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- Posted: 08/07/2025
Rixos Premium Saadiyat Island: An Honest Family Review 2026
Laura
Why did we book Rixos Premium Saadiyat Island?
Rixos is a well known all-inclusive brand, and all-inclusive isn’t that common in the UAE. So, after hearing so many amazing things about Rixos Premium Saadiyat Island, we booked a trip to find out if it really is the best all-inclusive in the UAE.
This hotel is situated in Abu Dhabi on Saadiyat Island, one of the most prestigious areas in the city. It’s a natural island with amazing white sand beaches where Hawksbill turtles nest, and you can often spot dolphins from the beach. So, a pretty idyllic setting for a luxury all-inclusive hotel.
This hotel is 5 stars and is one of the higher price points hotels in Abu Dhabi. That said, we booked through Etihad Holidays and got an amazing price for the four of us staying in their entry-level Deluxe Sea View King Room over the Easter holidays in April. We paid £5,700 for flights and an 8-night stay. So, there are deals to be found for this hotel, as it usually costs a lot more. I should mention that a couple of our nights were during Ramadan, which sometimes means slightly lower prices.
Flight and Transfer
It’s just over a 6.5 hour flight from London to Abu Dhabi, and we flew with Etihad direct from Heathrow. It’s a fantastic, family friendly airline that feels quite premium even in economy, with free gifts for the children (and adults!) and great food and drink choices.
Once you arrive at Abu Dhabi Airport, you’ll be amazed by how futuristic and spotlessly clean it is (unlike Heathrow!). Taxis are pretty cheap, and there are plenty right outside the airport. Always look for the silver taxis with a yellow roof sign these are metered and regulated by the government. The expensive looking ones will cost more, so stick to the silver ones. It’s about a 20/25 minute journey to the hotel, so nice and quick. Alternatively, if you prefer to pre-book a transfer, you can check prices and book here with Suntransfers who are a well priced and reliable company.
First Impressions of Rixos Premium Saadiyat Island
Wow, wow, wow you cannot be anything but blown away when you walk into this hotel. It is absolutely stunning! It feels like you’ve arrived at a palace. I just had to stand there in the lobby and take it all in, it’s beautiful in a very palatial way.
We arrived around 8pm and check in was easy. We made our way up to our room, which was perfect. I think the entry level Deluxe King Room is ideally designed for a family of three, as it has a king size bed with one single pull-out chair bed. However, they had already set up another bed for our other child so top points, because one of my pet hates is when all the beds aren’t ready for kids on arrival!
You’re spoilt for room choices at this hotel, including swim-up rooms. We had a sea-view room, and the balcony was huge.
Top Tip: Ask the hotel for a large balcony as you might get one of the rooms with the oversized balconies.
As it’s all-inclusive, we checked the fridge and it had soft drinks, crisps, and chocolate. Alcohol isn’t provided in the room fridge, and you’re not allowed to take alcohol back to your room from the bars. Not a problem for us as the bar settings are gorgeous, and it’s always chaos getting everyone ready in the room anyway, so I usually want to get everyone out as quickly as possible!
Booking Your Restaurants
You can’t pre-book any à la carte restaurants before arrival. I was a bit apprehensive about this since all-inclusives can be let down by poor restaurant availability during busy times. This was the Easter holidays, one of their peak seasons but I needn’t have worried. I simply went to the restaurant reservation desk on our first morning and booked all the restaurants we were entitled to.
On your arrival day, you’re eligible to dine at the Turquoise all day buffet restaurant. After that, you can use the à la carte restaurants. For stays of five nights or more, you get four à la carte dinners.
Top Tip: For an extra special treat, you can pay for a live teppanyaki show. It was AED 215 per adult and AED 110 per child, around £129 for a family of four. Not cheap, but we absolutely loved it and would thoroughly recommend it (if your kids are okay with seafood and steak, probably age 6 and up to really enjoy it).
The Restaurants at Rixos Premium Saadiyat Island
- Mermaid – Mediterranean cuisine
- L’Olivo – Italian cuisine
- Aja – Asian cuisine
- Orient – Turkish cuisine
- People’s Restaurant – Poolside lunch spot
- Turquoise Buffet – Breakfast, lunch, dinner
- Lobby Bar Lounge – Cakes and snacks
We tried all except Mermaid (the kids wanted Italian twice). Every meal was excellent, and the menus were very generous. You will not go hungry here it really is premium all-inclusive.
The kids’ favourite was L’Olivo (pizza, of course), and I loved Aja as the variety was incredible, and the dishes never seemed to end. This is also where you can pay for the Teppanyaki show. The teppanyaki chef was hilarious and had the kids helping out during the show, a core holiday memory for them.
Important to note: This was the only thing on our bill at the end of our stay. There’s nothing else to pay for it’s incredibly generous. No hidden costs anywhere.
Breakfast & Lunch
Breakfast is at Turquoise, and the selection is huge. UAE breakfast buffets never disappoint. One small gripe (and I’m being picky) is they don’t seat you at a table. So, on a couple of mornings, we had to walk around to find one. That said, drink orders were taken quickly, so it’s a minor inconvenience.
At lunch, we were sometimes out exploring Abu Dhabi or ate at People’s Restaurant by the pool or the buffet. Both were great, though lunch may feel a bit “samey” if you stay in the hotel every day.
Overall, food here is amazing for an all-inclusive. It offers better quality and more choice than most European 5-star all-inclusives. However, it’s not quite at the level of the UAE’s top à la carte dining experiences, like those at Atlantis or Jumeirah hotels. But absolutely no complaints it’s excellent for an all-inclusive.
