Explore the hidden gem near Dubai in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE for a perfect weekend staycation. Cove Rotana Resort is a cascaded hilly-beach resort, overlooking azure deep blue waters and an idyllic inlet of waters. This beach resort is like a small town or county with unique architecture inspired by the Nubian cult. That is why staying here makes you feel like living in some different country or culture and this makes the unique staycation all over UAE. UAE has many luxury staycations resorts but this one stands out uniquely because of Nubian town like living. This cascaded resort with a view of the water and lots of landscaped greenery from every corner transports you to some different land and therefore at a first glimpse or instance you feel like living at some south European Mediterranean coastal town. In this article, read my review of Cove Rotana Resort, Ras Al Khaimah – Perfect weekend staycation in UAE.
CLICK HERE TO BOOK COVE ROTANA RESORT, RAK
HOW TO REACH – LOCATION OF COVE ROTANA RESORT, RAS AL KHAIMAH
Click here for Google Map coordinates to reach here.
DISTANCE – From Dubai via Road – Approx. 115 km via Emirates Rd. – E611
Approx. 105 km via Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Rd. E311
WHEN YOU REACH – ENTRANCE – CHECK-IN
You are welcomed with great Arabian architectural archways at the entrance and then after check-in, your car is parked in huge parking by valet service or by yourself. You are first checked in to the resort area and then you are taken to your room or villa by shuttle services provided by hotel authorities.
Inside you cannot drive your vehicle. The means for transport inside the property is through shuttle cars or buggy provided by Cove Rotana.
Villa check-in is different from room check-in with the special counter. So do not get confused with the huge queue for room check-in.
PROPERTY LAYOUT – Review Of Cove Rotana Resort, Ras Al Khaimah – Perfect weekend staycation in UAE
The whole hilly-beach resort town is spread in the area of 290,000 sq.m. with a 600 m stretch of pristine private beach and many idyllic water lagoons.
Beaches are opening into an inlet of waters inside the property which are scenic lagoons and are connected through wooden bridges. All lagoons are surrounded by villas.
Therefore, villas near the lagoons have nearby beach access.
Some premium villas are located on cascaded hilly tops that have a perfect view of the sea and the whole property.
- This huge cascaded hilly-beach resort has 204 rooms and 78 villas with many choices to select from.
- Rooms are classified into 3 categories – Classic, Deluxe, and Premier.
- Villas are categorized as per view, location and size. So either you select villas with lake/lagoon view or villas with sea view.
- There are 6 restaurants at scenic locations to cater to your taste buds.
- 3 Swimming pools with an infinite view of the sea.
Now you can visualize that this resort is like a small county or town. Inside you can explore the whole area by foot or by shuttle services.
ROOMS / VILLAS
There are too many choices to select a perfect room or villa catering to your needs and liking. Either you select rooms or a completely private villa. There are 3 categories in room selection too depending on the view from the room. Duplex Villas are categorized first on their location and then into sizes. There are 1BHK, 2BHK, 3BHK villas with private sit-out, private swimming pool, balcony/terrace. The swimming pool in villas is not temperature controlled and all villas are 2 storied with either the view of the lagoon or the view of the sea. The villas on hilltops with a view of the sea are premium villas.
For my stay, I stayed in the lagoon facing villa on 1st night and the sea-facing hill-top villa on 2nd night. So I can show you the view from both the villas. Lagoon facing villa is near to the beach but don’t have sea view and you can view the lake from there. Hill-top villas have beautiful sea view, sunset view, whole property view but are a little bit away from the sea.
VILLA – I booked a 2BHK Duplex Villa with balcony, private sunbed sit out area, swimming pool, and garden(only in hill-top villas) – My reviews on villa layout are
- Rooms are too spacious.
- The Master bedroom has a king-size bed and all modern amenities.
- The children’s bedroom is upstairs with a private balcony having ample seating area.
Children’s bedroom with balcony 
- Hall is huge with a bricked dome roof and open kitchen.
- The hall opens to an outside sit out area with a private swimming pool area.
- Premium villas have a garden too with a sit-out.
- Sitout has a view of the lagoon or the view of the sea with sunbeds and outside seating arrangement. Perfect for morning tea, evening drinks, and stargazing in the night.
- The kitchen is fitted with all fixtures but without utensils. You can use the mini-bar and fridge.
- BATHROOMS on both floors are huge with tubs and shower cubicles. All basic toiletries are provided with Loofah, bathrobes, large size towels, and slippers.
FOOD OPTIONS AT COVE ROTANA RESORT – WHAT TO EAT IN COVE ROTANA RESORT
- BASILICO– Mediterranean Restaurant with a view of blue waters of Arabian Gulf.
