Being driven into The Ritz Carlton Complex, you see villas on your right and expansive grounds on your left – but that doesn’t prepare you in any way for the sheer size of this property located near Khalifa Park in Abu Dhabi. For guests checking in or out, a beautiful fountain with the Grand Mosque in the background makes a very welcoming and memorable sight.
Check-in is a breeze and a club cart is on the ready to whisk us to our private villa, one of 85 in this property, featuring The Ritz Carlton’s latest additions – private plunge pools. On the way there, our guide informs us that there are over 15 food and beverage venues on the property, some of which aren’t by The Ritz Carlton but adds to the variety available to guests. This property in Abu Dhabi, set in 57 acres, is the second-largest Ritz Carlton property in the world and is almost a small town with all the facilities available here.
The best thing about the whole stay for me was the silence, except for the birds chirping, the sound of the sea and leaves crushing under our feet as we walked – where do we get that in the UAE?
The villa
The door looks quaint and antique, but is in no way traditional as we swipe our card to get in. The corridor leads to an open living room, a small dining area and a fully functional kitchen. The dining room has doors opening to the outdoor lounge and pool area. The master bedroom also opens to the pool area outside – and obviously I run outside to see the one thing that I can’t wait for – the plunge pool.
The pool is 1.24 metres deep and around two and a half metres in length – there is an outdoor shower right next to the pool as well. The best place to bask and laze around, the half-covered lounge area has comfortable lounges for two, and a small coffee table arrangement as well. The second bedroom is just as big and has a twin-bed arrangement – the villa is equipped to comfortably house a family or group of five – the living room sofa converts to a makeshift bed. There’s also a guest bathroom in the hallway.
What to do
Private plunge pool
Getting over the fact that you can just jump into the pool straight out of the bedroom, one of the great things here is that this area gives you unhindered views of the canal with boats and jets skis whizzing by. It is still far enough to not be disturbing or intrusive in any way. For a person of normal height, the water is deep enough to swim in but also safe enough for non-swimmers.
Spa
The Spa by Ritz Carlton is by ESPA and is a standalone building with around 15 treatment rooms, a plunge pool, steam and sauna area, private beach, expansive relaxation areas (with separate areas for women) and great treatments. The facials are a bliss, with the specialist analysing your skin to create a bespoke treatment for every guest.
Kids
We saw a lot of families as guests and the kids were obviously having the time of their lives at the kids’ water fountain and community pool. Also, the Ritz Kids Club, available to children between the ages of 4 and 12, offers an extensive programme of supervised activities, both indoors and outdoors.
Dining
For all-day-dining and breakfast we headed to Giornotte which also had a French bistro dinner night on Thursday. Li Jiang, the Asian restaurant, is one of the best places to watch the sun go down as the resident DJ plays some music and you open up baskets of dim sum and devour green curries. They also have pool bars, Italian cuisine, al fresco dining and more in over 15 outlets to suit every palate.
What we recommend
We recommend the plunge pool villas especially if you are travelling in a large group. The villas can comfortably house 5 people. The pool ensures privacy and loads of fun.
Ratings
Rooms: 5/5
Service: 5/5
Value: 4/5
Cleanliness: 5/5
Location: 4/5
The Ritz Carlton Grand Canal Abu Dhabi Rooms 447 Villas 85 (Plunge pool villas – 4) Cost per night (rooms) Dh700 onwards for two.
