Rixos Premium Saadiyat Island

★★★★★Saadiyat Island, Abu DhabiSpecialist pick

Overview

Rixos Premium Saadiyat Island is Abu Dhabi's flagship ultra all-inclusive resort, built in a palatial, Ottoman-influenced style on its own stretch of Saadiyat beach. It suits families and couples who want to book once, hand over the wristbands and not think about a bill again for the whole stay.

The beach is real white sand and the water is calm and shallow enough for small children to paddle safely. There's a children's aqua park with a wave pool, a separate Rixy kids club for 4 to 12 year olds and a teens club, so parents actually get pool time. Six restaurants cover buffet, Italian, Asian and Mediterranean, with reservations needed for the evening à la carte venues.

This is a big, busy resort rather than a boutique hideaway — expect a full pool deck in high season and book à la carte tables early. Summer heat means most of the day happens in the pools or the air-conditioned kids club rather than on the beach itself; winter weekends are when the gardens and terraces really earn their keep.

private beach on saadiyat island
ultra all-inclusive concept
six restaurants including four à la carte
several bars around the resort
children's aqua park and wave pool
rixy kids club ages 4-12
separate teens club
anjana spa with snow room
two tennis courts
villas with private pools

Rooms

Good to know

Meal plans: All-inclusive
Paid at the hotel: The tourism dirham fee and any security deposit
Cancelling: Each room shows its own terms; cancel online from My trips while they allow

Eating and drinking

Turquoise — The main all-day buffet, open for breakfast, lunch and dinner with an international spread that runs from Middle Eastern staples to fresh seafood and curries. This is where most all-inclusive meals happen and it works fine for children.
People's — A casual, open-terrace spot with beach views serving snacks and light lunches through the day. Relaxed enough for wet swimsuits and children who won't sit still for a full meal.
Mermaid — An evening à la carte restaurant doing Mediterranean seafood and Greek dishes in a beachside setting. Reservations are required and it leans towards a quieter, more grown-up dinner than the buffet.
L'Olivo — Italian à la carte in the evenings, with pizza and pasta alongside more considered regional dishes. A reliable choice if children want something simple while adults order properly.
Aja & Teppanyaki — Asian and Japanese cuisine with a live teppanyaki station, sushi counter and evening entertainment. Reservations needed and it can carry an additional charge, so worth confirming before you sit down.
Orient — A Turkish restaurant reimagined with Silk Road styling, serving dishes such as kofte and shashlik in the evening. Positioned as an adults-only setting, so this is the one to book for a night without the children.

Getting there

From Dubai it's roughly a 90 minute to two hour drive down the E11, depending on traffic through Abu Dhabi; from central Abu Dhabi it's a short hop as Saadiyat Island sits just off the city. Abu Dhabi International Airport is about 25 minutes away, and valet parking is available on site, so a transfer is only really worth arranging if you're flying in rather than driving from Dubai.

Ask about Rixos Premium Saadiyat Island

Another room type, more than one room, or a date that is not showing — send it over and a specialist replies with what is available and what it costs, usually the same working day.