Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Reflects recent average nightly prices reported by our partners, and may not include estimated taxes or fees. Price at checkout may differ.
Cheaper
Average
Higher
About
4.5
#1 of 11 special hotels in Abu Dhabi
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Value
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Deep within the desert landscape of Abu Dhabi, Al Wathba, a Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa, Abu Dhabi is an intimate retreat suffused with natural beauty and serene tranquility. With a distinct Spa as the hallmark of the hotel experience, guests can re-balance their equilibrium and embark on an individual wellness journey. Inspired by classical dwellings, the boutique resort’s 99 guest rooms and villas feature timeless local details, traditional artwork, and Arabesque accessories, alongside a range of dining destinations showcasing the dunes to panoramic perfection. Step away from it all into an exclusive natural environment, with the space to reconnect and the freedom to lose yourself.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
Al Wathba, A Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa, Abu Dhabi
654 reviews
Getting there
Car recommended
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travellers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
This summary was created by AI, based on recent reviews.
Powered by AI
Al Wathba, A Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa in Abu Dhabi, earns rave reviews for its exceptional service, with guests frequently praising the attentive staff and personalized touches. The resort's amenities, including the luxurious pools, spa, and equestrian facilities, are often celebrated, enhancing the stay as memorable. Cleanliness is another highlight, with travelers emphasizing the pristine condition of both rooms and common areas.
The prime location is lauded for offering a quintessential arabesque experience, while the charming atmosphere and spacious, well-appointed rooms are consistently appreciated. Although some experiences may come with a higher price tag, many guests feel the resort provides good value overall.
Location
Picturesque
Atmosphere
Charming
Rooms
Luxurious
Value
Affordable
Cleanliness
Immaculate
Service
Attentive
Amenities
Lavish
Was this helpful?
Tripadvisor is not responsible for this summary or the opinions in it. For more information, please read the traveller reviews and learn more about how the site works.
This was already our 4th time staying here and I decided to write about it, even though I don’t normally do this. The treatment we got was beyond our expectations. We both travel a lot in our spare time and with work and I must say we really enjoyed our stay. The staff was simply amazing. They were accommodating all our requests! So many times we found ourselves in a 5* resort and whenever we request anything, they don’t even try to accommodate it for us. I have to mention Keesh which was very thoughtful and even made an amazing romantic and intimate dinner for us on one of the nights, also Rakesh which was basically reading our minds and exceeding our expectations the entire time. I also noticed that Rakesh was addressing us and everyone around us by their name, which I have found to be a very nice touch. Every single person we bumped into the entire time were extremely welcoming and had the perfect balance between being professional and friendly and we felt like everyone was not only doing their job but genuinely caring for our stay. As I said, we’re spending a lot of time in hotels all around the world and we have never been so impressed with the staff. No matter how luxurious the resort is, there is always one person who seems to be too bored or genuinely doesn’t wanna make an extra step to make our stay smoother. Thank you to every single person who came our way from the workers who are sweeping the floors all the way to the managers.
Read more
Date of stay: October 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
If only I can post some videos in here to show you how gorgeous this place is. It is the best place to get away and forget the craziness of 2020. Staff are wonderful and accommodating. Special shout out to Kish and Sheraz - they are super! The whole place feels like a little perfect Arabian village equipped with with well manicured courtyards. The attention to detail is magnificent and all aspects are tastefully decorated - not tacky at all. We stayed in a beautiful suite, we enjoyed the pool and most of the time was all to ourselves (because we were there during the weekdays), we had awesome breakfast and they even tailor made my dinner meal request out of the menu because I wanted something Asian and spicy while my husband wanted mixed grill, hummus and fattoush - mixed grill is a must have! I don’t know what the chef marinated them in but those meats are to die for. There’s a stable as well and you can go on horse riding or if you just want to hang out with the horses be sure to bring them some treats like apples and carrots. They will love you! The stable caretaker Shafiq is a wonderful guy. He will get you acquainted with the wonderful creatures. On our last evening we even did a sunset yoga session with Chandra. I think even the Director of F&B can teach a yoga session as well. Loved it!
Read more
Date of stay: September 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
A lot to digest? Read an AI-generated summary of recent traveller reviews.
Booked for two nights, three days over midterm - but would’ve stayed longer if I could have! Expensive as only breakfast was included and had to eat/drink in the resort as it was so secluded (we expected that) but it was worth every penny. Amazing resort...so clean, beautiful and it was such a treat to be in the desert.... we felt totally relaxed and rejuvenated leaving. The pool was utter bliss and such a luxury in the middle of the desert. Staff and facilities were amazing, every single person there was so welcoming, friendly and kind. The rooms were gorgeous, with lovely views of the desert. They were very well stocked with lots of lovely amenities - the coffee was divine and the bathroom products smelled lovely! Turn down service was such a treat and they kindly brought us a cake as a celebration for one of the girls moving home. Breakfast was out of this world, so much choice, everything was so tasty and staff couldn’t do more to cater to your needs and wants. The chef came out with fresh pastries and breads every morning, he was so lovely! Hope to go back in the future.