Lunch at Basilico – Mediterranean Restaurant 
Opening Hours: Outdoor and indoor both seating available
Saturday to Thursday: 12 noon – 11.30 pm
Friday: 01:00 pm – 11.30 pm - CINNAMON All day dining hall – featuring International and Oriental cuisine. Outdoor terrace and indoor seating too. The breakfast buffet is arranged here. You can also select ala’ carte for dinner here.
Buffet Breakfast 
Opening Hours:
Buffet Breakfast: 07:00am – 10:30am
Buffet Lunch: 01:00pm – 03:00pm
Buffet Dinner: 06:00pm – 10:00pm - BREEZE BAR AND LOUNGE – Drinks area with a lovely view of the sea and close to reception. Have an informal coffee, tea, drinks at this lounge which is open 24 hours daily. Light snacks and sweets too are served here.
Breezer Bar & Lounge 
- LAGUNA BAY POOLSIDE CAFÉ & BAR – Enjoy a cocktail, juices, and snacks with a view of the sunset. Opening Hours:
Beverage service: 9.00 am – 7.00 pm - SUNSET POOL BAR – Upper Pool side bar with view of Arabian Gulf. You can choose iced drinks, cocktails and juices. Opening Hours: Beverage service: 9.00 am – 9.00 pm.
- BREAKERS BEACH BAR AND LOUNGE – International cuisine or sip your favorite drinks besides the roaring waves of sea. Feel the white sands under your feet with uninterrupted view of blue waters and under the blue sky with your favorite food. Opening Hours:
Saturday to Wednesday: 8.00 am – 9.00 pm
Thursday and Friday: 8.00 am –11.00 pm
Food service: 12.00 noon – closing
Thursday Arabic Night & Friday BBQ Night – from 6:00pm. to 10:00pm. - 24 HOUR IN-ROOM DINING – Order your food or drinks to your room at any time of the day or night.
WHAT TO DO IN COVE ROTANA RESORT – ACTIVITIES TO DO IN COVE ROTANA RESORT
- Water Sports
- Dive into a swimming pool with an infinite view of the sea. One of the pools has water slides too.
- Enjoy Sunset on the beach.
- Take a walk on the hilly slopes around the landscape Nubian town style.
- Beach activities.
- Beach Massage
Beach Massage Cabanas - Beach Volley-Ball
- Swing above the waves
- Admire desert flora and fauna.
- Collect unique seashells and admire the marine life here on the beach.
When you take a stroll here, at every turn, you get a unique view of the sea and hilly landscape. The cascaded architecture on hilly-slopes make every place a very unique view and from every point, you get the view of the water body – either lagoons or deep blue sea.
FEATURES OF COVE ROTANA RESORT, RAS AL KHAIMAH, UAE
- Free Valet Parking.
- Free shuttle service to in the premises.
- Free Wi-Fi
- Kid’s club and babysitting services on extra request
- 3 meeting or conference rooms
- Body line spa featuring massage, hot tub, steam, and sauna room.
- Private spacious 1BR, 2BR, 3BR villas with kitchenettes, swimming pools, and sit-outs.
- Gift shop, jewelry and watch store
- Doctor on Call
- Currency exchange and hospitable staff
- Fully secured with 24 hours service on request for food and room service.
Relaxed Beach area
TIPS FOR COVE ROTANA RESORT, RAS AL KHAIMAH
- Winter is the best time to explore this resort. The weather is very pleasant with 15 deg C to 20 deg C in December and January.
- Wear comfortable footwear if you are exploring the whole beach town on foot.
- The railings of sit-out in villas are a little bit lower, so take care of your little ones.
- Pack warm jackets, sweaters, or shawls as evenings are chilly and sometimes windy too.
- Check-in time can be hectic and for villas, there is separate check-in which is faster.
- Breakfast is Inter-continental and sumptuous with many vegetarian Indian varieties too.
- Call shuttle service before 15 minutes as it takes a little bit of time for them to come to your location.
- You get many vegetarian varieties here with Indian options too. So no need to worry about the food part.
- Do online Check-in to avoid large queues at reception. Check-in has huge Queues on weekends and the winter season.
COVE ROTANA RESORT IS RECOMMENDED FOR
FAMILY TRAVELERS – Family travelers can have a nice staycation away from their busy life. They can relax in private villas and move around the hilly-beach resort town with some coastal town vibes. 
EVENT / WEDDING – Huge area to organize theme events or weddings. Also, the picturesque location adds spice to your event by creating a unique backdrop.
