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Desert Islands Resort & Spa By Anantara

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Traveler (1346)
360
Panoramas (24)
Videos (4)
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Hotel direct offer!All Inclusive Discovery Package
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About

#1 of 1 resort in Sir Bani Yas Island
Location
4.6
Cleanliness
4.6
Service
4.6
Value
4.0
Travelers' Choice
With 64 luxuriously appointed rooms, suites, spacious one-bedroom villas and truly luxurious two-bedroom Royal Villas, Desert Islands Resort & Spa by Anantara invites you to live out your own Arabian nights in a destination that is anything but ordinary. 240km from Abu Dhabi City and just eight kilometers off the Abu Dhabi emirate’s western coastline, the island beckons with a mystique that is worlds away from the hustle and bustle of modern urban life.
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Property amenities
Free parking
Free High Speed Internet (WiFi)
Pool
Fitness Center with Gym / Workout Room
Bar / lounge
Beach
Diving
Babysitting
Wifi
Hot tub
Pool / beach towels
Infinity pool
Pool with view
Outdoor pool
Heated pool
Fitness / spa locker rooms
Restaurant
Breakfast available
Breakfast buffet
Poolside bar
Tennis court
Children Activities (Kid / Family Friendly)
Kids club
Free shuttle or taxi services
Airport transportation
Shuttle bus service
Business Center with Internet Access
Conference facilities
Banquet room
Meeting rooms
Spa
Couples massage
Facial treatments
Massage
24-hour security
Baggage storage
Concierge
Gift shop
Butler service
24-hour front desk
Dry cleaning
Laundry service
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Room features
Air conditioning
Private beach
Private balcony
Room service
Safe
Minibar
Flatscreen TV
Room types
Ocean view
Non-smoking rooms
Suites
Family rooms
Good to know
HOTEL CLASS
HOTEL STYLE
Family Resort
Great View
Languages Spoken
English, French, Arabic, Afrikaans and 7 more
Hotel links
Special Offer:All Inclusive Discovery Package

Location

Al Ruwais, Sir Bani Yas Island United Arab Emirates
Name/address in local language
Desert Islands Resort & Spa By Anantara
1408Reviews31Q+A100Room tips
Traveler rating
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Nadim Hasbani wrote a review Dec 5
Dubai, United Arab Emirates268 contributions121 helpful votes
The island is superb and it so does not feel like being in the UAE, i.e. desert land - In a sense where you are in a real safari with an unbelievable variety and amount of wild animals. The mangrove lagoon is also very charming with kayaking and biking activities. Activities overall (for kids and adults) are really nice and very well organized/managed. Only problem is that there are so many different things to do and the hotel website does not list them all clearly so one can prepare and book in advance. You can book, but you may miss a few, e.g. horse riding, scuba diving, etc. A special shout out to manager Tamara. she went so beyond what she is supposed to so our kids can fit more activities and yet catch the boat back to the mainland. she literally picked us up with her car from the beach and dropped us to the pier where the last boat was waiting so we do not miss you. Very grateful and definitely beyond her scope of work. The service to and from the island is well managed. valet parking for the car, luggage taken care of, coffee and water served after a long drive, etc. The hotel rooms are very large, bed is super comfy, amenities are correct, pool is really nice. Cannot complain at all. Only issue is the food quality. If you are familiar with Lebanese food, the Arabic restaurant will taste average. the Italian is much better but you need a short ride there. Breakfast is abundant and diverse. The Spa is decent with some great therapists. a must do visit to the island. maybe 3 days weekend ideally. But surely a terrific and unexpected experience.
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Date of stay: December 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Traveled with family
Room Tip: pre-book activities
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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.