Read more
Date of stay: October 2020Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We travelled for a short break without kids before the arrival of our 2nd. Our 5 year old would have been very bored despite there being a kids club and pool. Very relaxed and easy to chill out and the spa was great. Nothing in the nearby location and no shop on site so be prepared to have everything you need! Beautiful location however very slow service and only 1 restaurant in 4 open which was a buffet which was expensive and served similar food every night. We ended up eating off a snack menu in the bar most nights. Pool food took up to an hour to arrive and getting attention of the staff was hard and the hotel was not even close to half full. They had run out of beer, some of the soft drinks, couldn’t serve cocktails one night and the mini bar was empty. We stayed for 4 nights but had we known the limited food options 2 nights would have been plenty. I wouldn’t like to stay when it’s busy as it was saved by the fact it was so quiet and peaceful. Great potential but needs a lot more work to be a 5 star resort
Read more
Date of stay: February 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Beautiful place with gorgeous pool and rooms, but the service is definitely not what is expected from a 5 starts hotel. Firstly I paid for a room with desert view, fair enough my room is facing the desert but also a pile trash and an old small building right next to the road. I feel like they dumped me at their worse desert view room definitely not the view and experience they are selling for the desert view room, If you are lucky you will have an amazing view if not unfortunately not and pay the same. We walk in to the terrace bar and waited for 15min and nobody even acknowledged we were there. We got up asked for some menus and them again nobody came to get out orders so we just left. Got back to the room and went to check the mini bar for a drink but surprise it is empty. Really 5 start hotel!? Called the reception to let them know that the mini bar is empty and all I got was “ok, if we give it to you it will be charged” ohhh lord soo bad, not a sorry or apology at all. So beautiful place and facilities but the service has a lot to improve. Let’s hope tomorrow is better!
Read more
Date of stay: February 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
we booked at this hotel and it rained soo heavily the days before our booking. the booking was non refundable but the hotel called us to inform us that the roads leading to the hotel were a bit flooded and only high 4x4 cars can excess the resort.they even sent me a picture with the condition of the road to show us how bad it was. we asked for the booking to be cancelled and they did and refunded the money. looking forward to booking again with them.
Read more
Date of stay: January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We had a great family holiday in Al Wathba Desert Resort , a Luxary collection hotel .
The team are exceptionally helpful and friendly , they made our stay very Special and personalized.
Our mornings start in Bait Al Hanine where we are welcomed by Mahendra , Devendra & Alien who are very accommodating and spare no effort in making us feel special .
The pastries selection, presentation and taste are simply WoW .
Greig and his team planned a memorable birthday celebration dinner for us overlooking the beautiful desert , we loved the food selection , presentation and how the entire menu complement the ambience of the resort .
During the dinner , Arya and Faisal took really good care of us and managed to capture some amazing pictures for the wonderful evening .
We are really looking forward to our next stay here and to see everyone again soon
Ayman , Veronica and baby Alexander .
Read more
Date of stay: March 2020Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tucked away, where the edge of civilization meets the Sand Dunes, sits a resort that will leave you breathless. Bringing the sandcastles we build as children to life. Al Wathba desert Resort is a true escape, leaving you refreshed and anew as you are well taken care of by a fantastic team of staff, who bring a sense of personal care and friendship to your visit.
There will always be some things we can pick up as guests that we wish where different though, and here are some of my thoughts:
The Rooftop bar, lounge is an incredible place to unwind for a sunset, but it does make for an amazing place to enjoy food too. However the menu is just too limited.comparing it to the in room dining menu there are many options there you would enjoy more in this rooftop setting. I was surprised to see hot/cold Mezze on the in room dining but would have preferred that option along with chicken wings and more finger food options at the rooftop.
As far as facilities go, the pool area is one of the most amazing features I’ve seen compared to any other resort. The pool is vast and spacious, and it is such a relaxing atmosphere accompanied by background easy listening tunes to help you unwind, and almost transport you to a Cafe Del Mar vibe, yet keeping it authentically arabesque.
I would like to thank Ginu, Antonia, Van, Aizada, usman and Thomas, among many others for looking after me so well, and making me feel at home.
What an incredible stay!
Read more
Date of stay: March 2021Trip type: Travelled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Hotel Management, General Manager at Al Wathba, A Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa, Abu Dhabi
Responded Mar 23, 2021
Dear Charles955, Our hotel is located away from the city for those who are looking for a unique escape. Whilst our goal is to create memorable experiences to our guests, we are happy that you and your family had wonderful stay with us. We greatly appreciate your feedback regarding the menus of The Rooftop bar. Our Food and Beverage team have taken your comments on board for improvements. The Pool bar team is grateful as well that you found our main pool vibrant. Thank you for acknowledging our colleagues Ginu, Antonia, Van, Aizada, Usman and Thomas who made their way to make your stay more special. I passed your kind words to them as they truly deserved it. The magical desert is waiting for your return. We look forward in welcoming you again to us for more incredible moments. Sincerely yours, Sameh Nabil Hotel Manager
Read more
Report response as inappropriate
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
This resort makes our stay in Abu Dhabi perfect. I was supposed to go with my friend for this trip however he couldnt make it due to covid. The initial plan was we would utilize his platinum mariott bonvoy benefits. The front desk and team was really kind that they were still upgrading our stay at the resort. All the staffs was really attentive during our stay and I hadn't find any flawless on the room service, especially the turn down service was perfect without we needed to ask them. Both the restaurants, Italian and Morocco, provided top-notch dishes with very reasonable price. The only downside was only check in time due to high occupancy rate during that peak seasons. I will recommend my friends to stay in this resort if they go to Abu Dhabi!
