White-washed walls, low-lying domed buildings, crystal white sands and a brilliant blue sea – no, it’s not the Aegean coastline, it’s Abu Dhabi.
More specifically, it’s the recently opened Anantara Santorini Abu Dhabi Retreat which offers postcard-pretty Grecian charm on the shores of Ghantoot, a small neighbourhood on the emirate’s border with Dubai. The first photos of the resort were teased last September and it quietly opened in February.
While the Greek isle of the same name is increasingly sought out, with the likes of Wizz Air Abu Dhabi offering low-cost flights there from the UAE capital – it comes with the problems of overcrowding, often extortionate prices of hotels and sorry sight of donkey taxis to contend with. Instead, my wife and I decide to keep things local, with a visit to Anantara's newest UAE arrival and are thrilled to be some of the first guests through the doors – seizing a chance to enjoy the five-star adults-only retreat as a babymoon before our little one arrives.
The welcome
Less than a typical hotel-style arrival, our entrance feels more like we were being welcomed to a (very wealthy) friend’s home.
Staff know our names and lead us into a lounge with comfy sofas, welcome drinks and a cold towel for refreshment. We’re shown the views of the beach by Fernando, our round-the-clock butler, as someone else sorts the fiddly bits of IDs, signing forms, assigning keys and so on. In a nutshell: it’s relaxation from the second we pull up.
The neighbourhood
Ghantoot is, probably, best known for being the halfway point on the between Dubai and Abu Dhabi, but we soon discover that this small pocket of coastline is unrivalled when it comes to peace.
For international visitors, it’s about a 25-minute drive from Al Maktoum International Airport, 35 minutes from Zayed International Airport and about an hour from Dubai International Airport.
The room
There are only 22 rooms at the resort, although luxury suite is probably a more fitting term for each.
The 255-square-metre royal duplex suite is the pinnacle and even comes with a private gym. Each abode is inspired by the timeless architectural aesthetics of Santorini. That means few, if any, straight lines or hard edges. Instead, it’s all gentle curved walls painted bright white, hard stone floors and light wooden finishings with a slightly nautical nod.
We’re staying in the Fira sea view room, which has a terrace leading straight onto the beach. It’s 17 steps from the gloriously comfy super-king bed to the beach, I count. The terrace has a double bed and an egg chair, and is reached via floor-to-ceiling window doors that bathe the room in light.
Usual amenities of TV, coffee makers, mini bar, eco-friendly toiletries and refillable water bottles aside, it’s the enormous fluffy towels that we are most grateful for. This room has no bath, which plays into the hotel's water-saving credentials, though some guests may wish to ask which rooms do before booking, especially expectant mothers looking for an extra dose of night-time comfort.
The scene
To give the beach Santorini’s famed white and sugary soft feeling, sand from Algeria has been brought in.
There is also a made-for-Instagram infinity pool (which has an olive tree growing in its middle), bar and vast outdoor seating area. Inside there's a well-equipped gym and a comfortable spa that includes a Moroccan hammam, steam room and sauna, cold plunge pool and couples massage rooms. The one-hour treatment for couples is faultless, and a pregnancy massage is “peak relaxation”, I'm told.
The hotel’s size also makes it prime for buy-outs for intimate group getaways, work retreats or a wedding venue with a stunning backdrop. In the next few months, a cigar lounge and cinema, complete with double loungers, will also be added.
The food
The hotel has two restaurants, Oia Oasis and Thalassa. The first is on the upper level, steps away from the pool, and provides a more casual breakfast and lunch affair, but it is also open for dinner.
Breakfast here is served a la carte and offers a typical array of western dishes: eggs, avocado on toast, acai bowls and fruit platters. Don’t skip the chance to have a coffee at sunrise in the morning. Waiters know the dietary restrictions for pregnant guests – decaf, hard eggs, no raw meat or shellfish et al – which offers extra peace of mind for our babymooning selves.
Lunch and dinner menus offer Middle Eastern favourites, including a mezze and bread platter (Dh120), salads, soups, seafood and grills. The spicy makanek sausages (Dh90) served with pomegranate molasses, whole-grilled prawns (Dh165) and the dukkah-crusted sea bass (Dh175) are particular highlights.
Evening meals are best enjoyed at Thalassa, which means “sea” in Greek after the goddess said to be the personification of the Mediterranean Sea. Appropriately, it's next to the sea on the level below and focuses on Greek classics, with the occasional local twist.
