That time of the year is getting closer with 2 weeks to go until Christmas and less than 3 weeks until the New Year’s Eve. If you live in the UAE and not travelling for the holiday season or if you are coming to the UAE from abroad to catch some sunshine, we would like to share one of our favourite ways to spend the winter holidays in the UAE.
Last year Silvia and I both chose to stay in the UAE for the NYE and as we do not like hustle and bustle that is Dubai for the NYE, we decided to try one of Jumeirah’s newest resorts in Abu Dhabi. Please note that the resort was acquired by Marriott in August 2020 so will be referred to Al Wathba resort going forward.
Al Wathba resort first opened in early 2019 and it is located approximately an hour away from the capital. If you live/are staying in Dubai or other emirates, we recommend you arrive a day early or in the morning of 31 December to spend some time in the capital, especially since you need a negative Covid-19 test every time you want to enter Abu Dhabi. At the time of writing, residents have an option to obtain a PCR test from an accredited laboratory in their emirate or, alternatively, do a laser test at the border. I only crossed the Dubai-Abu Dhabi border once after the lockdown when I was flying from Abu Dhabi last month (read more here) so I can’t advise regarding the laser test on the border and how long it takes. In any case, I suggest you should avoid the peak times in the morning when commuters are travelling to AD for work though as you may have to wait longer during these peak hours. Otherwise, in my experience, the border crossing process only adds 10-15 minutes to your journey if you have a negative Covid test ready to present at the border.
If you feel like exploring Abu Dhabi a bit, we recommend visiting Qasr Al Watan or Louvre Abu Dhabi if you have not been there yet. Make sure that you check the timings as some places may be closed on 31 December. An article about our experience visiting the majestic Qasr Al Watan on the NYE last year is coming soon, do not miss it!
Al Wathba resort is located closer to the city and not deep in the Empty Quarter itself like Anantara Qasr Al Sarab, hence you won’t be able to see the stunning high dunes in rich yellow and copper colours at Al Wathba. On the plus side, your journey from the capital will be much shorter, just under an hour, if you do not feel like driving all the way to the Empty Quarter and want easier access to AD.
After spending the afternoon in AD, Silvia and I arrived at the resort a bit late, after 5 pm so it was dark already. The first thing we noticed was that the reception area was very small, especially if you compare to other Jumeirah properties, and there was no comfortable waiting area away from the reception traffic. Despite having booked in advance, it took a while to get our room – long story! Perhaps it is best to arrive around the check-in time or a bit early so you can have your pick, especially if you have specific requirements, like twin beds or connecting rooms.
Evidenced by the long queue of guests checking in, the hotel was quite busy for the NYE so be prepared to wait to get your room. When we finally got our room, it was quite nice, with a large terrace, although it was on the ground floor so felt less private. It did not bother us though as we did not see any of our neighbours.
If you arrive after dark, it is not the best time to explore the resort grounds as it is easy to get a bit lost there. Exploring during the daylight is the best, which we did the next day. As mentioned above, the sand is quite dull-looking in this area of the desert so if you are after stunning bright colours, you won’t find them here.
However, the resort stands out with its proximity to AD and some very interesting activities that we have not seen at other similar desert resort. For example, the resort offers desert sunrise/sunset horse riding, a frankincense making class, desert walks, and archery, amongst others.
Make sure you book your preferred activities in advance as places may be limited. We did not manage to book in advance, however, we are happy to report that we got our preferred slots for the activities that we wanted, namely sunrise desert horse riding and a bukhoor (frankincense) making class for the 1st day of the year.
We are not sure what the hotel’s programme for the NYE is this year given the ongoing Covid situation, but last year there were no fireworks but a small NYE rooftop celebration with a DJ and music with just a handful of people in attendance.
However, if you are willing to come all the way to a remote desert resort for the NYE, we suspect you are not interested in fireworks or a party, but instead are seeking some peaceful and quiet time alone with the desert!
