• Sir Bani Yas Island in Abu Dhabi is the UAE’s largest natural island. It's home to three Anantara resorts which are set to reopen on February 1. All images courtesy Anantara
    Sir Bani Yas Island in Abu Dhabi is the UAE’s largest natural island. It's home to three Anantara resorts which are set to reopen on February 1. All images courtesy Anantara
  • All three resorts have been closed for nearly a year and are reopening for stays with all-inclusive deals.
    All three resorts have been closed for nearly a year and are reopening for stays with all-inclusive deals.
  • Sir Bani Yas Island is a protected nature reserve with desert dunes and natural mangroves, surrounded by the Arabian Gulf.
    Sir Bani Yas Island is a protected nature reserve with desert dunes and natural mangroves, surrounded by the Arabian Gulf.
  • The island is home to more than 11,000 animals, including gazelles, Arabian oryx, giraffes, cheetahs and ostriches.
    The island is home to more than 11,000 animals, including gazelles, Arabian oryx, giraffes, cheetahs and ostriches.
  • Desert Islands Resort and Spa is the original Anantara hotel on Sir Bani Yas Island.
    Desert Islands Resort and Spa is the original Anantara hotel on Sir Bani Yas Island.
  • Anantara Al Sahel Villas offer a nature-surrounded stay.
    Anantara Al Sahel Villas offer a nature-surrounded stay.
  • The pool at Anantara Al Sahel Villa Resort
    The pool at Anantara Al Sahel Villa Resort
  • A villa with a plunge pool overlooking the wildlife park at Anantara Al Sahel Villa Resort.
    A villa with a plunge pool overlooking the wildlife park at Anantara Al Sahel Villa Resort.
  • All-inclusive stays include one complimentary activity with options such as kayaking through the mangroves, cycling, nature drives and more.
    All-inclusive stays include one complimentary activity with options such as kayaking through the mangroves, cycling, nature drives and more.
  • Couples' treatments on the beach at Anantara Al Yamm Villa Resort.
    Couples' treatments on the beach at Anantara Al Yamm Villa Resort.
  • Guests can learn about falconry from a master falconer.
    Guests can learn about falconry from a master falconer.
  • Anantara guests have the chance to see blackbuck antelope and Arabian oryx in the wild.
    Anantara guests have the chance to see blackbuck antelope and Arabian oryx in the wild.
  • Get back to nature with a stay on Sir Bani Yas Island.
    Get back to nature with a stay on Sir Bani Yas Island.
  • The stables are home to more than 30 horses with beachfront rides and dune trekking available.
    The stables are home to more than 30 horses with beachfront rides and dune trekking available.

Anantara's Sir Bani Yas Island resorts to reopen with all-inclusive deals

The three hotels on the Abu Dhabi island will reopen with Go Safe certification, almost one year after first shutting doors

Hayley Skirka
Hayley Skirka

January 17, 2021

  • English
  • Arabic

Sir Bani Yas Island's three Anantara resorts are reopening for stays from February 1, almost one year after shutting doors after the global pandemic began.

The UAE's largest natural island, located off the coast of Abu Dhabi, is home to Desert Islands Resort & Spa by Anantara, Anantara Al Yamm Villa Resort and Anantara Sahel Villa Resort.

Each has now been Go Safe-certified by Abu Dhabi authorities and is ready to reopen for overnight stays.

To celebrate the reopening, Anantara is launching a new all-inclusive package that's available to book across all three properties.

Including full-board dining and unlimited soft beverages as part of the package, all-inclusive stays also allow guests to try one complimentary activity per adult. Guests checking into Desert Islands Resort & Spa by Anantara can opt to upgrade to the ultra all-inclusive package, which includes house beverages and a free stay for up to two children under 12.

There are plenty of activities to choose from including archery, nature walks, wildlife drives, falconry sessions, horse-riding, kayaking in the lagoon or a history tour of the island.

Family-friendly or couple's retreat

A one-bedroom villa at Desert Islands Resort & Spa by Anantara on Sir Bani Yas Island.
A one-bedroom villa at Desert Islands Resort & Spa by Anantara on Sir Bani Yas Island.

Each of the Anantara resorts on Sir Bani Yas Island offer a luxury getaway and the highest in hygiene standards, certified by the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi's Go Safe programme.

Anantara also has a Stay with Peace of Mind programme, under which health and hygiene guidelines have been rolled out at the hotel group's properties.

For families, Desert Island Resort & Spa has an endless private beach, spacious rooms and a sprawling Anantara Spa. As the first hotel to be built on the island, it’s also the largest, with 64 rooms and the biggest free-form swimming pool overlooking the Arabian Gulf.

For those seeking a wildlife-surrounded stay, Anantara Al Sahel Villa Resort offers African lodge-style stays with views of the surrounding savannah. Located in the Arabian wildlife park, it has villas with private plunge pools where it's not unlikely to spot gazelle or oryx when taking a sunset dip.

Travellers looking for a secluded getaway may want to consider Anantara Al Yamm Villa Resort on the island’s eastern shore. Guests checking in to any of the 30 beachfront villas will have access to fine-dining restaurants and couples' spa treatments in private cabanas right on the beach. Stays here also come with some of the best uninterrupted ocean views in Abu Dhabi.

If you can't make up your mind which resort suits you best and money is no object, then you can consider renting out the entire island. An exclusive stay on Sir Bani Yas Island with access to all three resorts costs from $89,000 per night.

Ostrich, oryx and ancient history

A wildlife-centric stay awaits on Sir Bani Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. Courtesy Anantara
A wildlife-centric stay awaits on Sir Bani Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. Courtesy Anantara

Reachable via a ferry jetty located two and a half hours from the city of Abu Dhabi, Sir Bani Yas Island has plenty to discover. A Royal Nature Reserve for 50 years, the island is home to a thriving ecosystem of more than 11,000 animals from 30 different endangered species and guests can spot giraffe, ostrich, cheetah, Arabian oryx, antelope and more.

There’s also plenty to see around the island, including a 7th-century monastery, palm oasis, salt domes, ancient pearl fishing sites and other archeological finds.

Sir Bani Yas Island offers travellers seeking a staycation within the emirate's borders a new choice for a place to stay, with no PCR test required to reach the island for residents in the capital.

Ultra all-inclusive rates start from Dh1,999 per night; anantara.com

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