Abu Dhabi - Hotels review

As usual, for our trip to Abu Dhabi we reviewed three hotels chains: Shangri-La, Anantara and Park Hyatt. Eventhough there are a few differences among them, they all face the same challenges to satisfy their customers while considering social and ecological concerns. For example, all of them are still using plastic bottles and straws.  It is urgent that they implement a plausible and sustainable policy to reduce and manage food waste.

In term of service, Shangri-La stood out compared to Anatara and Park Hyatt. Their food offering was much better in terms of quality, price, variety and diversty. As a matter of fact one of the best restaurants we went to in Abu Dhabi was Hoi An, the Vietnamese restaurant of the Shangri-La Qaryat Al Beri.

The food offering at Anantara Qasr Al Sarab was disappointing from the breakfast buffet to the Ghadeer restaurant by the pool. We told the Executive Chef, Louis Badenhorst, and the General Manager, Adrian Stoppe, about their poor food offering. We were particularly surprised by the Al Falaj and its bedouin-style dinner.  Supposedly a highlight of an Anantara stay, it is in fact a very expensive tourist trap. They charged us 300€ (!) for three (two adults and one 9-year-old child) for a small buffet of vegetables, meat/jumbo shrimps barbecue and a few desserts plus wine/beverages.

At the Park Hyatt on Sadiyaat island, if your stay over to the New Year, a gala dinner on December 31t is mandatory and will cost you a "mere" 375€ per person (children under 10 eat for free). We honestly could not understand and caution this dictatorial policy imposed upon their customers by the hotel. This needs to change.

Fortunately, the gala dinner was worth the price with all you can drink champagne (Veuve Clicquot), caviar, lobster, foie gras, Wagyu beef and a dozen of food stations spread all over the hotel park and beach accompanied by a very good musical band through the night.