Fairmont Bab Al Bahr

We spent a relaxing weekend at Fairmont Bab Al Bahr and were truly impressed. Zalimar welcomed us with a warm, genuine smile—he is an outstanding asset to the hotel. Our dinners at Café Sushi and Marco Pierre White were delightful, with staff who were both friendly and professional. A special mention to the Fairmont Gold team for their exceptional service throughout our stay. Highly recommended for anyone looking for a luxurious and memorable experience.

We stayed in a Fairmont King Room with Creek View. The room itself was very nice, with a spacious bathroom and great views of the creek and pool area. The beach and pool were lovely, though the sea (creek) was a bit murky with a muddy bottom. Still, it’s a peaceful place for relaxing and sunbathing. Service didn’t quite match the hotel’s price level — check-in felt impersonal, and there wasn’t much attention to guest experience. The breakfast area was somewhat disorganized, and the outdoor terrace looked worn and could’ve been cleaner. That said, a friendly and professional lady at reception from Kenya made our check-out truly pleasant — a great final impression! Overall, a calm and quiet location in Abu Dhabi that’s good for combining city exploration with downtime by the pool. For more travel inspiration and tips, feel free to follow our journey on Instagram: @fallinlovewithearth

We were really disappointed with our stay at Fairmont Bab Al Bahr in April 2025. The hotel looks great online, but the reality didn’t match at all. Even though the room was spacious, our bathroom was clearly old and needed renovation, and the curtains had stains. The breakfast area was overcrowded, messy, and felt more like a noisy cafeteria than a 5-star hotel. Tables were full of dirty dishes and food leftovers with birds eating them, and it was nearly impossible to find a clean spot to sit, neither inside, not outside. The food selection was also quite limited, with a strong focus on Arabic cuisine, which seemed unbalanced considering that many of the guests were European. On Easter Sunday, after a sleepless night with our sick child, we were woken up at 9 a.m. by housekeeping asking when to clean the room — on a weekend morning! That was just too much. To make things worse, a bag of small chocolate eggs I bought for my daughter disappeared from the room. I guess housekeeping thought it was trash and threw it away, but it was upsetting. The kids’ club was also disappointing — the staff did not seem particularly engaging or welcoming, and my daughter, who usually enjoys kids’ programs in European hotels, was not comfortable staying there without me. Overall, the service was poor and far from what you’d expect from a real 5-star hotel. While the location and hotel structure are promising, the service and attention to detail are far from what one would expect from a true five-star experience. I would not recommend this hotel to travelers who value genuine hospitality and high service standards.

If I could give this hotel 6 stars I would. I’ve been staying at this hotel in Abu Dhabi for over 10 years and they never once have let me down. This stay was particularly important as it was my wife’s birthday and our wedding anniversary. From start to finish the staff could not have done more for us. Every member of staff in this hotel was polite, courteous and always willing to help. Particularly Reem in guest services was amazing as were the staff in Marco Pierre Whites Steakhouse and the Mazaj restaurant. The GM Elias does an amazing job running this hotel to such a high standard. I want to thank you Elias and all your team for a truly unforgettable experience and of course we will be back very soon. If anyone is thinking of coming to Abu Dhabi to stay for a holiday then look no further than the Fairmont Bab Al Bar it’s the only place to stay. Simply the best hotel in the region by far! Thank you guys.

Just returned back to the UK after an excellent 2 weeks staying at the Fairmont Bab Al Bahr. My husband and I have not been back for a year and the service was as good as ever, we have been going to the Fairmont for many years. We were so well greeted by all the staff, the boys at the front door, reception staff, pool/beach staff and then the Fairmont Hold lounge staff. We are made to feel like family, a very warm welcome is given to us and we are spoilt. Always a nice touch to enter our room and find a delicious cake awaiting us. Thank you to Rajun for his wonderful service(we missed you last year) Stephen with his lovely laugh the newly promoted Paulo(congratulations), Mark for his friendliness and cocktails, Alfam a new member of the team, good chat and service , Christian another new member of the team with a lovely manner and then Miss Phoo with her lovely manner and great to chat with. Thank you for all our cocktails!! All staff are hardworking and professional and keen to help us at anytime. It is the main reason we come back. We really enjoy talking to all staff, enjoying the facilities of the Fairmont Gold Lounge and the comfortableness of the hotel. Thank you all