Fairmont Bab Al Bahr

Having stayed in many hotels across the UAE, I arrived at the Fairmont Bab Al Bahr expecting the usual high standard of polish and professionalism. Unfortunately, this was my least favourite stay in the region so far. It’s not a bad hotel by any means—just distinctly average, and in a destination where the bar is set very high, that really shows. For comparison, the Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi is in a completely different league. 👍 Pros • Lovely big pool – spacious, clean, and a genuinely relaxing place to spend time. • Stunning view of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque • Excellent Lebanese restaurant – the standout experience of the stay. • Peaceful, spacious property – the overall atmosphere is calm and uncrowded. • Large bedrooms – plenty of space, a proper seating area, and fabulous floor‑to‑ceiling windows. 👎 Cons • Cramped beach – not the expansive beachfront you might expect. • Constant music around the pool and beach – unnecessary and intrusive when you’re trying to relax. • Thin walls - noisy neighbours disturbed a few nights sleep unfortunately. * Service is polite but very slow – staff are pleasant and clearly trying, but the hotel feels understaffed and lacks the slickness you find elsewhere in the UAE. • Breakfast is average – and drinks take an exceptionally long time to arrive. • Air conditioning is ferocious – difficult to get the room to a comfortable temperature. • Bathroom design not ideal – wet‑room style with transparent glass; not great for families with teen siblings sharing. • Poor storage for such a large room – oddly limited wardrobe and drawer space. • Operational inefficiencies – for example, beach staff wandering around trying to match food/drink orders to guests. Numbered tables or umbrellas would solve this instantly Fairmont Bab Al Bahr has some lovely features, but it lacks the refinement, efficiency, and thoughtful design that make UAE hotels stand out. With stronger staffing levels, better service flow, and a rethink of some room and beach layouts, it could be much better. As it stands, it’s fine—but nothing special.

We returned to The Fairmont for a few days for some winter sun. Unfortunately once Trump bombed Iran there was some unrest and anxious times. However the staff at the Fairmont were very reassuring and professional and were able to empathise with situations faced. I know that it was a very worrying and difficult time not only for guests but staff as well. I was so impressed with the professionalism of everyone in Club Lounge and how they looked after us. I especially wanted to mention Paolo as he was bombarded with lots of questions and dealing with a situation that was new and unexpected. He was so helpful and reassuring and could not do enough to assist us with our situation in such a professional manner. They helped us to get a flight out on the first Etihad flight to London yesterday and we arrived safely back in the Uk last night. The main reason we come to the Fairmont is because of the staff. Steven, Ranjan, Poo, Angela, Aflan always make us feel so welcome. Bret and his colleagues by the pool were also amazing and we had great service from Mark in the main lobby and Karan in Marco Italian was so welcoming and provided excellent service. The staff at Abu Dhabi airport and the transportation were also so helpful and professional. We will definitely be back when things improve.

Lovely hotel - great room, lovely pool and private beach. We were all inclusive and the choice and quality of the food was great. Only complaint is that on several occasions the service was quite poor - very slow and some miscommunication. However, have to give a big shout out to Jabeer in Marco’s restaurant who went above and beyond.

We have just returned from a weeks stay full board. What can I say, from the moment we arrived we were met with amazing hospitality, courtesy room upgrade to a creek view after I asked how much it would be to upgrade. Drinks and cool towels on arrival. All staff so friendly and professional and genuine. The rooms are gorgeous and well equipped and the hotel itself and grounds are stunning. The food is next level, the best I have had, the fresh sushi was lovely. The gym attached to the hotel free for guests was the best my hubby has ever been too. I can’t fault this place and will 100% return. Thankyou

Beautiful resort, food and service amazing especially Karan in Marcos would definitely return just to drink some more of his Limoncello which was amazing