The hotel is about an hour's drive from downtown Abu Dhabi. The capital of the UAE, Abu Dhabi, faces the Persian Gulf and is backed by a golden desert. This city, half desert and half ocean, has everything: the sea, desert, culture, art, racing, luxury hotels, theme parks... Although Abu Dhabi is not as well-known as Dubai, it is the capital of the UAE, a super-rich emirate born with a silver spoon in its mouth. In recent years, it has created more and more attractions and hotels, and is becoming more and more well-known worldwide. I really like Anantara Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort. Its excellent location is secluded! The hotel is a low-rise stone building with a strong Arabian style. The tall palm trees in the hotel remind you that this is a dreamy Middle East. The excellent landscape of the public area, the long pool landscape and the wide swimming pool create a strong contrast with the surrounding desert environment while creating an excellent holiday atmosphere. Especially the two-bedroom suite we stayed in, the private courtyard and swimming pool are very private, the indoor space is also very spacious, the two bedrooms are completely independent, both with bathrooms and bathtubs, you can quietly enjoy the exclusive holiday time, the experience is super great!

Escape to an Arabian dream with our top desert resort picks in Abu Dhabi! 🏜️✨ 1️⃣ Al Wathba, a Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa is your serene hideaway, sprawling over 22,000 sqm. Opt for a villa with a private pool and soak in the tranquility, with nothing but luxurious amenities and endless dunes in sight. 🌅🏊 2️⃣ Qasr Al Sarab by Anantara offers a traditional Arabian village vibe, complete with flowing water sounds and enchanting pathways. Indulge in the Saray Spa's extensive facilities, including an ice cave and Turkish bath, for a blissful desert spa experience. 🛀🌴 3️⃣ For a more budget-friendly yet luxurious option, consider the Al Wathba, a Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa. While the standard rooms are more modest, the two-bedroom villas offer spacious luxury. Elite members can enjoy generous upgrades, but note that dining and desert quality may not match up to other high-end desert resorts. 🍽️🌵 Discover these gems nestled in the Al Wathba area, a mere hour from the bustling city center. Experience the magic of Abu Dhabi's desert hospitality! Al Wathba South 56620, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates #AbuDhabi #AbuDhabiHotel #AbuDhabiTravel

The Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara is a luxurious desert resort located in the Abu Dhabi desert~ The hotel is situated in the vast desert, nearly an hour's drive from the city center. As a holiday resort, such a location can truly be described as a retreat from the world! The hotel's overall architecture is a cluster of low-rise stone buildings, exuding full Arabian charm. Tall palm trees constantly remind you that this is the dreamy Middle East, and the excellent landscape design of the public areas, along with the long water features, create a superb holiday atmosphere while still contrasting sharply with the surrounding desert. All the buildings of the hotel return to a traditional style, inspired by a historic desert village. Accompanied by the sound of flowing water, one can wander and explore the enchanting courtyards and pathways endlessly~ The typical luxury Arabian style pervades every corner of the hotel, from the exterior to the room decorations, which are understated yet luxurious. And of course, what surprises me the most is the spa center of this luxury collection resort~ The Saray Spa at Qasr Al Sarab by Anantara is incredibly well-equipped, with an ice cave, sauna, steam room, salt steam, Turkish bath... everything you could wish for~ Enjoying a spa in the desert is so wonderful!

Marriott has several desert hotels in the UAE, among which the most famous and classic is undoubtedly the Al Maha Luxury Collection in Dubai, which I have stayed at twice before. I have also stayed at the Al Wadi Ritz-Carlton in Ras Al Khaimah, so this time I chose the Abu Dhabi Al Wathba🌟 that I haven't stayed at yet. 📍Location: As the hotel name suggests, this desert hotel is located in the Al Wathba area of Abu Dhabi. Desert hotels are usually far from the city center, and it takes about an hour to get there by taxi from the airport. 🏨Hardware facilities: Compared to the other three desert resorts, this one is the cheapest, which is also because the basic room is a standard room, unlike the other two which are all villas. Therefore, in terms of hardware, this one is definitely a bit inferior. However, this time I stayed in a two-bedroom villa, which, compared to the villa itself, feels more like the basic villa of the Al Wadi Ritz-Carlton in Ras Al Khaimah. Although it is also in the Arabian style, it lacks the wild luxury feel of the tented villas. The two-bedroom villa is a duplex with a large area, but the pool is just a small plunge pool. 📝Other: They are very generous to elite members. As a Marriott Titanium Elite member, I successfully upgraded to a two-bedroom suite, but the service experience is still not as good as the other two. The dining is also just passable, quite a bit worse than Al Maha. Hotel activities all require an additional fee and are priced high. Overall, if you book a villa directly, it's not much cheaper than Al Maha. Another very important point is that the quality of the desert here is really not very good. If you have stayed in other high-quality deserts, you will be disappointed here.

🤎𝘈𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘩𝘰𝘵𝘦𝘭 The hotel is located deep in the desert, about 50𝘮𝘪𝘯 from the city. The traditional Arabic stone buildings are mysterious and simple. The palm trees and the sunset in the desert form a unique scenery. Away from the hustle and bustle of the city, you can enjoy the beauty of nature. 🤎𝘈𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺 The outdoor swimming pool is very large. The azure blue water contrasts with the yellow sand next to it. It is very photogenic at sunset🌟! There are gyms and fitness centers, and you can also make an appointment at the front desk to experience camel riding, archery and off-road vehicles. 🤎𝘈𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘴𝘶𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘴 This time we stayed in a suite with a swimming pool. It was so cool to have 180 square meters of 𝘷𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘢 in the desert! The bedroom is full of Arabic details, mainly wood color, and has a large terrace, which is perfect for sunbathing☀️ The outdoor swimming pool has a bamboo shed on top to provide shade, and there are partitions around it, so it's very private💫 🤎𝘈𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘉𝘢𝘪𝘵 𝘈𝘐 𝘏𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘦 has a wide variety of breakfast options, including homemade pastries to try🥧 You can also enjoy a floating breakfast in the room’s swimming pool, turning on vacation mode with one click🌴～ You can enjoy Asian food while drinking at 𝘔𝘦𝘴𝘢𝘺𝘢𝘯 𝘂𝘛𝘦𝘳𝘳𝘢 The Italian food at 𝘚𝘦𝘤𝘤𝘢 is very authentic, and the atmosphere of the live singing is especially great! The horses were grazing leisurely not far away, it was so 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘭✨

Abu Dhabi is really a paradise for hotel lovers, in addition to luxury hotels, you must experience the most characteristic Arabian desert resort! This trip to Abu Dhabi gave us plenty of vacation time, we stayed in a very characteristic desert hotel: AI Wathba, A Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa This desert resort is built on a tranquil desert covering more than 22,000 square meters, with 13 villas with private pools and 90 traditional rooms. If you come to Abu Dhabi, you must play your vacation to the extreme, and you must arrange a pool villa! It may be less than 1 hour away from the capital, but it really feels like in a separate world. In front of you, apart from the luxurious hotel facilities, there are only sand dunes. This is a new travel experience that other places cannot provide. If you want a different honeymoon trip, come to Abu Dhabi! All the photos were taken by Odin for me, not losing to the wedding photos! If you also want to uncover the magic of this luxury desert oasis, remember that Abu Dhabi is always the first choice, and of course you have to stay in the same hotel.