We visited Dubai last year and loved it so we were very happy to have the opportunity to return to the UAE to review Rixos Marina in Abu Dhabi. The hotel is new, opening less than two years ago at the end of 2022.
This is a wonderfully charming hotel with a lot of thought put into its beautiful design. You can feel it as soon as you approach the hotel, the design with its huge arches is simply stunning. I stayed in a premium room with a balcony on the 9th floor. You can see that review here.
The same week, we stayed at the Rixos Premium Saadiyat Island. Read the full review here.
Our flight from Heathrow arrived early in the morning and as you can imagine, we were very tired after an overnight flight. The normal check-in time is 3pm, so I checked in as soon as I arrived, knowing that I would have to wait before getting into my room. However, luckily there was a room available that I could go to right away. We stayed in a premium room with balcony on the 9th floor. Views from the balcony below.
I visited at the end of June, and as you can imagine, it was very hot! But between the hotel's air conditioning and the pool, we were very happy with the weather. Outside, there is a large adult-only pool with a swim-up pool bar. I have to say that the majority of people (regardless of age) seem to be attracted to this. Probably because it was the coolest pool. I didn't try it because it was busy, but I preferred the quiet pool and ocean.
The other pool we went into was much shallower, warmer (like a warm bath), and while not necessarily refreshing, it was very enjoyable, quiet, and even had a swim-up bar. On that note, the waiter will also bring you your drink if you're too lazy to stir it up from your sun lounger (why would you do that when the nice waiter brings you your drink?).
There are also towel stands around the pool. They give you a towel card when you check in, give you a card for your pool towel, and ask you to give the card back when you give them your towel. That way you'll get fresh towels every time and sand won't end up back in your room.
There are also fresh fruit and ice cream stands around the pool.
I must say that there are plenty of sun loungers, both in the sun and in the shade. You don't have to be in Scrum to get Scrum. Because there are enough of them in Scrum. As well as regular sunbeds, there are also some beautiful daybeds if you are lucky. Certainly, there are plenty of options at the beginning or later in the day.
The pool is beautifully lit up at night, so it's worth seeing.
Now, I talked about the beautiful night view. Look at how beautiful it is to sit outside the buffet restaurant (if it's warm).
We also recommend walking from the front of the hotel to see the beautiful pool and illuminated hotel.
Turquoise buffet restaurant
We stayed at Rixos Marina full board, not all-inclusive. This means that all three meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) were taken at the Turquoise Buffet Restaurant. Well, I have to say that this buffet restaurant was quite nice with all kinds of different options. I took lots of photos of different parts of the buffet at all three meal times so you can get some idea of what it's like. They cater to people of all nationalities, so it's a great opportunity to try something new. I'll share some photos here, but if you want to see them all, scroll to the bottom (definitely worth it, but I don't want to bore anyone who doesn't want to see them all!)
Every day at lunch there was a BBQ option. Grilled chicken, salmon, steak, etc. In the evening you can have a barbecue in the garden or choose other options. There was also usually some kind of kebab or wrap here.
There were several live cooking stations inside. There seems to be a permanent pasta cooking station where you can choose your pasta type and sauce. When I visited, I was able to choose from white sauce, tomato sauce, and mushroom sauce. You can then choose to add cheese or herbs.
A separate live cooking station changed the dishes served each night. One night we had a seafood dish and another night we had a chicken tikka dish with a spicy salad.
In the evening, a whole section of the buffet is dedicated to children. I could definitely see chicken nuggets and chips!
Soft drinks with meals in the buffet restaurant are included in the full meal. This was great as we had a few drinks with each meal. There is also free water in the room, so you can stay hydrated.
Rixie Kids Club
While there to check out the facilities in case you wanted to take advantage of a smaller club, I stopped by the Rixie Kids Club. Suitable for children aged 4 to 14. Children under the age of 4 are welcome to participate but must be accompanied by an adult. There is also a covered children's pool.
There are many things going on at the kids club. Check out this amazing itinerary.
I also saw carnival advertisements on Saturday. I had seen pictures of the carnival before and it was amazing!
There are also photos of all rules and regulations.
With an excellent kids club, children's pool and special children's menu, this hotel is perfect for families.
entertainment
There is also entertainment for adults. While we were there, we saw musicians playing classic versions of pop songs, and it really gave off a Bridgerton vibe, which we really liked.
I also saw some ballroom dancing and it was very beautiful.
I have a (not clear, but readable) photo of the entertainment schedule.
I believe there is entertainment in the evening at the adults-only Anti-dote bar. We didn't have any drinks as we were at the hotel with our son, but we stopped by to take some photos. It was so beautiful. I will post a photo below.
While in Abu Dhabi, we also stayed at Rixos on Saadiyat Island. Last year we visited Rixos The Palm in Dubai. You can read that review here.
As promised, I'll be posting more photos of the buffet!
We stayed at Rixos Marina as part of a press trip. As always, all opinions expressed are my own.
