Tilal Liwa | Madinat Zayed – Abu Dhabi
Summer isn’t exactly the time to go to the desert for a staycation, but I am not one who shies away from taking risks, and so we decided to spend the first weekend of July staycationing at Tilal Liwa Hotel. Located in the middle of Rub Al Khali desert, this luxurious oasis highlights tranquility, beauty and rustic charm. Featuring a relaxing infinity pool, amidst the shade of palm trees, this resort flaunts beautiful rooms that overlook the dunes and the pool.
This was my second visit to this property and that says a lot about the place, given I hardly ever repeat hotels in UAE. So what exception made me choose this resort again? An amazing all inclusive price (> AED 600 per room per night), a complimentary room upgrade, coupled with the chance to enjoy a 3 hour drive though nothingness, and of course, the 377383 hours that I could spend in their infinity pool, all came together to push me into choosing Tilal Liwa for a quick 2nd time summer staycay.
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Room
While I was lucky enough to get an upgrade to the Royal Suite during my last visit approximately 2 and a half years back, this time we were upgraded to the 2nd category Sahab Room, which in my honest opinion was not at all bad. The room opened up into a hallway with the bathroom on the left and wardrobe on the right, and led to the main area featuring a king size bed, a TV table with a chest of drawers and two seating chairs.
Take a quick tour of my room at Tilal Liwa Hotel:
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In terms of amenities, everything we needed was present, except for the usual dental kit which I have grown into the habit of calling for at every hotel I stay. The tea and coffee facilities were as expected and the mini bar was well stocked (not that we made use of it). The wardrobe was good enough for a one or two night stay. And since this hotel is located quite literally in the middle of nowhere, which means you have to drive at least 15-20 minutes to get to the nearest supermarket, I don’t think anyone would want to stay here for more than 3 nights.
Bathroom
Quite spacious, and most certainly clean, I really liked how the bathroom was divided into well defined areas so you always have space to move around. The bath tub was absolutely soak-friendly and I had concrete plans to make full use of that just incase the pool got too hot for me. Luckily, the pool was perfect, but more on that later.
All the little tidbits like toiletries, towels, etc. were maintained well, and yes, the bathroom comes with a shattaf and a bidet, so suit yourself!
Pool
I really really like the pool at Tilal Liwa. Yes, there are so many gorgeous pools in Dubai and I have been to quite a few of them as well, but something about the calming infinity edge looking into the nothingness of the desert really soothes my senses. After seeing tons of people floating in pools, this time around, I picked up an inflatable from ACE Hardware along with a manual pump, and I really enjoyed floating on it. The afternoons did get hot and dry, but that was only if you were lounging outside the pool. The pool waters were cool and while we were inside, we didn’t feel the heat at all. We actually spent quite a lot of our two days soaking up the sun and wading through the pool waters. The depth wasn’t too deep like the one at Rixos, so I found it quite comfortable to walk around and do some posing for the gram!
Dining Options
Although the dining options at the hotel are limited, I didn’t really miss not being able to eat enough food, since the all day dining restaurant – Al Badiya – had new items on offer everyday. Since we opted for an all-inclusive stay, all our meals at Al Badiya were covered, in addition to drinks at the restaurant, the pool bar and Layali Bar. My only regret was not being able to order food at the pool bar or the lounge. Also, a heads up, the all-inclusive package sounds quite lucrative, but the spirits on offer are the most basic ones. Moreover, no cocktails included, so that was another minus for me, but I managed to sail through the weekend with a rose in my hand.
Nearby Attractions
Well, to be honest, there are no such nearby attractions close to Tilal Liwa durng this time of the year, but it’s a great tourist spot during the annual Dhafra Camel Festival that takes place in December. A 15-day soiree, this cultural festival features a series of competitions, such as a camel beauty contest, falcons, community traditional dresses, archery, traditional food, music and poetry, and offers a great chance for visitors to experience Emirati hospitality.
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Of course, if you are visiting during the rest of the year, you can opt for one of the numerous activities the hotel offers at an extra charge like camel riding, moon gazing, dune bikes, desert safaris and more. If you like cycling, you can take a ride on one of their cycles parked outside for free, or if the weather is forgiving, you can walk barefeet on the sand and experience the raw beauty of nature. Tip: Don’t walk too far into the desert in the night, and beware of the creatures that hide under the sand.
Bonus
Watch my room tour of the Royal Suite from my 2016 trip to Tilal Liwa
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Have you been to this hotel yet? What did you love/hate about it?
