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Anne-Fleur Heisele 15 months ago
Zaya Nurai Island is said to be an ultra-luxury island escape, the Maldives of the UAE, but unfortunately this resort should be classified as a 4-star resort at most.
Starting with the arrival experience at the welcome centre - the roads leading to the welcome centre are dirt roads, the cabin is so basic, valet & parking very messy and crowded, deposit is taken but no further information provided and another wait for allocation of rooms once you arrive at the island.
The resort appears run down, as if the management has neglected the upkeep of the island. Maintenance in the rooms and public areas is overdue. The villa bathrooms are in poor condition with bathroom faucets rusted & cracked tiles.
Amenities in the room are given sparingly - cost cutting you may ask? No body lotion, no liquid soap, no comb which are basic amenities in a 5-star resort. Two bath towels and two pool towels provided for two guests only. Furthermore, the mini bar selection is limited with no provision of a simple chocolate and the display in a drawer isn’t well thought of.
During our stay, only two of the four restaurants were open, which is a shame when guests are staying on an island with no intention to leave to visit the city (with a surcharge of AED 1500 for boat transfers).
The change in management in 2022, has definitely affected the staff morale, sadly there is no genuine smile, no interest to create memorable moments for guests, assisting only because it’s their job. We also felt a lack of leadership, training of staff and product knowledge.
A major area of improvement to at least make the resort feel “nice” is the landscaping. Plants are not maintained, pathways are overgrown, grass is not cut in the villas, variety of plants. There are many resorts in UAE who have nailed their landscaping and have the same climate!
The resort has so much potential with a little bit of love & care to justifies the price point. The island concept can be further developed, mimicking the Maldives experience. The privacy offered in your villa with the option of partitions and direct access to the beach is definitely a USP.
Thank you to Rais & Jackie, island butlers, for your assistance during our stay!