The Pools at Rixos Premium Saadiyat Island
This hotel takes family friendly to another level. There’s a small aqua park area and a wave pool, all next to the Kids Club. The main pool is on the other side of the hotel, facing the stunning beach.
The wow factor? Bartenders on rollerblades! Honestly, it was very impressive watching them skating over pool floats and delivering drinks without a spill. There’s a button on every parasol stand, and a roller-skating bartender appears to take your order. Pretty cool!
There’s also a swim-up bar, and the kids loved ordering mocktails there. The drinks are all premium brands no cheap stuff or watered-down cocktails here. My husband was thrilled that Peroni was on offer! And I’m not a big drinker but was amazed by the endless cocktail choices.
We never struggled to find loungers, no towel games at 7am! Occasionally, we were treated to complimentary fruit and little snacks around the pool which is a nice touch.
Over at the Kids Pool (quite a walk in the heat, but you can cut through the hotel), there’s an ice cream parlour with drinks and kids light lunches. This area is much quieter, likely because there’s no alcohol or lounger service. Still, it’s fantastic, and the wave pool was a huge hit.
Top Tip: Bring an inflatable from home for the wave pool the hotel shop prices are high!
The Beach
“Stunning” doesn’t do it justice. A long stretch of powdery white sand and beautiful turquoise waters. Loads of loungers available. We’d often visit in the late afternoon, enjoying the beach bar, whilst the kids played beach volleyball as the sun set. Total bliss.
There’s live music every afternoon at the beach bar and a fruit bar nearby for healthy snacks. The early evening mixologist at the beach bar was brilliant again, great entertainment.
The sea can be choppy at times, but it’s shallow for quite a distance. Lifeguards are present and its fun to jump the waves.
Top Tip: Check out the signs on the walkway to the beach to learn about the nesting turtles and local wildlife, great for little explorers!
The Kids Club
The Rixy Kids Club is for ages 4–12. There’s a huge indoor area and a secure outdoor playground. Loads of daily activities and even though my kids aren’t usually into kids’ clubs, we loved the parent-and-child activities. We did a canvas painting session together, which was lovely.
There’s also a teens’ club next door with video games, table football, and a chill-out area. It’s unsupervised, but we used it as a family spot to hang out after dinner.
A standout feature? The Kids Club stays open until 10:30pm! So, if your child is happy to go, you could enjoy a grown-up dinner.
Every evening there were events from bubble shows to mini concerts. It’s quite rare to have this level of evening entertainment for kids in the UAE.
Rixy Kids Festival
Once a week, there’s a Rixy Kids Festival. An afternoon of inflatables, face painting, carnival games, a BBQ, popcorn and sweet treats all with live shows. My kids loved making smoothies by pedalling a bike that powered the blender! How they managed to bounce around in the April heat I do not know, but they loved it all.
Top Tip: Find out what day it’s on so you don’t miss it.
Adult Exercise & Activities
Unusually for the UAE, this hotel has loads of activities for adults. You’re not pushed to join you do as much or as little as you like. My husband and I took turns doing different things whilst the other stayed on pool duty. The activities ranged from aerial yoga, pool spinning, and yes even bouncing around on bouncy shoes! There’s also a gym, tennis courts, and even guided bike rides.
You can book all of these for free at the sports centre hut by the pool.
The Spa
I didn’t get time for treatments (which cost extra), but I did have a look around and it’s gorgeous. There’s even an adults only small pool inside. Worth visiting just to relax.
There are also treatments for children, though kids can’t use the spa facilities themselves.
General Vibe of the Hotel
If you haven’t guessed by now, this hotel is all about luxury and ease for families. What sets it apart is how many daily activities there are for both kids and adults, the consistent live music, and the exceptional mixologists.
It’s a truly generous all-inclusive in one of the most beautiful locations in the UAE.
What Could Be Improved at Rixos Premium Saadiyat Island
- An app would make things easier, currently you have to visit desks to book activities and restaurants.
- No turn-down service, which is standard in many 5-star UAE hotels.
- Being seated at the buffet would avoid the morning wander.
These are all minor, and I think I’m being a bit fussy!
Rixos Premium Saadiyat Island – Travel Mum Score: 5/5
I would recommend this hotel again and again for anyone seeking a luxury family all-inclusive in Abu Dhabi. I can see why it gets so much praise, and I’d absolutely return. I wouldn’t recommend it for couples seeking an adult-only vibe, it’s very family orientated and full of children.
If you’d like to check the price for a family holiday I highly recommend Etihad Holidays and have included a link to this hotel below for you.
Etihad Holidays Discount: Use the below link with the code TRAVELMUMS for an exclusive discount off your total.
Written by: Laura
Hi, I’m a mum of two lively boys and married to a husband who (unfortunately) keeps my holiday obsession in check! We’re all about fun, active family getaways as relaxing isn’t really in my boys’ vocabulary!
Our go to destination is the UAE, and over the years we’ve tried and tested plenty of hotels and experiences, which I love sharing on Instagram. Living in beautiful Dorset, I know just how exhausting the trek to London airports can be especially after a long flight. That’s why I’m here to help you discover amazing holiday deals flying from our more convenient local airports of Exeter, Bournemouth, and Southampton.
Whether it’s travel tips, hotel reviews, or family days out, I’m all about sharing our adventures and hopefully helping you find your next great holiday at a brilliant price.
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