A stunning beach resort in the Western Region of Abu Dhabi which is a perfect family staycation option
On the fringes of the Rub’ al Khali also known as The Empty Quarter in the Western Region of Abu Dhabi, along a pristine white sandy beach sits the magnificent Danat Jebel Dhanna Resort, a five-star property about two hours drive from Abu Dhabi right next to the city of Ruwais
A luxurious beach hideaway that is the perfect weekend getaway after a stressful week at work, Danat Jebel Dhanna Resort will surprise you, pamper you and send you back rejuvenated, ready to face any challenge.
It’s a massive place with 133 rooms, suites, private villas and beachside chalets,fice restaurants, a spa and recreation club, ballroom a very nice, temperature controlled outdoor pool and a magnificent 800-metre beach that will absolutely blow you away.
As you come up the driveway through lush, manicured gardens, the hotel rises out of the trees like a mirage welcoming you into the cool and refreshingly appointed lobby that is the heart of the hotel perfectly anchoring the two, five floor wings that house the guest rooms.
The lobby is huge with a wall of windows at the back showcasing the pool and the beach beyond, well appointed with a nautical theme that weaves its way across the hotel. We are warmly greeted, and a refreshing welcome drink is served, which we check n and are given our key cards.
The Rooms
Our rooms are on the third floor, and we are escorted by a friendly member of the staff who seems to know everything about the hotel and went on to say they had upgraded our rooms to an Executive Suite with an adjoining deluxe twin room for the boys, a very nice gesture indeed. Interestingly all the rooms at the hotel face the pool and the beach, so there is not a single room with a bad view, amazing.
The rooms are huge with an exceedingly comfortable beds, a nice sitting area and a little balcony with the most amazing views of the pool, beach and the turquoise waters of the Arabian Gulf, we simply can’t get over this.
We go through the connecting door and find the boys have each claimed a bed and are having a fantastic time, the room is immaculate, the beige walls and carpet come together perfectly with the classic wooden furniture creating an understated but luxurious feel that instantly puts you at ease.
The resort has a variety of room options ranging from the standard to deluxe, family suites, beach chalets, private villas and even this massive one bedroom Presidential Suite that occupies one full side of the fifth floor boasting a huge living space, separate dining area, an office area,outdoor patio and a massive bedroom, absolutely regal.
It’s been a long day drive, and it was getting late, so we decided to go down to check out the pool to have something to eat before heading off to bed.
The Restaurants
The resort has, not one or two, but five restaurants and as if that is not enough you have 24 hours room service as well.
Tides
Tides is the popular, all-day dining restaurant that serves an excellent international buffet for breakfast, lunch and dinner apart from its extensive a-la’carte menu, the food is excellent, variety huge, and they always have something for everyone from, Middle Eastern classics to Asian, Indian and continental, click here for the full review of Tides.
Zaitoun
Zaitoun is the resort’s signature restaurant,tucked away behind Tides, in a luxurious setting that serves excellent Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisine,The ambiance is classy, the food excellent and service is spot on, click here for full review of Zaitoun.
L’Attitude
L’Attitude is the bar and lounge, set discreetly on the side of the lobby with its own private entrance from the parking, it’s absolutely the most amazing venue at the hotel or quiet perhaps in the entire region.
Dark wooden furnishings, wooden floors with a bar counter at both ends of the room, an elevated dining area and a superb dance floor compete with disco lighting and a resident band, it’s something you have to experience for yourself, click here for the full L’Attitude review.
C-View
C-View is the resort’s café that’s nicely located at the end of the lobby along the plate glass windows overlooking the gardens, pool and the beach beyond, very aptly named as it really does shave a fantastic view.
C-View is quite popular with families as it has a superb pastry selection, and you can have a nice afternoon tea or an adult beverage enjoying the view, in cooler weather the sitting area outside on the patio must be absolutely amazing, click here for full review of C-View.
Waves Pool Bar
Waves is a cool little pool bar on the edge of the pool that you can swim up to and get some food or drinks while you enjoy the temperature controlled waters of the pool.
The bartender does an excellent Singapore Sling and his Tropical Storm mocktail is definitely a must-try, we also loved the hand cut fries, the chicken fajita and the burgers.
The Activities
This is a family focussed, pet friendly resort that offers a wide range of activities and entertainment options for the whole family.
Body & Soul Spa & Recreation Club
As the name suggests this is the spa where you can indulge, relax and get pampered trying all sorts of massages and therapies, we were really amazed by the huge menu of treatments they offer, make sure you book ahead as they get quite busy. To download the spa menu, click here.
The resort’s gym and fitness centre is also located here, rows upon rows of well maintained exercise machinery are lined up against a mirror wall on one side and the superb views on the other.
They also have a nice kids play area inside here where your little ones can spend their time looked after by the staff while you enjoy yourself.
The Pool
The pool outside is one of the biggest attractions of the resort, very popular, and it does get busy, so do go early, and you will have an amazing time either lazing about in the pool or on the sun loungers that are placed all around the pool under the tall palms, can’t wait to go back and just chill here when the weather is good.
The guys at Waves, the little swim up pool bar do some excellent cocktails, and you can also get some snacks here as well.
The Beach
The biggest draw at the resort is the 800-metre stretch of sandy beach they have, words don’t do it justice, and it has to be seen and enjoyed appreciating it. The clear water with is not too deep and allows you to swim out a bit, and there are sandbanks in places where you can stand and take some amazing pictures.
All along the beach are sun loungers under these nice little umbrellas, giving you the impression you are in the Bahamas or some place similar, perfect for those lazy afternoons with an umbrella drink in hand.
There are lots of water sports activities available as well, you can hire a canoe, try your hand at wakeboarding or the hotel will also arrange boat rides around the bay for you.
Day Trips
The resort is quite close to the Sir Bani Yas Island Wildlife Reserve, the world’s leading sustainable tourism destination dominated by the Arabian Wildlife Park, with its roaming giraffes, cheetahs and gazelles, and they can organize day trips to the island which include a half day safari and more, make sure you call ahead and book as sets are limited and availed upon request only.
The ancient island is also home to the UAE’s only discovered Christian monastery thought to have been built around 600AD and abandoned in 750AD, the monastery was rediscovered during excavations in 1992.
This day trip to Sir Baniyas Island we highly recommend, it’s a destination unparallel by any in the UAE with a vast variety of wildlife which you would never have imagined exist here. We absolutely loved it.
The Verdict
The Danat Jebel Dhanna Resort occupies a very special place in our hearts, its proximity to Abu Dhabi and its unique location make it an irresistible place to go whenever we feel the need to relax and rejuvenate.
It’s a nice, clean and inviting resort with excellent facilities, super friendly staff, great dining options, stunning beach and pool, it’s absolutely perfect. The management and staff will go to the greatest length to make your stay memorable and each time we leave with a smile.
They have some amazing offers currently that make it even more attractive, click here for their All Inclusive Summer staycation offer,
We would like to take a moment and thank the team at the resort for making our stay one of the most memorable ones ever, we will surely be back towards the end of the year to enjoy the cooler weather and the outdoor beach barbecues, can’t wait.
The Details
The Danat Jebel Dhanna Resort is situated on Abu Dhabi’s western coastline, it is approximately 220 kilometres from the UAE capital down the spectacular Sheikh Khalifa Highway that goes all the way to the UAE / KSA border and two hours drive from Abu Dhabi International Airport.
For reservations and more details, please call +971 2 801 2222 or click here.