HONEYMOONING – Laid-back relaxed beach, hilly slopes with private villas, cabanas, modern amenities, make a perfect location to escape with your loved ones.
SOME IMPROVEMENTS/SUGGESTIONS –
All things are very perfect here, except for some small things which I noticed. As there is a lot of space with a beautiful backdrop, small changes can be done very easily.
- Breakfast can be arranged at more than one place, as so many people from all over the resort gathers at one place. Therefore at breakfast counter there is huge queue.
- As there is a lot of ample space, there, I would suggest something for teenage children like tennis-courts, basketball courts, billiards or bowling alleys.
- And some temperature-controlled systems for the private swimming pool in villas at least for the winter season.
MY VERDICT – Review Of Cove Rotana Resort, Ras Al Khaimah – Perfect weekend staycation in UAE
- 5 out 5 for a Beautiful backdrop.
- 4.9 out of 5 for cleanliness and hygiene.
- 4 out of 5 for Activities inside the resort.
- 4 out of 5 for Service.
- 3.5 out of 5 for Breakfast (though variety is more, the arrangement can be improved)
Pink – purplish hues during sunset skies @Cove Rotana, RAK
NEARBY TOURIST ATTRACTIONS –
- Al Marjan Island
- Al Hamra Beach
- Al Jazirah Alhamra Town
- Jabal Jais mountain range
- Puro restaurant – the highest restaurant in the UAE
- World’s longest Zipline at Jabal Jais mountain range.
- RAK Track
- Saqr Park
NEAREST INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
- Dubai
- Ras Al Khaimah
- Sharjah
Travel with me 24 x 7 to explore some beautiful and unique places in the world……..
You can ask for a special airport pick and drop on an extra request.
So pack your bags and feel the vibes of Nubian town or coastal southern-European town. Feel the peace and enjoy nature at its full bloom here. Cove Rotana resort pack you with long-lasting memories where you explore your time with loved ones and mother nature. Do let me know how was your experience here and will you book this for your next staycation in UAE. Keep me updated with your valuable comments on Review Of Cove Rotana Resort, Ras Al Khaimah – Perfect weekend staycation in UAE.
Note – All expenses of staying in this hotel are taken by me. This visit is my personal family visit.
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Wow these villas look so lovely, I am not sure if i’d like to be closer to the water or on the hill looking out to it all. I can’t wait to travel again
This place looks lovely & really like the architecture of the resort. Especially the idea of a private pool at your villa! Great that you can choose between a lagoon or sea view but both loo good to me! Exactly where I’d like to be relaxing right now. 🙂
This is a stunning resort! Thank you for filling me in on this secret – I didn’t realize there were beautiful places to stay like this in the U.A.E! The villas look huge, food sounds delicious and activities are right up our alley! How is the pricing on this resort – moderate? High-end?
Quite luxurious and very interesting for a staycation. The huge rooms and the amenities are bound to pamper you and the host of activities promise to make your holidays fun. I love the sea facing ones for their views. I can see that you had a blast here with your room and these facilties.
P.S: I love the glasses on the towel art. Was that your addition or the hotel’s?
Thanks for loving it. By chance I left my goggles/glasses on the kitchen shelf and when I returned, I saw this creativity. Also the house-keeping staff is very creative it looks.
Wow this looks like a blend of tropical to middle eastern vibes. I would totally love to go to this resort one day. Coming from a tropical place myself, nothing makes me happier than being near the water. The architecture also looks so stunning, almost Greek in a way. This will definitely be on my bucket list one day!
You would love it and all beach vibes here
What a cool resort! It seems that the staff pays attention to every detail when it comes to decoration and ammenities. I would love to sit in the balcony and contemplate sunrises.
I was supposed to visit the UAE earlier this year but then the pandemic happened, so I loved the opportunity to travel vicariously through your post and review. This hotel is so incredible, with the beautiful sea and that cascaded style structure that allows everyone to partake in a view. The villa you highlighted looks so incredibly idyllic and private, despite being located in the middle of the resort!
I appreciate your honest rating on everything from cleanliness to breakfast. I see that breakfast rated on the low side but you were able to offer options and it all sounded like it would work for us! 3 pools and 6 restaurants,vacation or staycation – either way, I would love to try out the world’s longest zipline nearby!
Pool bars, 6 restaurants, jet skis – looks like an amazing holiday! I appreciate the description of the grounds and what there is to offer.
Although I am not a luxury traveller, I think it would be fun to have the chance to stay in a place like Cove Rotana Resort. The swimming pools truly look like an extension of the sea, and the all-day dining must be a huge plus! I couldn’t get over your photos of the sunset – how extraordinary!