Read more
Date of stay: December 2021Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Hotel Management, General Manager at Al Wathba, A Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa, Abu Dhabi
Responded Jan 13, 2022
Dear WilliamH4215, Thank you for sharing your wonderful feedback from your recent stay with us. We are happy to know that you had a perfect holiday in our hotel though there were changes in plans. Whilst our goal is to create memorable experiences to our guests, we are grateful that you enjoyed your cozy room, chef's delightful menus in the restaurants and felt at home by the gracious hospitality of our team. Once again, thank you for choosing to stay with us and recommending us to your friends. The team and I definitely look forward to welcoming you again in your new home in Abu Dhabi. Sincerely, Sameh Nabil Hotel Manager
Read more
Report response as inappropriate
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Pros: love the room decor and the resort design. So serene and lovely Arabic touches which gives a nice “Arabic in the desert” vibe. They also have horses which look well cared for that graze in a paddock next to the restaurants! We were also upgraded to a junior suite (due to some issues with our original room) which was impressively massive with a separate living room and a courtyard with desert views.
Cons: service needs a lot of work, although we were there for the national day weekend and staff were clearly overwhelmed by how busy the resort was. We had an issue with all but one meal we had throughout our 2 night stay - issues ranged from missing orders (the kitchen missing a main or an appetiser for at least one person), missing reservations to food being close to off (the clams at the Italian restaurant and the yoghurt at breakfast smelled and tasted like it was about to go off). There was an issue with consistency of what was being served matching the menu description. Low point was when my husband drank his coffee before we realised there was a lipstick mark on the cup (fingers crossed that lipstick wearer doesn’t have corona). We also had issues with our room (a/c was warm and no hot water in the bath) which they resolved with a room move/upgrade and in the new room our doorbell rang continuously. My friends unfortunately had issues with their rooms too (their room was not available at 4pm despite being entitled to early check in at 12pm and when normal check in should be 3pm, and other issues with their a/c etc).
To sum up, I left the resort feeling more stressed than when I arrived. Despite the staff’s efforts to respond to each issue as they arose, lots of our time was spent waiting for food, trying to get service, resolving stuff ups, waiting for engineers to attend to room issues etc.
Read more
Date of stay: December 2020Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Hotel Management, General Manager at Al Wathba, A Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa, Abu Dhabi
Responded Jan 2, 2021
Dear Noelle, We would like to thank you for sharing your invaluable feedback on your stay with us. This is very important for us to improve the experiences in our hotel. Please accept our sincere apologies for all the discomfort you faced regarding the delay of service and challenges in your and friends’ rooms. We are disheartened that we did not meet your expectations. Kindly be informed that we do not take light of these issues as these are not the experiences that we pride to deliver as The Luxury Collection Hotel. We also wish inform you that our Management team and our associates are working together to provide you with the highest of safety standards. The team took the necessary measures to rectify the issues to avoid recurrence. Once again, thank you for staying with us and sharing your comments. We hope you will give us the chance to showcase the real The Luxury Collection experience. I stand in disposal for any assistance you require. Sincerely yours, Sameh Nabil Hotel Manager
Read more
Report response as inappropriate
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates38 contributions29 helpful votes
The good thing about this hotel that they will go above and beyond to accommodate your needs. So I suggest that you contact them directly and believe me, you will be happy. I hope that this helped
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates7 contributions1 helpful vote
Dear Diara Q,
Thank you for your question and interested in staying at the resort.
Currently the tourist arriving in Dubai has to undergo 14 days quarantine prior to traveling to Abu Dhabi with negative COVID-19 test result. However, the rules and regulations from Abu Dhabi government are being changes and we recommend you to re-check the rules and regulation whenever you decided to travel.
Best regards,
Al Wathba, a Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates7 contributions1 helpful vote
Dear DaisySavo,
Thank you for your inquiry and interested in staying at the resort. You may enjoy exciting outdoor activities such as Desert Walk, Fat Bike Ride, Archery and Horse Riding in the resort that are charged separately for adults and children.
Kindly contact the hotel directly should you require further detail of activities.
Best regards,
Al Wathba, a Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa
There are more places to choose from in the Abu Dhabi area.
PRICE RANGE
C$389 - C$674 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
FORMERLY KNOWN AS
Jumeirah Al Wathba Desert Resort and Spa
LOCATION
United Arab EmiratesEmirate of Abu DhabiAbu Dhabi
NUMBER OF ROOMS
99
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
Is This Your Tripadvisor Listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Does Al Wathba, A Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa, Abu Dhabi have airport transportation?
Yes, Al Wathba, A Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa, Abu Dhabi offers airport transportation for guests. We recommend calling ahead to confirm details.
