The Westin Abu Dhabi Golf Resort & Spa

The luxurious Westin Abu Dhabi is undoubtedly impressive in its design. Guests enter the hotel by ascending a sweeping dark-wood staircase that seems to float in an atrium of enormous height, lined by rough sandstone blocks. This leads up to a lobby with marble floors polished to a high sheen, low-lying couches and armchairs in warm neutral shades, and no fewer than four reception desks overlooked by slices taken from fossilized tree trunks. The hotel’s three restaurants are decorated along similar lines, with plenty of natural materials, although on a far more intimate scale, and with varying degrees of formality. Outside are two pools, a lap pool and a freeform one, both set in sunny terraces edged by mature palms. Understandably, the hotel tends to attract a clientele who enjoy hitting the fairway, although it also attracts business guests and lovers of the Westin brand. 

The location of The Westin Abu Dhabi is either the best or the worst thing about it, depending on your attitude towards golf. Guests who are into the sport will appreciate being able to hit the 27-hole fairway at the Abu Dhabi Golf Club after just a few minutes’ stroll -- in some cases, rooms actually have direct access to the course. However, the immediate area holds very little of interest for tourists who aren't golf enthusiasts. Guests will need to drive to get anywhere: The striking Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is a 12-minute drive away, while the scenic Corniche Beach is up to a half-hour drive away. Guests get free access to Saadiyat Beach Club, but it's also 30 minutes away by car. Expect transfers to Abu Dhabi International Airport to take 15 to 20 minutes by car.

The hotel’s 172 rooms are all large, sleek, and decorated in the same warm neutrals and natural materials that are on show in the common areas. The 484-square-foot (45-square-meter) Deluxe Rooms have a king-sized bed with crisp white linens and leather ottomans at their foot, and a seating area with a two-person couch in a woven taupe fabric and jazzily patterned cushions, an armchair in ochre crushed velvet, and a coffee table. A sizable built-in entertainment center houses a large flat-screen TV, minibar, and some drawers, as well as a marble-topped desk at one end, and a counter with a kettle and Nespresso machine. All rooms have furnished balconies or terraces with golf course views, and some have direct course access.

Junior Suites are far larger, featuring an oval dining table, a plush brown banquette, and two cream dining chairs. Over at the other side of the room is a swish chaise lounge. Other suites have completely separate living spaces, while the Presidential Suite is the size of an apartment in most major cities, and has two bedrooms, a private spa, gym, cinema, office, and an opulent living room. 

Bathrooms are well-outfitted with a deep soaking tub and separate, walk-in shower stall with a rainfall showerhead, as well as a bidet. All rooms have free Wi-Fi, a safe, bathrobe, quality toiletries, and ironing facilities.

The main draw at The Westin is access to the adjacent 27-hole Abu Dhabi Golf Club. Guests can arrange tee times at the hotel, and book packages that include entry to the course. Away from the green, the hotel has two outdoor pools that include a lap pool and a more family-oriented freeform pool with a separate shallow area for kids. Dining-wise, three restaurants consist of an all-day buffet eatery, an Italian joint serving a la carte lunch and dinner, and a poolside restaurant that does light meals and snacks throughout the day. Fairways, the buffet restaurant, serves a well-regarded brunch every Friday, which includes unlimited champagne. The hotel also has two bars -- one poolside -- serving drinks and cocktails, and a cafe. 

There is a spa offering a range of massages and wellness treatments, as well as a sleek gym with cycles, treadmills, cross-trainers, various free weights, and resistance machines. Extensive meeting and event spaces include one that can accommodate 700 people. Guests at the hotel get free access to Saadiyat Beach Club, which has a spa and swimming pool of its own, however, the club is a half-hour drive away; the hotel does not provide transport there, preferring to reimburse guests for taxis there and back. Wi-Fi is free throughout the property.