Expect classic dips like tzatziki, tyrokafteri (spiced cheese) and melitzanosalata (aubergine) alongside watermelon and feta salad, horiatiki and fisherman soup. There’s a raw bar with Wagyu beef tartare (Dh220) and Dibba Bay oysters (Dh180), while mains include sea bass (Dh220), moussaka (Dh175) and chicken souvlaki (Dh195). Service, like everywhere else on the property, is swift, engaging and always with a smile.
Highs and lows
Peace and quiet are in endless supply, the rooms are gorgeous and the proximity to the beach for each is a real selling point. The food feels well-curated and the infinity pool is beautiful. There are big ticks for eco credentials and for pregnant guests, as there seems to be nothing staff can't tweak or offer an alternative for.
It’s not a low, merely something to be aware of, travellers who like the idea of “heading out for a walk to see what’s about” in the evenings will be left wanting. This is a remote property, so embrace the tranquillity.
The insider tip
Wait until about an hour before sunset to take snaps, it's when the rays bounce off the white walls and the curves and architectural quirks create divine photo opportunities.
The verdict
Adult-only bliss amid a charming architectural homage to one of the world’s prettiest islands, perfect for romantic getaways and weekend escapes.
The bottom line
Nightly room rates start at Dh2,200, including breakfast. Check-in time is from 3pm and checkout time is at noon; www.anantara.com
This review was conducted at the invitation of the hotel and reflects hotel standards during this time. Services may change in the future
THREE
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Teachers' pay - what you need to know
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
Earth under attack: Cosmic impacts throughout history
- 4.5 billion years ago: Mars-sized object smashes into the newly-formed Earth, creating debris that coalesces to form the Moon
- 66 million years ago: 10km-wide asteroid crashes into the Gulf of Mexico, wiping out over 70 per cent of living species – including the dinosaurs.
- 50,000 years ago: 50m-wide iron meteor crashes in Arizona with the violence of 10 megatonne hydrogen bomb, creating the famous 1.2km-wide Barringer Crater
- 1490: Meteor storm over Shansi Province, north-east China when large stones “fell like rain”, reportedly leading to thousands of deaths.
- 1908: 100-metre meteor from the Taurid Complex explodes near the Tunguska river in Siberia with the force of 1,000 Hiroshima-type bombs, devastating 2,000 square kilometres of forest.
- 1998: Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 breaks apart and crashes into Jupiter in series of impacts that would have annihilated life on Earth.
-2013: 10,000-tonne meteor burns up over the southern Urals region of Russia, releasing a pressure blast and flash that left over 1600 people injured.
Silent Hill f
Publisher: Konami
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
Rating: 4.5/5
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
If you go
The flights
Emirates (www.emirates.com) and Etihad (www.etihad.com) both fly direct to Bengaluru, with return fares from Dh 1240. From Bengaluru airport, Coorg is a five-hour drive by car.
The hotels
The Tamara (www.thetamara.com) is located inside a working coffee plantation and offers individual villas with sprawling views of the hills (tariff from Dh1,300, including taxes and breakfast).
When to go
Coorg is an all-year destination, with the peak season for travel extending from the cooler months between October and March.
War 2
Director: Ayan Mukerji
Stars: Hrithik Roshan, NTR, Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana
Rating: 2/5
Diriyah%20project%20at%20a%20glance
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The%20specs
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Expert advice
“Join in with a group like Cycle Safe Dubai or TrainYAS, where you’ll meet like-minded people and always have support on hand.”
Stewart Howison, co-founder of Cycle Safe Dubai and owner of Revolution Cycles
“When you sweat a lot, you lose a lot of salt and other electrolytes from your body. If your electrolytes drop enough, you will be at risk of cramping. To prevent salt deficiency, simply add an electrolyte mix to your water.”
Cornelia Gloor, head of RAK Hospital’s Rehabilitation and Physiotherapy Centre
“Don’t make the mistake of thinking you can ride as fast or as far during the summer as you do in cooler weather. The heat will make you expend more energy to maintain a speed that might normally be comfortable, so pace yourself when riding during the hotter parts of the day.”
