St. Regis Abu Dhabi // Villa Toscana.

One of these is a luxurious choice in the capital.

Funny how you can live in a country for 15+ years and still manage to skip staying at a few properties. Such is the case with the St. Regis Abu Dhabi. To be fair, the sister property — the St. Regis Saadiyat — had been our stomping grounds for the better part of 2014-2016, mostly because of the proximity, as we lived on Saadiyat Island. It’s not that I’d heard anything particularly good or bad about the St. Regis in town, more that it was just never on my radar. And for the past few years, in Abu Dhabi, I’ve always been an Emirates Palace kind of girl.¹

Upon arrival, the lobby is massive, to the point of overwhelming, and the interior feels immediately dated compared to some of the more modern properties in the country. Check-in is quick, and we’re served a refreshing non-alcoholic gin cocktail, along with cool towels (always appreciated in UAE summers).

We’re given a spacious corner suite, which is uniquely laid out, most likely to take better advantage of the incredible views overlooki…