Shangri-La Abu Dhabi

Shangri-La Hotel, Qaryat Al Beri

The Shangri-La Hotel, Qaryat Al Beri is a five-star luxury hotel that hit all the checkmarks I was looking for when planning my trip to Abu Dhabi! The beachfront hotel has over a kilometer of waterfront property with breathtaking views of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. The hotel is conveniently situated near Abu Dhabi's city centre and central to the cities highlights (the new Louvre Museum is a short 15 min drive away). From the minute I entered, my senses were spoiled with beautiful Arabic decor, impressive architecture and heavenly scents. The spoiling didn't end there. Upon entering, I was immeditaly greeted with delicious Arabic coffee and local dates leaving me both refreshed and wanting more. The hotel offers amazing Arabic hospitality with a very warm and attentive staff. Everyone I met was very helpful and went out of there way to make my stay memorable!

Making my way through the grand lobby, I found myself on an enchanting terrace. The terrace overlooks a beautiful infinity pool that perfectly aligns itself with the Sheikh Zayed Mosque in the distance. This is one of three pools at the hotel and is the one I spent the most time at, definitely a highlight! I couldn’t wait to take a dip and take in the scenery. The pool had a bar called the Mojito lab that served up the best cocktails. I suggest ordering a sage and blueberry mojito as it's delicious and refreshing:) At night time the pool reflects the lights from the mosque creating an even more magical view. The beach is located on either side of the pool with comfortable chaises and cabanas to meet anyone's needs. We took full advantage of the beach by lounging on plush pillows, enjoying a shisha and snacking on delicious morsels while the world stood still around us. There are countless palm trees spread throughout the resort combined with the lush landscaping make you feel like you’re in a true desert oasis. optimal time to visit the beach and pool area would be at sunset. The sky sets with a beautiful pink and orange hue that is mesmerizing to experience.

Another highlight of the hotel is their Abra Experience. The abra, a traditional Arabic boat, took us on a serene journey through the waterways snaking throughout the resort complex intertwined between the different buildings and market. This was a perfect way to see more of the hotel’s unique architecture while also getting to admire the gardens from a different perspective. The boat ride ends at the hotel’s souk, an arabic market, that was filled with treasures, clothing and hidden gems. A perfect way to spend the afternoon :)

Dining:

The Shangri-La has an expansive selection of food choices. All of my meals were wonderful and I really want to emphasize what an amazing job the hotel does at catering to everyone’s palate. There are four different restaurants to choosee from including an all day dining restaurant and three different bars/lounges. The Shang Palace, the Shangri-La’s signature Cantonese restaurant offered the most delicious traditional Cantonese cuisine that was a true treat to my taste buds. The menu looked incredible and there was a variety of dishes to choose from. However, I would highly recommend the Beijing Duck and dim sum as it's their speciality and it's made to perfection! Also, make sure you order a cup of the Chinese tea. On certain nights of the week the restaurant hosts a traditional Kung Fu Tea Master that fills everyone’s cup in a theatrical display that was a pleasure to experience. I continued to sip on me tea as quickly as I could, to get the tea master to come back and refill it ;-)

Breakfast at Sofra bId was one of my favorite moments during my stay. Breakfast happens to be my favorite meal of the day and the souk-style restaurant did not disappoint! The all day dining restaurant offers an a la carte menu, but I would highly recommend the breakfast buffet as it has so much to offer. There are various cooking stations with chefs ready to whip up the perfect dish for your liking. The assortment of pastries and fresh fruit were delectable and the desert section was unlike any other. It had chocolate fountains and every tasty treat you can think of from your childhood memories. Unique freshly squeezed juices were served daily and I couldn't get enough of them. They most likely needed to replenish the station more often on the day I was there!

We were also lucky enough to enjoy the High Tea experience the Shangri-La offers. It is an incredible blend of traditional High Tea with an arabic twist emphasizing the UAE’s history as pearl traders. We were served a selection of 7 different heavenly morsels that included seafood, chicken and naturally more baklava. Ending off the experience, we were treated with the most delicious camel milk chocolate pops.

Horizon Club Deluxe King:

The hotel's elegant room's and suites were luxurious, yet comfortable. There are 213 rooms and each come with a private balcony or terrace. The perfect place to enjoy a quiet breakfast and coffee. The rooms have an incredible view overlooking the hotel’s private beach and Sheikh Zayed Mosque on the horizon. Our room, which was one of the Horizon Club Delux Rooms, was beautifully decorated in a blend of modern design with Arabic architectural details. Speaking of details, our room had them in spades. The more time I spent exploring the more I appreciated just how much thought went into the design from the intricate wooden archways to the mosaic bathroom and deep soaking tub to the huge carved wooden door at the entrance. The Shangri-La also happened to carry one of my favorite designer bath amenities, L’Occitane! Lastly, one of the many perks to the Horizon Club Rooms is the complementary Chinese Tea and fresh daily fruit!