The St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort, Abu Dhabi

★★★★★Saadiyat Island, Abu DhabiSpecialist pick

Overview

The St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort sits directly on Saadiyat's protected beach, a few minutes from the Louvre and the rest of the Cultural District. It's a five-star, Mediterranean-styled resort with 376 rooms and suites, built for families and couples wanting a genuine beach weekend with proper service, not a city hotel with a pool bolted on.

Days here run beach, pool, Sandcastle Kids' Club, repeat. The sand is real and the water calm enough for small children, there are three outdoor pools plus an indoor lap pool, and the Sandcastle Club takes children from one to twelve with indoor play, a splash pool and organised activities most of the day. Butler service is genuinely part of the stay, not a marketing line, and the site feels spread out rather than stacked, so it rarely feels crowded even on a full weekend.

Winter and spring are the sweet spot — outdoor pools and beach both work well and evenings on the terraces are comfortable. In peak summer the outdoor pools and beach still function but you'll spend more time in the indoor lap pool or the Sandcastle Club's air-conditioned rooms. Note that guest rooms and suites are being refreshed in phases through 2026 and into 2027, so ask what's currently open before booking if a specific pool or view matters to you.

private beach on saadiyat
three outdoor pools plus indoor lap pool
sandcastle kids' club ages 1-12
st. regis butler service
iridium spa
adjacent to saadiyat beach golf club
six restaurants and bars
376 rooms and suites
minutes from louvre abu dhabi
rooms under phased refresh through 2026-2027

Rooms

Good to know

Meal plans: Room only · Bed & breakfast
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

Oléa — All-day Mediterranean dining with live cooking stations and a large à la carte menu, plus one of the stronger breakfast buffets on the island. Easy with children, indoor or terrace seating with sea views.
Sontaya — Southeast Asian cooking served among floating pavilions over the interconnected pools, with signature cocktails alongside the food. A nicer-dress dinner option that still welcomes families earlier in the evening.
Buddha-Bar Beach Abu Dhabi — Pacific Rim and Asian fusion right on the beach, with exotic interiors and music that builds as the evening goes on. Better suited to an adults' evening out than a family dinner.
Café Ginori Saadiyat Island — A Mediterranean café for pastries, light breakfast and afternoon tea, served in Ginori 1735 porcelain. Relaxed and daytime-focused, a good stop between the beach and the room.
The Manhattan Lounge — The resort's cocktail lounge, indoors or out on the terrace, for a pre- or post-dinner drink. An adults' spot rather than somewhere to bring the children.
St. Regis Pool & Beach Bar — A casual poolside and beachside bar for drinks and snacks through the day. This is where most family lunches by the pool actually happen.

Getting there

It's about a 25-30 minute drive from Zayed International Airport and roughly 10 minutes from downtown Abu Dhabi. From Dubai, allow around an hour and a half depending on traffic on the E11. There's parking and valet on site, and a private transfer is worth arranging if you're coming from Dubai with young children and beach kit.

Ask about The St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort, Abu Dhabi

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.