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Response from Tamara Brnelic, Owner at Desert Islands Resort & Spa By Anantara
Responded 2 days ago
Dear nhasbani Greetings from Sir Bani Yas Resorts We would like to thank you for taking your time to share your experience with us and we are very happy to learn that you had an amazing time. Thank you for highlighting the missing activities from the website, we will get right on this as absolutely we want our guests to know and book in advance and stay longer with us to really enjoy all our island has to offer. We have shared your feedback regarding the Arabic food to our chef's and they are working on improving the offering as we speak. Thank you for your kind words about our team including Tamara whom you mentioned, your feedback has been shared with the team to continue to inspire and motivate them to deliver exceptional guest service. We look forward to welcoming you back to soon Sincerely, Management Team
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
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Hitz wrote a review Dec 2021
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates9 contributions8 helpful votes
Hotel's Favorite
Excellent place to spend couple nights with family within UAE. The resort is kids friendly and there are ample of activities for kids. The hotel staff pampered us and made our stay even more memorable ! Definitely it is on 'must visit' staycation.
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Review collected in partnership with Minor Hotels
Date of stay: December 2021
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
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.
2 Helpful votes
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Response from Management Team, Other at Desert Islands Resort & Spa By Anantara
Responded Dec 26, 2021
Dear hit2020 Warm Greetings from Anantara Sir Bani Yas Resorts Thank you for taking the time to complete the review following your recent stay with us. We were delighted that you enjoyed your stay with us. You were particularly pleased with the hospitality and genuine service from our team members, and we will recognize their excellent job. We are very much looking forward to welcoming your return to Anantara Sir Bani Yas soon. Best regards, Management Team
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
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MidlandsTraveller wrote a review Dec 5
Leicester, United Kingdom671 contributions371 helpful votes
Excellent stay here. Super location and all rooms have a sea view. Faultless service (thanks to Sanket for the lovely room makeover). The hotel grounds and pool are absolutely excellent. Top tip is to stay during the week as Friday to Sunday much busier with families, noise and bustle. During the week it was very quiet and felt truly exclusive. Breakfast buffet was really very good - a huge range for every taste. Food in evenings was OK, but not special. Expensive as we expected given additional transport of everything to the island. The ‘special event’ seafood and barbecue meals were excellent. Top tip - if you want to eat in one of the other two resorts Reception will book you transport. Negatives were the price of the activities. These seemed pretty steep for a rather short time. Budget about an additional £200 per day per couple for food and one activity.
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Date of stay: December 2023Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Room Tip: Avoid weekends. Expect to pay about £200 a day for 2 people for food and activities.
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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.
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Response from Tamara Brnelic, Owner at Desert Islands Resort & Spa By Anantara
Responded 2 days ago
Dear MigratoryMidlands Greetings from Sir Bani Yas Resorts We would like to thank you for taking your time to share your experience with us and we are very happy to learn that you had an amazing time. Your feedback has been shared with the team to continue to inspire and motivate them to deliver exceptional guest service, especially Sanket whom you mentioned. We couldn't agree more, during the week is the best time and our animals are everywhere. We look forward to welcoming you back to soon. Sincerely, Management Team
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
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Giuseppe G wrote a review Dec 3
1 contribution
The ambient and the rooms are very comfortable. The staff is very kind and the food is good. The environment of the island is wonderful. They propose many activities but these are a little expensive.
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Date of stay: December 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Traveled 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.
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Response from Tamara Brnelic, Owner at Desert Islands Resort & Spa By Anantara
Responded 2 days ago
Dear Q5398EMgiuseppeg Greetings from Sir Bani Yas Resorts We would like to thank you for taking your time to share your experience with us and we are very happy to learn that you had an amazing time. Your feedback has been shared with the team to continue to inspire and motivate them to deliver exceptional guest service. We look forward to welcoming you back to soon Sincerely, Management Team
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
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VitaliyMi wrote a review Dec 3
Dubai, United Arab Emirates1 contribution
The hotel is amazing. Only problem is the food quality and overall value for money. I'd rather book a stay with breakfast only, knowing that all restaurants serve not really tasty dishes. I didn't expect this from a luxury resort. Check with the staff which activities are included in the package; also better call them to confirm your activities booking prior to arrival.
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Review collected in partnership with Minor Hotels
Date of stay: November 2023
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
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.
