My assistant previously proposed a topic, saying that desert hotels are booming this year, with one such hotel charging 9980 for a night even during the middle of June. Could we apply to go and see what exactly makes it so expensive?
I declined because I really couldn’t bear to spend that much on a report. However, while rejecting it, I also found my assistant a “luxury alternative.” Note that this is a “luxury alternative,” not a “budget alternative.” A so-called “luxury alternative” is where everything is far superior, but the price is still cheaper than where you were looking to stay. Furthermore, it’s significantly cheaper, with the money for one night able to cover four nights!
Later on, my assistant naturally had a great time.
There are tens of thousands of wild animals here, and every day we could go on a safari.
Right outside the room, there’s a beach and the sea; the water is good, and the snorkeling is even better.
Expansive stretches of desert—this is truly a hotel in the desert.
This hotel is the Anantara Sir Bani Yas Island Al Yamm Villa Resort, located on the mysterious Sir Bani Yas Island. Sir Bani Yas Island is a private island owned by the late President of the UAE, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. The ruling family has invested heavily in creating the UAE’s largest wildlife reserve on the island. Not only have they planted over 3.5 million trees, but they’ve also introduced tens of thousands of animals like antelopes, peacocks, leopards, and giraffes. Additionally, there are three Anantara hotels located here.
Today’s article will take everyone to experience the Anantara Sir Bani Yas Island Al Yamm Villa Resort.
There are four Anantara hotels in the UAE desert. The most popular is the Qasr Al Sarab, which is closest to Abu Dhabi. The other three are on Sir Bani Yas Island, and getting there requires over two hours of driving plus a half-hour boat ride. However, the journey is beautiful, with wide roads and few vehicles, flanked by vast salt flats, and in some areas, you can see the blue sea in the distance.
The reason I chose Sir Bani Yas Island for my assistant is that I had previously visited this island (the MSC cruise stopped at Sir Bani Yas Island during the Spring Festival), but didn’t stay there, leaving me with a sense of regret. Of course, I framed it differently to my assistant, saying it was the same place as Xiao Zhan’s photos in “Harper’s Bazaar.” Thus, the distance was no longer an issue.
Images sourced from “Harper’s Bazaar.”
Regarding the three Anantara hotels on Sir Bani Yas Island:
1. Desert Islands Resort is the largest and offers the best value for money. This hotel resembles a traditional large coastal resort and is more suitable for family trips.
2. Al Yamm Villa Resort consists entirely of villas located by the sea, with half of it in the desert and half by the ocean—giving it a feel similar to some resorts in the Maldives; this is where we stayed.
3. Al Sahel Villa Resort is the wildest and feels the most African. The hotel is located in a frequently visited area by animals, and deer and peacocks are highly likely to visit the restaurant and public areas.
My suggestion for everyone? Choose the cheapest one because all three hotels share public areas and provide a free shuttle service. When we visited, Anantara Desert Islands Resort was undergoing renovations, so we booked the slightly cheaper Al Yamm Villa Resort.
Al Yamm Villa Resort consists entirely of villas facing the sea. It offers the finest beaches and waters on Sir Bani Yas Island; my assistant claimed it felt a bit like the Maldives.
The room’s interior is not brand new, adorned in a classical Arabian style. When the sunlight streams in, it’s warm and beautiful. Before our stay, the butler had already infused the room with grapefruit-scented essential oil, giving off a faint, pleasant aroma throughout.
The highlight of the room is the private temperature-controlled pool, with an unbeatable view of the Persian Gulf. The sunsets here are stunning, where you can see a crimson sky and the sun setting down.
Wild animals occasionally pass by outside the window.
The welcome fruits and snacks upon arrival were quite lavish, featuring various fruits, desserts, cookies, dried fruits, and nuts…
But keep in mind that this food isn’t necessarily just for you; there are “bandits” (wild animals) that will come and steal food, and they aren’t afraid of people at all.
The beach right outside the villa truly impressed us. The colors of the sand and sea are striking, and the water has a glassy quality.
Al Yamm Villa Resort has only 30 villas, and during this season, the occupancy rate isn’t high, creating an illusion that the entire beach and island belong solely to you, although it is actually the property of the late Sheikh. Especially at sunset, it feels particularly nice to relax on a lounge chair listening to the sound of the waves, taking photos on the beach swing, capturing that holiday vibe.
At night, there is absolutely no light pollution, making the starry sky clearly visible.
One of the most classic activities at Al Yamm Villa Resort is the Nature & Wildlife Drive, or safari. The butler takes everyone on a jeep through the wildlife reserve, where you can see giraffes, antelopes, leopards, ostriches, and deer. All the animals are hidden among the desert and jungle, very natural, and we must not disturb their lives; we need to keep our eyes peeled to look for them like a treasure hunt.
However, it should be noted that there aren’t many carnivorous animals here. The only leopard is confined within a wire fence, lacking some wildness. Comparatively, it cannot be compared to the African savanna.
The butler was quite amusing, gathering peacock feathers for everyone to take as a souvenir.
Besides the safari, another highly recommended activity is the Wadi Walk for those who enjoy hiking. This is the same experience as Xiao Zhan had. The assistant even tried hard to mimic Xiao Zhan’s poses for similar photos.
As for other activities, they are quite standard for a beach resort, such as snorkeling and paddle boarding. We mostly went out to enjoy these during the evening since it was too sunny during the day.
Next, let’s talk about food. Dining options on the island are only available at the hotel. Each Anantara has its own dining facilities, and regardless of which hotel you stay at, you can dine at any other Anantara restaurant, with the hotel arranging transportation. The restaurant at Al Yamm Villa Resort, where we stayed, is called Olio, an Italian seaside restaurant.
Breakfast is a buffet, while lunch and dinner are à la carte. The breakfast options are actually quite agreeable to the Chinese palate, as they serve congee and some noodles.
Here are some photos of our lunch as well.
If you want to visit a different restaurant, I recommend going to the Savannah Grill restaurant at Al Sahel Villa Resort. It’s an African restaurant where you can dine among animals, and sitting by the entrance comes with delightful surprises. The peacocks, small birds, and deer here are quite bold and friendly, approaching people at meal times in search of food.
The service at Anantara is truly excellent. Recently, the UAE has been extremely hot, with a perceived temperature over 40°C, but as soon as you step indoors, someone is there to offer you towels and water. During our visit, with low occupancy, it felt like an entire staff was catering to just a few guests.
This time, in addition to visiting Al Yamm Villa Resort, we also checked out Al Sahel Villa Resort. Here are some photos to share with everyone. This resort is not by the sea and doesn’t have a beach, but it is located in an area where wildlife is frequently active.
Al Sahel Villa Resort is also an all-villa hotel, and the villas are even nicer (but also more expensive). Here are more pictures.
The villas at this hotel coexist with the animals, and it’s common to have small creatures visiting.