If you are a rider already or even a complete beginner, we really recommend you should pick the sunrise ride. Yes, this means you have to wake up very early, which is not easy, especially if you were stayed up late the night before. That’s why our advice is to go to bed at a reasonable time if you book one of the early morning slots, otherwise you might oversleep! We didn’t exactly party all night but we did ask for a wake-up call just in case it would be too tempting to press snooze in the morning (a confession – we were very tempted!).
A word of advice – if you are planning to be up early in the morning horse-riding or exploring, do not forget to take some warm layers with you, like a light jacket with lining or a sweater. In addition to being very cold, it was also foggy that morning (not surprising given it is wintertime and we were in the desert). The whole riding experience takes approximately 45 mins so if you don’t dress warm enough you might end up shivering by the end of it like yours truly!
The horse-riding experience is suitable both for experienced riders and complete beginners alike. If you are the latter you will have a handler riding alongside your horse with the rope attached to the leading horse in case your horse decides to wander off!
I am a fairly experienced rider, but it was a first time riding in the proper desert for both Silvia and myself. Even though that part of the desert can’t boast dramatic dunes and we could not see the sunrise due to the foggy winter weather, it was still a beautiful experience any horse lover would enjoy.
There is something special about going to the desert for the NYE, as far as possible from the city buzz and fireworks. Riding a horse in the desert while watching the endless dunes and shrubs was a real treat for the soul. When riding in the desert, at times you feel like you are alone with the horse in the vast nothingness, and the desert is about to whisper to you its tales if you just pay attention and listen.
It’s worth mentioning that we were the only people who booked for this early morning time slot (around 7 am) so it felt very private and we can’t think of a better way to start a new year. Little did we know that that 2020 would be so unpredictable!
Another unusual activity which we have not seen offered anywhere else is a bukhoor making class.* The class is designed for several people to attend but since it has just Silvia and me who booked it, it felt like a private session again so we can’t complain!
The instructor who taught the class was very knowledgeable on the subject and seemed very enthusiastic so the whole experience was a delight. Silvia and I love bukhoor so an opportunity to create a bespoke scent and learn everything about the making process was something we could not miss.
The instructor gives you all the tools and ingredients and guides you through the process step by step, troubleshooting if necessary. The result? Two amazing jars with bespoke bukhoor that smells divine! We would burn them quite a lot during the lockdown to create a nice ambiance at home – see our article here.
Since the resort is quite remote and the only places to eat are the ones on-site, we have tried them for breakfast and then lunch before going back to Dubai.
Breakfast is served in Bait Al Hanine. At the time of our stay in January 2020, we were served buffet breakfast but things may be different now due to Covid restrictions so we are not sure if they still serve buffet breakfast. The choice was not the widest but we were able to find the things we like.
We had pizza for lunch at Al Mesayan restaurant and it was quite good. We were sitting outdoors and the winter weather is the perfect time to enjoy some al fresco dining. Try their sorbet too if you fancy something sweet – it was well presented and tasted very refreshing.
We also ordered some room service before heading to the NYE celebration event. We chose an Arabic breakfast option and it was quite sumptuous as you can see from the photos below!
Daytime is the best time to wander around the resort and explore what it has to offer. We really enjoyed the simple architecture and the little details, like lanterns and winter decorations.
In conclusion, if you are looking to spend your winter holidays away from the city and would appreciate connecting with the desert and perhaps learning a new skill like archery or making your own bukhoor, we highly recommend you should try this resort! For other ideas on where to spend your NYE getaway if you are looking for some peace and quiet and are bored with the usual commotion in the city during the NYE celebrations, check out our articles about some other amazing luxury hotels in the UAE:
Anantara Qasr Al Sarab in Abu Dhabi, and
Happy booking!
Bisous,
Yasmina
*Please note that since the hotel has changed the management from Jumeirah to Marriott, the activities on offer may differ, so please check in advance to avoid disappointment. From the recent reviews, it looks like at the very least horse riding, desert walks and archery are still available.