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Response from Tamara Brnelic, Owner at Desert Islands Resort & Spa By Anantara
Responded 2 days ago
Dear VitaliyMi We would like to thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us. Please accept my apologies for the disappointment you felt with the quality and value of our food. Your feedback regarding our restaurants has been investigated with our Chef to ensure our typically high standards are being upheld. We absolutely agree on booking activities in advance and try to reach out to our guests pre-arrival by email and telephone. We are committed to providing memorable experiences with exceptional service and therefore we hope to have the opportunity to welcome you back and improve on your experience soon. Best regards, Management Team
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
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uaead2023 wrote a review Nov 2023
1 contribution
I booked all inclusive, but it was full board renamed to all inclusive by them .I called the call center twice to send me the room confirmation but .no use and Biking activity was terrible the tires were flat it took them 20 min from my trip time to fix it
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Review collected in partnership with Minor Hotels
Date of stay: November 2023
Value
Rooms
Cleanliness
Trip type: Traveled 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.
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Response from Tamara Brnelic, Owner at Desert Islands Resort & Spa By Anantara
Responded 2 days ago
Dear uaead2023 We would like to thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us. Please accept my apologies for the disappointment you felt after leaving our hotel. Your feedback relating to the activities and the misunderstanding regarding the all- inclusive has been investigated. Our all-inclusive has an activity per family of 4 per night as opposed to alcohol but we do offer happy hour in each resort. Rest assured that necessary steps are being taken to ensure that our high standards are maintained and this is clearly explained going forward. We are committed to providing memorable experiences with exceptional service and therefore we hope to have the opportunity to welcome you back and improve on your experience soon. Best regards, Management Team
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
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Mohammed H wrote a review Nov 2023
Salalah, Oman1 contribution
I was disappointed by my stay at Anantara Sir Bani Yas resort. Although the place is beautiful, I felt that it was overpriced and did not offer good value for money. For example, I received a Spa offer of 200, but when I tried to use it, I was told that I had to spend at least 800 on a 90-minute treatment, which was not mentioned in my reservation. The activities and restaurants were also very expensive, and the food quality was average at best. I think I could have found better food for less than half the price elsewhere.
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Review collected in partnership with Minor Hotels
Date of stay: November 2023
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
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.
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Response from Management Team, Other at Desert Islands Resort & Spa By Anantara
Responded 2 weeks ago
Dear MohammedhZ3174UF Thank you for visiting us at Anantara Desert Island, we are sorry to hear that you left our hotel feeling disappointed. Regarding the spa credit, it is clearly stated on our website and confirmation letters that this is a 200 aed credit redeemable against any treatment 90 minutes and above, these start at 730 aed, which means you pay 530 for 90 minutes. Both spa and activities pricing are in line with our competitors in the region and we are exclusive in that we are remote and yet still manage to keep the rate competitive. We are sorry that you found our food average, we have 3 restaurants, 1 in each hotel on the island so there is plenty for each taste, Arabic, Mediterranean and African. We are glad that you enjoyed the beauty of our island and have had the experience of visiting. Best Regards, The Management Team
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
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MARY GRACE Q wrote a review Nov 2023
1 contribution
The place was really amazing, pleasant and animals like gazelle , peacock,ibis,etc are roaming around outside our room .All staff are very nice ,thanks to Miss Michelle she let us check in early☺️ .Miss Angel ( Olio Restaurant) for making son's birthday very memorable 😍 and to Miss Camille ( The Palm Restaurant) she's very helpful and friendly. We really love our stay here. Surely we will come back
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Date of stay: November 2023Trip type: Traveled 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.
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Response from Management Team, Other at Desert Islands Resort & Spa By Anantara
Responded 2 weeks ago
Dear 511marygraceq, Thank you for taking the time to share your experience through our Guest Satisfaction Survey. We appreciate your feedback and are delighted to learn that we met your expectations. Thank you for your kind praise of our team members, including Ms. Michelle,Ms, Angel, and Ms. Camille whom you mentioned. We will ensure to share this feedback with them and the rest of the team to continue to inspire and motivate them to deliver exceptional customer service. Thank you for choosing to stay with us. We look forward to an opportunity to welcome you back in the near future. Best regards, Management Team
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
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AML1967 wrote a review Nov 2023
United Arab Emirates129 contributions63 helpful votes
+1
Just had a wonderful 4 nights here. Everything was really great. The food in all three restaurants was really good, the service, room and activities were also all fantastic. We did the adventure all inclusive package and would definitely recommend this. It’s even better than it looks on the photos!
