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Beach Rotana, located in the heart of the UAE capital, also right next to Abu Dhabi Mall, is the ultimate beach staycation with plenty of in-room amenities, a private beach, relaxation gateways, and dining options. The property exudes the warmth of traditional Arabian hospitality, particularly inside the lobby area.
With 413 rooms, suites and serviced apartments — according to its official website — the Beach Rotana offers comfort and serenity. For fitness enthusiasts, it has a fully equipped gym and a chance to get sporty on the padel, tennis, or squash courts. Besides, outdoor fun with the kids on the 430-metre beach is a must-do in pleasant weather. Not to forget about the plethora of leisure facilities — for instance, the Zen Spa, which adds a touch of tranquillity to the staycation with spacious treatment rooms and a relaxation zone that completes the spa experience.
The furnishings and decor of the hotel demonstrate opulence with dark wood decor and framed Arabic carpets, while the dome at the lobby’s centre stands out remarkably.
Touted as one of the oldest hotels in the UAE capital with private beach access, Beach Rotana remains one of Abu Dhabi’s most famous beach staycations. The view from the sea-facing rooms offers glimpses of the most scenic estuary that leads into the city.
With some extraordinary dining options, ranging from American-Japanese (Benihana), and German (Brauhaus) to Indian (Indigo) and Italian (Prego’s) cuisines, along with French-Polynesian dishes (Trader Vic) across its 12 restaurants, cafes and lounges — a stay at Beach Rotana will surely tantalise your taste buds.
Indigo, the Indian restaurant at Beach Rotana, pays tribute to the culture and culinary flavour of India with a contemporary twist of sophistication. It is about taking a journey to India, quite literally, said Indigo’s ultra-sweet manager Tanika. The restaurant’s well-informed staff, including the chef, complete the Indian feeling. A cosy interior, stylish design, and fabrics within a lively setting with contemporary music set the scene for a perfect evening with an Indian twist!
Then there’s Finz — a Michelin-selected seafood sanctuary — at Beach Rotana Abu Dhabi, too. This location completes the serene overwater dining setting with a stunning backdrop of the Abu Dhabi skyline. Finz offers a variety of seafood in a relaxed atmosphere. If you’re craving seafood, you won’t regret visiting Finz inside the Beach Rotana property, said Finz staff Mae. It also boasts a unique wooden structure built on a narrow boat-like base overlooking the sea and Al Reem Island. It promises to transport guests to a gastronomical paradise, even if they are not seafood aficionados.
Rotana’s expansion plans for the region and beyond Rotana, one of the leading hotel management companies in the Middle East, Africa, Eastern Europe, and Türkiye (MENAT), recently announced its ambitious expansion plans for the region and beyond at the Future Hospitality Summit World (FHS).
Driving Rotana’s aggressive pipeline is the development of 43 new properties in 26 cities in the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and Türkiye by 2026.
Once complete, the new properties will add 9,049 rooms to Rotana’s inventory, taking its total keys to 30,225.
These will bolster the group’s presence in critical markets and complement its most recent openings, which include Beach Bay Hotel – Mirfa, the first Edge by Rotana property in Abu Dhabi, UAE, and Nova M Hotel Olaya Riyadh, the first Edge by Rotana in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Launched as a new brand in 2022, the latest openings put the number of operational Edge by Rotana properties at seven, with another six hotels in the pipeline across the MENAT region.
The group plans to open several more regional properties, explicitly targeting the burgeoning tourism industry in the UAE and KSA.
Planned openings include Bloom Arjaan by Rotana on Abu Dhabi’s Saadiyat Island and Yasmina Rayhaan by Rotana in Riyadh in 2025, reconfirming the group’s ambitious goal to triple the number of rooms it currently runs in the Kingdom to 6,000 over the next three years.
Rotana operates 82 hotels in the Middle East, Africa, Eastern Europe, and Türkiye and has a robust pipeline of new projects in Turkey and international markets.
By Arunima Mishra