#360fit: the St. Regis offers the perfect place to kick back and relax

Kara Martin 14:01 26/03/2015
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  • The perfect remedy: One of the Remede Spa’s enticing-looking treatment rooms.

    Palatial, grandiose, glittering and well-appointed are some of several words that come to mind when you step into the care of the many well-dressed waiting staff in the lobby at the St. Regis Abu Dhabi.

    – #360fit: Nutritionist approved diet that add up to long-term benefits
    – #360fit: Twerk like Nicki Minaj and Cyrus in Dubai

    A relatively new addition to the rich and enduring legacy of the St. Regis brand, yet already quite famed for its elegantly perfect Bloody Mary Brunch and posh adjoining beach club and Nation Towers mall, St. Regis Abu Dhabi’s awesomeness does not end there and it’s worth it to stay and play too, even if you live in town. 

    Of course, cherished traditions synonymous with the brand, such as fresh flowers, St. Regis’ afternoon tea service and midnight supper are carried out as flawlessly today as they were a century ago.

    But relaxation was our goal and we were rewarded the minute we set foot into our lavish room complete with a bathroom and boudoir Marie Antoinette would be happy in and the most staggeringly beautiful views of Abu Dhabi’s Corniche and surrounding islands that we have ever witnessed. 

    It was hard to part from it for brunch but we’re glad we did – from dozens and dozens of fine imported cheeses, the freshest seafood, an exhaustive array of hearty, as well as many healthy, inventive small plates and an ent-ire room devoted to dessert, The Terrace knows best how to put on a show for the masses on a Friday afternoon.

    Breakfast there was also a delightful event, with a separate menu just for eggs, and of course any and every breakfast item any casual visitor or CrossFitter could require to start their day on the right foot.

    With other incredible dining options just nearby – these include constantly fussed over Chino-Latino restaurant and lounge Asia de Cuba, seafood hotspot Catch, and Italian newcomer Villa Toscana, among others – it is not hard to have your fill of food here three times over, which is why it is a relief to find well kitted gyms (both in the general hotel and beach club, as well as even in the ladies spa relaxation room) and large luxurious and inviting pools at both the hotel and beach club too. 

    A little treasure: The kids club at the beach club opposite the hotel.

    So spoilt, we had to choose between working out and whiling away the evening in either the hotel’s offering or the beach club, and had to go with the latter as it’s also flanked by its own 200-metre stretch of pristine beach, and 12 gorgeously inviting cabanas that encircle the stunning pool.

    Overlooking the pool is the hotel’s excellently-equppied exercise room, which houses Technogym equipment and is open 24 hours a day with free weights, cardio and personal training sessions as well as all the trimmings such as fresh fruit and refreshing cold lemon towels.

    Part of the St. Regis property, and accessible from the hotel’s main building via an air-conditioned private tunnel underneath the Corniche, the Nation Riviera Beach Club is the hottest new wellness destination in town.

    A whole host of watersports, swimming lessons and tons of beach activities, including tug-o-war, volleyball, frisbee, football and rugby, can keep the whole family busy, while tots have their own Treasure Island Children’s Club, shaped like an actual pirate ship, with various supervised indoor and outdoor activities offered as well as nanny services.

    Indoors, the spacious and naturally lit gym is fitted with all the latest cardio, strength and free weights gadgets from Technogym, alongside offering several fitness classes and ‘lifestyle’ and body transformation programmes packages. Wet area facilities include soothing dry sauna rooms and Jacuzzis.

    Weekends are your best bet for a fully relaxing day out at the club though, as from 12:00-19:00 on Fridays and Saturdays they run a promotion where you pay Dh300 (kids are Dh150, or free under six) and get beach and pool access, cabana use, live music from DJs on the sand and a fine BBQ spread that includes a few complimentary drinks.

    And a St. Regis stay of true luxury would not be complete without a visit to the handsome Remède Spa, where ‘customised’ and ‘customer service’ are words you’ll hear a lot.  Stretching over 3,200 sqm, this serene white spa overlooks the sparkling Arabian Gulf, and in addition to 11 treatment rooms—some with sea views, including the couple’s room and VIP Suite—it houses a spa café with an outdoor terrace and a menu of refreshing juices and tonics, herbal elixirs, tea, coffee, and light bites. 

    But if it’s bubbly and truffles you want with that five-star treatment, you know they’ve got that too – it’s St. Regis, after all.

    LOCATION: Nation Towers, Abu Dhabi Corniche (scan QR Code on right for exact location)
    FACILITIES: 283 well-appointed rooms and suites, awardwinning Remède Spa and Sisters Beauty Lounge for hair and beauty services, two restaurants, five barsand lounges, the Library, direct access to shopping at Nation Towers and Nation Riviera Beach Club, helipad, free valet parking, exclusive VIP entrance, butler service, packing/unpacking services, free Wi-Fi throughout the property.
    SPORT360 VERDICT: Manages very well to stay true to Lady Astor and St. Regis’ ages-old style and service yet hold its own with a hip clientele in a modern and vibrant up and coming area in town. Cool yet sophisticated, you’re getting the best of both worlds here, whether you stay for fun or fitness.
    CONTACT: www.stregisabudhabi.com. 02 694 4444

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