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Date of stay: November 2023Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Room Tip: Nature walk is great as are safari and mangrove kayaking. All inclusive is definitely worth...
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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.
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Response from Management Team, Other at Desert Islands Resort & Spa By Anantara
Responded 2 weeks ago
Dear AML1967, Thank you for taking the time to complete our online guest satisfaction survey following your recent stay with us. We were delighted that you enjoyed your stay with us and that you were particularly pleased by the hospitality and genuine service from our team. Your encouraging compliments are certainly appreciated and have been passed on to our team who were thrilled to learn about your great experience and appreciative comments. Thank you once again for your valuable feedback. We are very much looking forward to welcoming your return to Anantara Desert Islands Resort & Spa in the near future for another memorable experience. Sincerely, Management Team
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
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Amine Y wrote a review Nov 2023
2 contributions1 helpful vote
It was a great experience, everything was just excellent. Very professional, friendly and supportive team. The food, the rooms, the service... almost perfect. I highly recommend and I will definitely come back.
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Date of stay: November 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Traveled 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.
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Response from Management Team, Other at Desert Islands Resort & Spa By Anantara
Responded 2 weeks ago
Dear AmineY20 We are thrilled that you had a perfect stay with us, Thank you for visiting and we trust you will be back soon to visit us. All the best The Management Team
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
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Not the right property for you?
There are more places to choose from in the Sir Bani Yas Island area.
PRICE RANGE
$244 - $409 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
desert islands resort & spa by anantara hotel sir bani yas island, desert islands resort and spa by anantara, desert islands hotel
LOCATION
United Arab EmiratesEmirate of Abu DhabiSir Bani Yas Island
NUMBER OF ROOMS
64
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DESERT ISLANDS RESORT & SPA BY ANANTARA - Updated 2023 Prices & Reviews (Emirate of Abu Dhabi/Sir Bani Yas Island)

Frequently Asked Questions about Desert Islands Resort & Spa By Anantara
Which popular attractions are close to Desert Islands Resort & Spa By Anantara?
Nearby attractions include Arabian Wildlife Park (2.8 miles).
What are some of the property amenities at Desert Islands Resort & Spa By Anantara?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include free wifi, a pool, and an on-site restaurant.
Which room amenities are available at Desert Islands Resort & Spa By Anantara?
Top room amenities include a minibar, air conditioning, and a flat screen TV.
What food & drink options are available at Desert Islands Resort & Spa By Anantara?
Guests can enjoy an on-site restaurant, a lounge, and a poolside bar during their stay.
Is parking available at Desert Islands Resort & Spa By Anantara?
Yes, free parking is available to guests.
What are some restaurants close to Desert Islands Resort & Spa By Anantara?
Conveniently located restaurants include Savannah Grill, Olio, and Amwaj.
Are there opportunities to exercise at Desert Islands Resort & Spa By Anantara?
Yes, guests have access to a pool, a fitness center, and locker rooms available in the fitness center during their stay.
Does Desert Islands Resort & Spa By Anantara have an airport shuttle?
Yes, Desert Islands Resort & Spa By Anantara offers an airport shuttle for guests. We recommend calling ahead to confirm details.
Does Desert Islands Resort & Spa By Anantara have airport transportation?
Yes, Desert Islands Resort & Spa By Anantara offers airport transportation for guests. We recommend calling ahead to confirm details.
Are any cleaning services offered at Desert Islands Resort & Spa By Anantara?
Yes, dry cleaning and laundry service are offered to guests.
Does Desert Islands Resort & Spa By Anantara offer any business services?
Yes, it conveniently offers a business center, meeting rooms, and a banquet room.