While the majority of the region’s Anantara establishments have won acclaim for their impressive harnessing of an authentic Thai experience, the Eastern Mangroves resort of the branch embodies something rather different.
For starters, no hotel in the UAE (and we’d wager probably very few beyond that) can boast a locale that champions a skyscraper backdrop serenely offset by sprawling mangrove park. And while the resort naturally houses the archetypal, ‘cultural chic’ style of its Anantara counterparts, it’s the tangibly relaxed vibe this particular setting channels that really sets the Eastern Mangroves branch apart. So much so in fact, that were it not for the hazy outline of Abu Dhabi’s city centre in the background, with the gentle buzz of crickets and the welcome sight of kayakers lazily floating down the waterfront, you’d be forgiven for thinking you were kicking back in the Louisiana backwaters. Save for deadly crocodiles and irritating insect life, mind.
The Big Weekend Special
Granted, the moniker may sound a little hokey, but the hotel’s current flagship offer is arguably one of the best inclusive hospitality deals around. Starting at Dhs1,200 – guests can enjoy one night’s stay paired with both a Friday brunch option and a lavish breakfast buffet on the Saturday.
While the indulgent breakfast is an enjoyable – albeit fairly routine –inclusion, it’s in the Eastern Mangroves’ ‘Big Brunch’ that the guests who take up this specific offer are really paid back in kind. Held in the plush, open plan Ingredients restaurant, diners are treated to the international offerings of five speciality cooking stations, including a live sushi bar and a notably excellent Thai section – the cuisine for which the Anantara establishments are justifiably famed. Naturally, the whole four hour affair is lubricated by the requisite free flowing beverage options, ranging from exotic cocktails to a solid range of clarets and whites.
And if, after that excessive intake of food and drink you somehow manage to postpone the allure of your decidedly comfortable living quarters, the Impressions Rooftop Lounge bar provides a prime spot for a gentle sundowner.