Desert Islands Resort & Spa by Anantara

Our anniversary at Desert Islands Resort & Spa by Anantara on Sir Bani Yas Island felt genuinely special. The resort was peaceful, carefully maintained, and very clean, which made it a lovely setting for a romantic break. The food added a lot to the celebration, with great quality and plenty of variety. Sahan, David and Thilina were especially kind, attentive, and professional. Their warm hospitality made us feel looked after and valued throughout the occasion. Thank you for making our wedding anniversary so memorable. We’ll definitely visit again. ❤️

The beach at Desert Islands Resort & Spa is, in my opinion, the most beautiful on the island, which is why I chose it for my first stay there after booking Anantara Sir Bani Yas Island twice before. Sadly, this visit was disappointing and may be my last. Hospitality felt noticeably weaker than on my previous visits. The service was less organized, and I often felt pushed toward extra services or a quick checkout instead of being encouraged to relax. When we asked for a non-wool blanket because of allergies, there was unnecessary resistance even after we explained the reason. Checkout was the biggest problem. More than AED 1,000 in taxes and fees was added even though Booking.com had already included and collected them. I had to challenge the bill before the charges were removed. Whether it was an error or not, it felt misleading, and guests shouldn’t have to inspect everything to avoid being charged twice. The beach is still beautiful, but the service, organization, and transparency fell below what I experienced before.

The peaceful surroundings at Desert Islands Resort & Spa by Anantara made it easy to switch off. The property is beautiful, the natural scenery is impressive, and the rooms were both spacious and comfortable. Everything was well maintained, and the food was excellent. The staff were the strongest part of the stay. Everyone was genuinely welcoming, kind, and attentive, and they regularly went beyond what was needed to make us comfortable. That level of hospitality really shaped the experience. It was a memorable visit, and I’d gladly come back. Highly recommended.

The safari was easily the best part of the trip and absolutely worth doing. The pool and beach were also excellent, which helped make up for some weaker service. This was my third Anantara resort, and the dining was generally fine. Breakfast was OK, but the choices were limited and there wasn’t enough indoor seating. Lunch and dinner were fine too, although a little pricey. There also seemed to be too few staff during our stay, so service was sometimes delayed. We had confusion around the Kids Club and Mini/Junior Ranger activities because the front desk had very little information about them. The resort has some good highlights, but those gaps made the experience less smooth than expected.