Hot spots: The St Regis Abu Dhabi
Kavita Daswani
The newest city hotel in Abu Dhabi, capital of the booming, oil-rich United Arab Emirates, is also the latest jewel in the crown of the luxury hotel group founded by aristocratic New Yorker John Jacob Astor IV in 1904. Its opening in August last year endowed Abu Dhabi with the unique distinction of being the only city in the world with two St Regis properties.
The first is on Saadiyat Island, and is a luxury resort-style facility, with an emphasis on golf and wellness. The new St Regis is geared towards business travellers and tourists in for major events such as the grand prix.
The views. The architecture. The hotel's version of the Bloody Mary. To elaborate: most of the rooms look out over the Corniche (pictured), eight kilometres of waterfront beaches, parks and cafes. The hotel is housed between the 33rd and 49th floors of one of the two Nation Towers, a striking pair of structures that house luxury apartments, offices and retail spaces. The St Regis, however, is set apart from all that, in its own little niche, with a separate entrance. As for the Bloody Mary - the cocktail is part of the St Regis legacy, and every outpost has its own version: here, it's called the Desert Snapper and is made unique by the infusion of smoked zatar, a Middle Eastern herb mix, and by being served in something vaguely resembling a shisha - the glass-bottomed water pipe used to smoke fruit-flavoured tobacco that is ubiquitous in the Middle East.
OK, so the Saadiyat Island sister property has the distinction of boasting the largest hotel suite - 22,600 sq ft - in the Emirates. Not to be outdone, the new St Regis has the world's "highest suspended hotel suite". The Abu Dhabi Suite is big, sure (11,600 sq ft), and beyond luxurious (24-carat gold-leaf accents, walls upholstered in velvet), but what sets it apart is that a section of the living room is set on a glass bridge linking the towers. There are 360-degree views in the double-level suite, three huge bedrooms (and a maid's room) as well as a spa, cinema and Michelin-worthy kitchen.
As grand as you'd expect: walk-in wardrobes, ornate mirrors, lushly tasseled pillows, deep bathtubs - and you get your own butler to ferry you complimentary tea and coffee 24 hours a day.
Start by people-watching in the lobby (pictured), with its massive Morrocan-style chandeliers studded with Bohemian crystal, while enjoying a demi-tasse of Turkish coffee scented with rose water and cardamom and biting into a plump date or two. Apparently more than 100 types of marble have been used in the hotel, parts of it inlaid with tiger's eye gemstones or covered with fine gold leaf.
Breakfast is served at Rhodes 44 (pictured), a pop art-infused eatery helmed by British celebrity chef Gary Rhodes, and there is outdoor dining by the pool, as well as an Italian restaurant. This month, the hotel will unveil Treasure Island: a fun spot on the private beach accessible via a tunnel beneath the hotel. A pirate's ship for kids to clamber upon and a reproduction village selling local arts and crafts will be the main attractions.
Soak up the local culture with a visit to the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, the largest mosque in the Emirates and one of the few open to non-Muslims. With design elements inspired by Mughal, Persian and Moorish mosques, the architecture is staggering in scope: the hall alone is large enough to accommodate 40,000 visitors and there are some 82 domes throughout. If you do plan to visit - it's 15 minutes away by car - follow local cultural dictates: women should cover their head with a scarf and avoid skimpy clothing, men need to wear long trousers and leave the muscle tees at home. For those craving a bit more excitement, there is Ferrari World, an amusement park 45 minutes away themed on the Italian luxury car marque, or perhaps you'd like to arrange a half-day tour into the desert, to traverse sand dunes and gaze at camels.
