What to expect from all-inclusive dining at UAE resort hotels (quality issues to watch for)?
Based on 1 discussion with 3 participants · Last activity: today
TL;DR
Even 5-star UAE resorts can disappoint on all-inclusive food: limited fish/fruit selection, watered-down drinks, no coffee/tea at dinner, and dirty tableware are common complaints — quality varies a lot between hotels.
What the community said
When choosing a hotel, ask if oysters/seafood are included in the all-inclusive dinner without extra charge — at some resorts (e.g. Rixos Marina) guests had zero complaints about food, and kids' meals were prepared separately at no extra cost.
today Rixos Marina — example of good all-inclusive
After a full-day excursion (returning around 11pm), many UAE hotels have no food available — kitchens and restaurants close by then, so bring snacks with you in advance.
today
At some hotels, red fish/salmon was completely absent from breakfast for 12 straight days, even though older photos showed eggs Benedict with salmon — now chefs only offer the ham version.
today
Breakfast fruit is often limited to watermelon and melon, with bananas, apples, oranges, pineapple or fruit salad appearing only occasionally — unlike other UAE hotels where the fruit selection is much wider.
today watermelon, melon — the main fruit staples
Drinks at some hotels are heavily diluted: hibiscus tea (karkade) is nearly flavorless, cold coffee tastes like coffee-flavored water, and orange juice comes from a large 5-liter jug; soda (Pepsi, 7Up) is self-serve.
today
A surprising gap even for a 5-star property: no coffee or tea is served at dinner at all — worth confirming with the hotel before booking.
today
On the plus side, pastries and desserts tend to stand out — pecans and puddings/cupcakes get good reviews despite otherwise weak food quality (guests rated the food 3/5 and restaurant cleanliness 2/5).
today Food 3/5 / Cleanliness 2/5