With limited places to travel and restrictions on pool and beach usage at the moment, the idea of 'getting away' for a while feels like a little way into the future.
What if we were to tell you that an Island paradise was actually not that far away from the capital and will give you al the privacy and luxury you could ask for?
Zaya Nurai Island makes for the perfect getaway, with its secluded beach and private villas and waterside houses. Whether you are looking for a romantic trip for two, a family break with the kids, or a party with your friends, the Island has pretty much everything you need.
After almost three months in the house we decided to up sticks and booked two nights away at Zaya Nurai Island, in fact we booked at 11am and got there at 3pm. One of the reasons we felt so comfortable doing that, was because the reservations team were so lovely. Nothing was too much trouble, they answered every question we had (and there were a lot) and they gave us a great deal too.
On arrival at the welcome centre on Saadiyat Island, we were met with masked members of the Nurai team who took our bags and led us to the reception area to check in. Guests staying at the Island can also start their trip with a glass champers from the new champagne bar or a soft drink of their liking. Bags are loaded on the boat and then the speed boats took us to the idyllic Nurai Island where we were greeted with cold towels, a sterilisation arch which sprayed us and the bags and were taken to our Beach Villa by buggy.
BEACH VILLA
The beach villa is stunning. On walking in you are met with the most gorgeous view of the private pool and the beach with blue sea stretching out as far as you can see.
The Beach Villa is made for two persons (plus one child if you are ok with them sleeping in the bed with you) and for the three of us, it was the perfect size. It had a small lounge area and a relatively large bathroom. Note: The shower area is completely open and then it has a standalone bath between the bathroom and the bedroom, so if you want privacy when taking a wash, your other guests may need to make themselves scarce!
Currently most of the facilities are closed on the island but you can take a bike ride around it (each villa has two bikes allocated to it and they also have kids bikes available on request) and stop off at Smokin' Pineapple where you can relax by the beach and get your instagram shots by the hammocks and swings which are submerged in the sea.
We were only able to take advantage of room service whilst we were there and the room included breakfast so we had to choose from one of three set menus. There was so much food, that we couldn't finish it and had it for lunch too! (For a family with a child, this is great value as kids often pick random times to ask for a snack.)
The pool is attached to the villa and with high walls on either side no one can see you and to be honest the only time we saw anyone was if they were on the beach - even then, it was rare. There are seating and dining areas around the pool and a lovely BBQ area with a real log fire to toast marshmallows (chargeable).
Nurai Island offers the ultimate in privacy, luxury and comfort. The efforts they have put in place to make it an even safer destination are great, from sterilisation, to respecting guests wishes to not have housekeeping in during the stay.
Would we recommend it as a destination to have on your bucket list? 100% yes.
For more information about Zaya Nurai Island visit https://www.zayanuraiisland.com