St Regis Saadiyat Island Abu Dhabi

In a time when so much of the hospitality industry seems increasingly focused on cost-cutting and efficiencies, The St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort truly stands out for continuing to place the guest experience, service and genuine hospitality at the heart of everything they do.

From the moment of arrival until departure, the experience was simply exceptional. The welcome, the rooms, the attention to detail, the pool experience and, most importantly, the level of service throughout the resort were all outstanding. There was a genuine sense that the team was not simply following standards, but truly cared about how each guest felt.

The breakfast experience deserves a special mention as well. The variety was excellent, but what impressed us even more was the level of attention from the team. We were warmly welcomed at the entrance, personally escorted to our table, and throughout breakfast different members of the team came by to check that everything was to our satisfaction. Chef Yusuf, the Moroccan chef, personally came to speak with us and make sure we were enjoying everything, as did the restaurant manager. These may seem like small touches, but they make such a difference and reflect a genuine culture of care, presence and guest engagement.

What impressed me even more was their approach to service recovery. In hospitality, things do not always have to be perfect; what truly defines a great hotel is how the team responds when something needs attention. The St. Regis Saadiyat handled this exceptionally well — with professionalism, speed, care and a genuine desire to ensure the guest leaves happy. That, for me, says a great deal about the culture and leadership of a hotel.

A very special mention must go to Madhu at the pool, who was absolutely wonderful. He has an exceptional natural talent for guest engagement and customer service — warm, attentive, approachable and genuinely interested in making sure guests are comfortable and enjoying their time. It is people like him who turn a beautiful resort into a memorable hospitality experience.

And certainly not to be forgotten is Buddha-Bar Beach, where we had dinner. What an experience. The atmosphere was incredible, the entertainment created such a vibrant energy, and the food was truly exceptional. Everything came together beautifully — the setting, the music, the service, the entertainment and the quality of the dishes. It is not simply somewhere you go for dinner; it feels like a complete experience in itself and was undoubtedly one of the highlights of our stay.

The property itself is stunning, of course, but beautiful hotels can be found in many places. What makes St. Regis Saadiyat special is the human element behind it — the warmth, attention, consistency and willingness to go the extra mile.

I genuinely cannot think of anything to complain about. From arrival, to the room, to breakfast, to the pool, to dinner at Buddha-Bar Beach, and even the smallest interactions with the team, the experience reminded me of what true luxury hospitality should feel like.

A heartfelt congratulations to the entire team and management for maintaining such a high standard of service. In an industry that is changing rapidly, it is refreshing to see a hotel that still understands that luxury is ultimately not only about the product — it is about how you make your guests feel.

Definitely a property I would happily return to and recommend without hesitation.

Wow wow wow! We have stayed at some amazing hotels, but this one takes the top spot. It was truly an incredible experience from start to finish and that’s down to the incredible staff they have at St Regis.

I took my boyfriend here for his birthday and they made it so special, going above and beyond.

Our room was upgraded to a suite, he received about 6 birthday cakes and Happy Birthdays from the one in the bedroom with balloons on arrival, at dinner, drinks at Buddha Bar to even one after our massage in the spa- it was so special.

He has a nut allergy and Anisha at Cafe Ginori said everything was cross contaminated, she went out of her way to get the chefs to bake him fresh croissants, and hand deliver them on a birthday trolley with candles to our room. She then had 2 fresh croissants waiting for us the next day at breakfast and gave us a departing gift of sweet treats with a photo printed she took with us - Anisha is incredible.

The staff by the pool were equally as amazing - special shout out to Tushan, Aman and Prakash who made our stay so special with fruit platters, 10/10 service, and just lovely people to speak to. Tushan even made sure that he passed on it was my partners birthday to the staff at where we had our dinner reservation, so they would do something special.

Lastly, our dinner at Sontaya was gorgeous and a special shout out to Vera who was an amazing waiter and served us the most delicious dinner.

Would highly recommend booking to stay here - we can’t wait to come back! What a magical place.