Luxury Hotels Atlas / Places / United Arab Emirates / Sir Bani Yas Island / Anantara Desert Islands Resort & Spa
Anantara Desert Islands Resort & Spa
Sir Bani Yas Island, United Arab Emirates · Anantara · High Luxury
The first resort on Sir Bani Yas, the UAE's largest natural island eight kilometres off Abu Dhabi, Anantara Desert Islands opened in 2008 on a private beach with a gate into the Arabian Wildlife Park. More than 17,000 animals roam free, including one of the world's largest herds of Arabian oryx, a species extinct in the wild by the 1960s and brought back here under Sheikh Zayed's conservation programme.
- 64 rooms
- Opened 2008
- Rooms from 560 sq ft (52 m²)
About Anantara Desert Islands Resort & Spa
- A 7th-century Nestorian Christian monastery found on the island in 1992 is the oldest pre-Islamic Christian site known in the UAE; the community kept going for about 150 years after Islam arrived.
- Cheetahs, gone from the UAE since the 1960s, were reintroduced to Sir Bani Yas in 2009 and are being rewilded on the island.
- The 64-key house is a Design Hotels member, the beach original among three Anantara addresses on the island.
- Entry-level rooms start at 560 sq ft (52 m²).
History
The original Anantara resort on Sir Bani Yas Island, on a private beach with access to the Arabian Wildlife Park.
Restaurants and bars
- The Palm — Restaurant · Middle Eastern cuisine, international comfort foods
- Al Shams — Bar · Mezze, shisha and cocktails
Experiences
- Kids' Club — Kids' club with multiple rooms and outdoor spaces for games, books, movies and adventures.
- Nature and Wildlife Drive — Guided drive through the Arabian Wildlife Park to see giraffes and the Arabian oryx within a protected conservation area.
- Culture and History Tour — Tour of archaeological excavation sites, including a Nestorian monastery, and standing atop 20-million-year-old salt domes.
- Wildlife Ride — Canter on an Arabian horse through the wildlife park among Arabian oryx herds; weight limit of 85 kg.
- Bush Trail — Horse trail along sandy paths into the bush with free-roaming wildlife, for more experienced riders.
- Dune Ride — Horse dune ride on a short sandy trail, suited to beginners.
Amenities
- Spa
- Pool
- Hot tub
- Fitness center
- Private beach
- Water sports
- Kids club
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