Rixos Marina Abu Dhabi REVIEW: a slice of family friendly luxury

We’re all for exploring a city and uncovering its hidden delights but, once in a while, you arrive at a hotel and realise it’s so good, you’re not going to leave. The Rixos Marina Abu Dhabi firmly falls into this category; its pools, beach, restaurants and stylish rooms exerted such a strong pull on us that our four night stay passed by in a heartbeat.

If you’re looking for a world-class resort to decompress and relax in Abu Dhabi, whether it’s as a stopover or destination in itself, the Rixos is probably just what you need. Alternatively, if you have a stopover in Dubai planned, then check out the Mini Traveller’s review of Rixos the Palm Dubai.

TraveLynn Family were provided with a 4 night complimentary stay at Rixos Marina Abu Dhabi in exchange for this honest review and social media coverage. As always, these are our own words.

Arriving to Rixos Marina Abu Dhabi

A five-star hotel deserves a five-star welcome, and the Rixos delivers from the off. The hotel building is becoming an icon in its own right, standing proudly on the western edge of the Corniche like a gigantic gateway rising from the sea. It’s visible from several miles away, with the excitement building as you approach.

The sweeping driveway, lined with water features and dolphin sculptures, leads up to a drop-off area populated by efficient and professional concierge staff waiting to whisk your luggage away from the taxi with a deft sleight of hand. The reception area and lobby is vast, with giant chandeliers, soft music and friendly, welcoming staff on hand to greet you.

The check-in process is a breeze with a quick scan of your passport, then onto the lifts and upwards to your room, with your luggage magically appearing a few seconds behind you.

Our family room

The family room was perfect for our family of four, with two separate interconnecting rooms, two double beds, two en-suite bathrooms, with panoramic views across the hotel grounds and the blue waters of the Gulf.

There are numerous clever and thoughtful touches, ranging from luxury-brand toiletries, mini-bar, mineral water, Nespresso machine, chocolates, fruits and nuts, safe, dressing gowns, slippers, and high-speed internet. The housekeeping team meticulously replenish and refresh the room each day, and it’s a treat to return to the air-conditioned comfort after a long day sunbathing.

Our room was on the second floor which was initially a disappointment as we’d hoped for a high-floor view. However, this was soon forgotten when we opened the curtains; it turns out that the reception and atrium’s ceilings are so high, that the second floor at the Rixos is the equivalent of the tenth floor at most other hotels. As we overlooked the restaurant area, there was a little noise drifting up to the room; it was nothing major, but a slight bass thump might soundtrack your evening. Everything quietened down from around 11pm onwards.

Dining at Rixos Marina Abu Dhabi

As part of our package, we were on a full-board basis which included breakfast, lunch and dinner, plus soft-drinks. The hotel also provides complimentary fruit and ice-creams during the day and, if you’re on the all-inclusive package, you also get unlimited alcohol.

The food at the Rixos is outstanding, constituting one of the best dining experiences we’ve had in our travelling lives. The majority of the meals are taken at the Turquoise restaurant which offers a buffet service, with seating both inside and out.

You’ll have your breakfast here and it’s a filling start to the day, assuming you can drag yourself away before they close at 10:30am. Breakfast buffets have long been a big deal in the UAE and this one is right up there with the best. The hotel also offers a buffet at Turquoise for lunch and dinner, and you can expect everything from lobster, prawns, sushi, steaks, salads, pasta station, noodles, and enough dessert options to derail even the most well-planned diet. The challenge is not to eat too much but I’m afraid we failed, three times a day.

There are several other restaurants on-site and we were fortunate enough to experience three of them. People’s is a poolside option with relaxed and informal dining; we had dinner here on the second night and had an incredible Turkish feast, with salads, meze, steak, chicken, rice, and more. There’s also alcohol available. We also had lunch here on the final day and chose pizza, pide, fries, sautéed vegetables, with ice-cream to finish.

Perhaps the highlight came on our third night at Isla Beach Bar, an Asian restaurant with a funky atmosphere, great food, and amazing cocktails. The choice of food on the menu was extensive and delicious, we picked a range of dishes including noodles, sushi, calamari, and salads. The cocktails were a perfect match for the meal and, after having arrived from the wettest English winter in living memory, it felt like such a treat to be eating outside, even if we had to move tables due to a most unexpected rain shower.