Chandrashekar Nandi, physiotherapist at Burjeel Hospital in Dubai
Skoda Superb Specs
Engine: 2-litre TSI petrol
Power: 190hp
Torque: 320Nm
Price: From Dh147,000
Available: Now
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
THE SIXTH SENSE
Starring: Bruce Willis, Toni Collette, Hayley Joel Osment
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Rating: 5/5
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Sheer grandeur
The Owo building is 14 storeys high, seven of which are below ground, with the 30,000 square feet of amenities located subterranean, including a 16-seat private cinema, seven lounges, a gym, games room, treatment suites and bicycle storage.
A clear distinction between the residences and the Raffles hotel with the amenities operated separately.
Muslim Council of Elders condemns terrorism on religious sites
The Muslim Council of Elders has strongly condemned the criminal attacks on religious sites in Britain.
It firmly rejected “acts of terrorism, which constitute a flagrant violation of the sanctity of houses of worship”.
“Attacking places of worship is a form of terrorism and extremism that threatens peace and stability within societies,” it said.
The council also warned against the rise of hate speech, racism, extremism and Islamophobia. It urged the international community to join efforts to promote tolerance and peaceful coexistence.
UK’s AI plan
- AI ambassadors such as MIT economist Simon Johnson, Monzo cofounder Tom Blomfield and Google DeepMind’s Raia Hadsell
- £10bn AI growth zone in South Wales to create 5,000 jobs
- £100m of government support for startups building AI hardware products
- £250m to train new AI models
Desert Warrior
Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley
Director: Rupert Wyatt
Rating: 3/5
Key recommendations
- Fewer criminals put behind bars and more to serve sentences in the community, with short sentences scrapped and many inmates released earlier.
- Greater use of curfews and exclusion zones to deliver tougher supervision than ever on criminals.
- Explore wider powers for judges to punish offenders by blocking them from attending football matches, banning them from driving or travelling abroad through an expansion of ‘ancillary orders’.
- More Intensive Supervision Courts to tackle the root causes of crime such as alcohol and drug abuse – forcing repeat offenders to take part in tough treatment programmes or face prison.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
AI traffic lights to ease congestion at seven points to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street
The seven points are:
Shakhbout bin Sultan Street
Dhafeer Street
Hadbat Al Ghubainah Street (outbound)
Salama bint Butti Street
Al Dhafra Street
Rabdan Street
Umm Yifina Street exit (inbound)
Gulf Under 19s final
Dubai College A 50-12 Dubai College B
What you as a drone operator need to know
A permit and licence is required to fly a drone legally in Dubai.
Sanad Academy is the United Arab Emirate’s first RPA (Remotely Piloted Aircraft) training and certification specialists endorsed by the Dubai Civil Aviation authority.
It is responsible to train, test and certify drone operators and drones in UAE with DCAA Endorsement.
“We are teaching people how to fly in accordance with the laws of the UAE,” said Ahmad Al Hamadi, a trainer at Sanad.
“We can show how the aircraft work and how they are operated. They are relatively easy to use, but they need responsible pilots.
“Pilots have to be mature. They are given a map of where they can and can’t fly in the UAE and we make these points clear in the lectures we give.
“You cannot fly a drone without registration under any circumstances.”
Larger drones are harder to fly, and have a different response to location control. There are no brakes in the air, so the larger drones have more power.
The Sanad Academy has a designated area to fly off the Al Ain Road near Skydive Dubai to show pilots how to fly responsibly.
“As UAS technology becomes mainstream, it is important to build wider awareness on how to integrate it into commerce and our personal lives,” said Major General Abdulla Khalifa Al Marri, Commander-in-Chief, Dubai Police.
“Operators must undergo proper training and certification to ensure safety and compliance.
“Dubai’s airspace will undoubtedly experience increased traffic as UAS innovations become commonplace, the Forum allows commercial users to learn of best practice applications to implement UAS safely and legally, while benefitting a whole range of industries.”
Results
ATP Dubai Championships on Monday (x indicates seed):
First round
Roger Federer (SUI x2) bt Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER) 6-4, 3-6, 6-1
Fernando Verdasco (ESP) bt Thomas Fabbiano (ITA) 3-6, 6-3, 6-2
Marton Fucsovics (HUN) bt Damir Dzumhur (BIH) 6-1, 7-6 (7/5)
Nikoloz Basilashvili (GEO) bt Karen Khachanov (RUS x4) 6-4, 6-1
Jan-Lennard Struff (GER) bt Milos Raonic (CAN x7) 6-4, 5-7, 6-4
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
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