Nurai Island Welcome Centre — Hotel in Abu Dhabi

My wife and I recently had a stay at Nurai Island from the 21st to the 23rd of March. I wanted to share my feedback as, overall, my experience was rather underwhelming.||Locating the Welcome Centre proved to be quite challenging. Google Maps directed us to the former welcome centre area, which is now a blocked road. The new centre lacked clear signage, necessitating a call to the hotel for directions, despite being just 200 meters away from the underpass.||The boat ride to the island was uncomfortable, and the vessel itself felt quite basic.||Upon arrival, we were met by a hotel staff member who escorted us to our villa at 2:15 pm. However, upon reaching the villa, we found that the cleaners were still inside. Consequently, we were taken to the Smoking Pineapple to wait while our room was prepared. While I understand that check-in time is 3 pm, it was puzzling why we were brought to the villa if it wasn't ready.||For our first night, we had made reservations at the Mexican restaurant. We had planned to cycle there using the provided bicycles. However, one of the bikes had a broken chain, rendering it unusable. When we requested a replacement or repair, we were informed that it was past 8 pm, and the bike mechanic was no longer available. They suggested replacing the bike at 10 am the next day, which was disappointing as we had looked forward to biking to breakfast. I expressed my dissatisfaction to the cart driver who was taking us to dinner, and thankfully, upon our return, we found that the bike had been replaced. However, this oversight in bike maintenance was unacceptable.||The quality of sleep on the first night was subpar due to extremely uncomfortable pillows. The next morning, housekeeping offered alternative, softer pillows, which turned out to be the intended ones, suggesting that the original ones were left in the room by mistake. This oversight significantly impacted our rest.||There was a notable absence of outdoor sound systems, such as Bose speakers or portable options. Additionally, the TV was outdated and lacked Bluetooth connectivity with iPhones. Despite requesting a connection cable from housekeeping, we were unable to enjoy music outdoors.||I found the menus at the restaurants to be overly simplistic and overpriced.||Considering Nurai Island's reputation as a 5-star luxury destination, I had expected a more premium experience. The high cost of stay and dining options on the island did not seem commensurate with the level of service and...

The pros: A fabulously huge room (including bathroom and sitting room) facing the beach with a private, perfectly heated pool just a few steps from the front doors. Very comfortable bed. Excellent meal and service at the Dusk restaurant. Bicycles for getting around the island - although they were somewhat dangerous as the brakes needed attention.||The cons: No information about the resort apart from 2 QR codes in the room which didn't give us what we wanted. We had to ask for a map of the island and had no idea what Smoking Pineapple, Hooked or Dusk meant, what they served or when they were open. The link to menus on the hotel website was broken, so no luck there. The 'butler' did answer our questions when asked but would have been nice to have a briefing when we arrived.||More upsettingly, I had to have a row with the very unpleasant manager. When we arrived early in the morning, after a 17 hour flight, we were told our room wasn't ready (which we expected) but to go and have breakfast and wait there until it was. We had already had breakfast on the plane so weren't hungry so we had just a coffee and a roll. On check out we were charged the equivalent of £60 for that meal. When I told the manager that this wasn't explained to us and that we would have been happy sitting in reception where there was free coffee, he was adament that, because we checked in early, we should pay the breakfast cost. It was only when I said that I would be making a complaint via Trailfinders that he backed down.||Other smaller issues were that our Wifi in the room failed twice and we had to call for an engineer. And on the final day the water pressure was abysmal and it was difficult to have a shower. I don't think I...

Review of Nurai Island Community Center

I recently had the pleasure of visiting Nurai Island, a stunning destination that truly lives up to its reputation as the "Maldives of the Middle East." The island itself is a paradise, offering pristine beaches, crystal-clear waters, and a sense of exclusivity that makes it feel like a hidden gem.

However, my experience at the Nurai Island Community Center was less than satisfactory. Despite the island's luxurious appeal, the service at the community center fell short of expectations. Upon arrival, the center was crowded, and there was nowhere to sit for over an hour as we waited for the ferry to the island. This lack of seating and the absence of refreshments such as water or drinks made the wait uncomfortable and disappointing.

Given the high-end nature of Nurai Island, I expected the initial service to reflect its luxury branding. Unfortunately, this was not the case. Improvements in the community center's service would greatly enhance the overall experience and align it more closely with the island's prestigious image.

On a positive note, the valet service was exceptional. The staff were highly coordinated and efficient, ensuring that our arrival and departure were smooth and hassle-free. This level of service was greatly appreciated and provided a glimpse of the quality one would expect from such a premium destination.

In conclusion, while Nurai Island itself is breathtaking and worth visiting, the community center's service needs significant improvement to meet the standards of a luxury resort. Investing in better facilities and ensuring the comfort of guests right from the start will undoubtedly enhance the...