DANAT JABEL DHANNA RESORT RUWAIS : THE UAE ’ S MOST WELL KEPT SECRET
BY : LEISA GRACE WILSON
The United Arab Emirates has its fair share of resorts , from budget to ultra-luxury . But what if I told you that I have found a real hidden gem of a resort , all the way out in Ruwais , Abu Dhabi ? Don ’ t believe me ? Keep reading , as I share with you the experience of my family ’ s staycation at this hotel during the summer of 2021 .
Like so many expatriate families in the UAE , this year , we decided that we would not travel . There were several reasons for that ; the main reason was that our home country , the United Kingdom ( UK ), was still on the UAE ’ s red list and vice versa . We had the option of flying to another destination , but instead , chose to continue to enjoy the hospitality of our adopted home , the UAE . We really enjoy having staycations in the UAE as there are so many great hotels and resorts to choose from . At this time of the year , being summer and quite hot , its worth noting that a number of resorts offer very attractive rates .
We have been living here for eleven years , over which time we have visited a lot of hotels in all the seven emirates . With this in mind , we decided as a family to make a list of our favourites and then narrow it down to our top two or three before making a final decision . During this process , a friend of our family asked if we have ever been to Ruwais . We have heard of the place but have never been there , nor did we know that there was a resort there . She proceeded to tell us that she thinks that she might have found a hidden gem , and we should go and check it out .
Not a family to back down from an adventure , we agreed and started looking into booking our stay . She was gracious enough to put us in contact with a friend of hers that works at the hotel . The contact at the hotel helped us with our booking , and made recommendations on the room types and packages on offer , more on that later .
Fast forward to a week later , and we packed up the car , buckled up and started our two-hour journey to Ruwais .
The Drive
Driving from Abu Dhabi to Ruwais takes just over two hours . The road is mostly straight , and in our case , with very little traffic . There are a few petrol stations on route , but very little else . My top tip would be to avoid driving during the hottest hours of the day , as this could leave you feeling exhausted , and worse still car troubles due to the summer heat . We did not heed our own advice and left home at about 11:00 am , which means we were arriving at the hotel after 1:00 pm .
Check-in
Upon arrival , we were greeted by friendly smiling faces . Our family was identified by name , which is always a nice touch . Check-in was a breeze , and we were escorted to our chalet . The chalet is located close to the beach .
We were able to drive and park in front of the chalet .
Rooms and accommodation
The hotel boasts a variety of room types , from an amazingly luxurious presidential suite to tastefully decorated suites , rooms and beach chalets . All 133 guest rooms , suites , and villas are facing the Arabian Gulf , designed with ‘ chic modern ’ interiors , and offering the highest standards of comfort and leisure .
On the recommendation of our friend , we chose to stay in a beach chalet . This was the best decision of our trip . The beach chalets at Jabel Dhanna , transport you to a whole other world . They offer seclusion , comfort and amazing ocean views and access . Our chalet was literally a stone ’ s throw from the beach . We enjoyed lying on our bed and listening to the waves crashing on the beach .
The chalets comprise of either a super king-size bed or two small double beds . They are spacious and can comfortably accommodate a family of four like ours . The housekeeping staff kept the place immaculate , and there was nothing they would not do to ensure our comfort .
The icing on the cake , for us , was the fishbowl they placed on the
50 Term 1 Sep - Dec 2021 After the Bell