Finally, if the buffet lunch hasn’t quite filled you up, you can take afternoon tea at the Infinity Lounge, where you can sample a pot of tea, scones, and delicious pastries.

Wherever you end up dining, the waiting staff are a real highlight. They not only welcomed us like old friends, but were happy to make suggestions, tweak dishes, bring surprise desserts for the boys, and generally make us feel like their favourite guests ever. The service at luxury resorts can sometimes feel stuffy and pretentious, but it was the perfect balance here and made the mealtimes even more special.

The pool and beach

The man-made breakwater has created a small beach area which is ideal for kids to splash around in. During our visit (April), the sea temperature was fairly chilly but that didn’t stop our boys from diving in, building sand forts, and cooling off. The beach is fully exposed to the midday sun so, unless you get one of the parasols, it can get hot at times. However, if you’re lucky enough to get some shade, it’s a relaxing place to unwind with a cold drink, take in the Abu Dhabi city skyline in the distance, and watch the kids play.

Away from the sea, the resort has four swimming pools; one adults-only, two general pools, and one splash-area aimed at toddlers. The water is warmer here than the sea and more conducive to longer swimming time. We enjoyed playing games of tag around the stone columns or swimming laps of the pool. If you’re in need of refreshment, there’s a swim-up bar area serving alcoholic and soft-drinks (make sure you try out the alcohol-free cocktails!).

There are sunbeds around the pool area but they tend to be reserved by 9am so you’ll probably need to search one out at the exterior of the pool area. It can feel a little cramped and busy at times, but quietens down from around 5pm onwards.

Other facilities at Rixos Marina Abu Dhabi

Another plus-point at the Rixos is the range of free activities included in the price of your room; very few activities (other than things like water-sports and spa treatments) are chargeable so you can enjoy the kids clubs and live entertainment at no extra cost.

The kids club runs throughout the day and is well-organised with friendly staff. The kids playground is handily placed next to the People’s restaurant and the swimming area, making for a good place to drop the kids off if you fancy a sunbathe or drink without their charming company.

In the evening, there’s usually a band playing on the entertainment stage, or another organised family-friendly show. Keep your eye out for a classical music duo who appear at various locations throughout the day, playing relaxing music for you to enjoy. At the other end of the scale, a daily aqua-aerobics takes place in the pool with the requisite Euro-dance soundtrack and boundless energy.

How to book Rixos Marina Abu Dhabi

Unlike some of the other Rixos resorts around the world, there’s a choice of accommodation options, ranging from room-only, half-board, full-board, and all-inclusive. The dining is of such high quality here that we’d recommend choosing full-board if possible, but the room-only option does make very tempting (and excellent) value. There’s a Carrefour in the Marina Mall, just opposite the Rixos.

You can book via the Rixos website.

Final thoughts on Rixos Marina Abu Dhabi

It’s not often we visit a city and never leave the hotel, in fact, this may be the first time it’s ever happened. But the Rixos Marina Abu Dhabi isn’t just another hotel. As soon as you approach the building (or indeed as soon as you get within five miles of it), it’s clear you’re in for a special visit.

The hotel ticks all the boxes you’d expect; beautifully stylish rooms, top-notch service, attention to detail, good entertainment and food options, but adds an extra layer on top of them all.

Special mention to the dining staff who make you feel so special and welcome. The food they serve is diverse and to an incredibly high-standard, providing enough variety to keep you spoilt and full for a week or more.

If we had one quibble, it might be that this part of town is still developing so, aside from the Marina Mall across the road, you’re not really within walking distance of anything else, with the Corniche a thirty minute walk away. But, with this being Abu Dhabi, it won’t be long before the gaps are filled in towards the city and, either way, you’re only a short taxi ride away from the action.

The slight remoteness didn’t bother us too much because we didn’t want to leave anyway. We know from past visits how amazing the city of Abu Dhabi is but, for these few days, we had everything we wanted right here in our own little luxury bubble.

Ideas for things to do in Abu Dhabi with kids

If you are looking for things to do in Abu Dhabi with kids on a stopover, then click here to read our guide. Alternatively, for a more comprehensive list, check out these 60+ things to do in Abu Dhabi with kids, from Family Travel Middle East. Or if you’re travelling with very little ones, check out the guide for things to do with toddlers in Abu Dhabi on Abu Dhabi Travel Planner.