This looks like a wonderful resort to relax and enjoy the views. The lagoon side villas sound the most appealing to me. The accommodation looks spacious but I’m not sure how useful a kitchen without utensils is? Being close to Dubai means it’s a great place to escape the busy city and chill out for a few days.
Thanks Laura for finding it lovely. I too thought same way how kitchen was useful if no utensils. But I think some people carry utensils with them as I saw lot of families brought all those camping utensils and nannies too with them. May be with this they can have a nice home away from home in peace.
Oh that private pool! yes please – there’s nothing better than I private pool xxx Nikki
Dubai is really great with all-inclusive resorts and staycations! They totally nailed it! I know Dubai is very dependent on tourism and that it has decreased immensely during COVID. How are these hotels/resorts recovering? I have lots of Filipino friends working in Dubai who’ve been laid off and I was really sad that they had to leave and go home. I hope the city is recuperating well and I wish it will generate more jobs this 2021!
Hi Trisha, all countries in the world are affected by tourism. Dubai is the fastest recovering country in the world. When tourism is stopped at most of the places, only tourism that too very safe is happening only in DUBAI. SO RELAX, DONT PANIC, DUBAI IS THE BEST PLACE FOR TOURISM RIGHT NOW AFTER THIS PANDEMIC. And for jobs part, all cities in the world are having job cuts, and if you compare DUBAI, then Dubai is far better from most of them and yes it will create ocean of jobs in 2021. Worry not dear, stay safe and be hopeful, GET RID OF YOUR NEGATIVITY AND THINK POSITIVE.
Cove Rotana Resort looks so beautiful and amazing. Watching sunsets there must have been so pretty and a fairytale like. I have been to UAE only once but I would love to go there again and explore less touristy places. I will add this resort to my list and I especially loved that sunset pool, so wonderful.
A stunning place! Just like I imaging most places in UAE are. Although my visit to there was so long ago that I’m sure lot has changed. But I love how spacious your villa is and all the amenities that comes with it. I will for sure keep this on my mind when visiting next time.
The Cove Rotana resort looks absolutely dreamy! I love that their are so many options to choose from and that they all have views of the sea or lagoon. I would love to stay in one of the rooms with a private balcony and pool! We were in Dubai this past February, it is a shame we missed this place!
This place looks so good. Such amazing views and I really love the look of the villas. Seems like there’s plenty to do there too
Such an amazing resort. I love spending a day or two in a luxurious resort after a packed holiday. This is a must in my UAE itinerary. I love the idea that you stayed in both the rooms to enjoy the views of both of them. I loved the lagoon facing villa. Good to know that they have vegetarian options in their restaurants.
Yes I loved both views from both types of villas. Being vegetarian, I always research on resorts which have many vegetarian varieties.
Such a stunning set of pictures. I was looking to visit UAE for several years but always something comes up. This resort looks like a dream stay. Would recommend it to my friends who lives in Dubai as their wedding anniversary is coming soon 🙂
Your friends would really love it.
Such a beautiful resort! Your images are stunning! I love the view from the Hill-top Premium Villa. I also kinda love the fact that you can’t drive your vehicle once inside the resort. I think it would make for a much more relaxing experience. The food looks delicious and being a vegetarian I was glad to see there are some vegetarian options. It looks like the perfect place for a relaxing getaway.
Thanks Melissa and yes vegetarians can find many varieties here. Even I am also vegetarian. Thanks for loving all photos
Always in love with such charming resorts. Cove Rotana looks absolutely gorgeous, with it simple architecture against the pristine blue waters. I’m hoping to visit Dubai for a couple of days, on a layover on my next trip to India and let’s see, if possible I’m gonna stay here. Villas near lagoon with nearby beach access? Whoa! I need that… 6 restaurants & 3 inifiniti pools? Wow. Are they adults only pool or can I go with my toddler too?
There is one adult pool and rest two you can use with your toddler. Thanks for all love
I’ve heard of Ras al Khaimah so many times but never really knew much about it. After seeing your pictures now I understand why it’s so popular. It’s simply stunning! And Cove Rotana resort looks like a perfect place for a staycation.
Cove Rotana Resort seems to be perfect for the holidays. Such a great and detailed review. I would like to stay in this place during my visit to the UAE. This resort looks like from a fairytale. Views are breathtaking.
Wow what a destination. Absolutely fantastic. Love your 2 BR Villa with all the amenities. I especially love all the food options available. Would love to stay at this place when in Dubai.
This looks like a lovely place to stay and those beaches look amazing. Being the the middle of winter here, this has definitely given me the urge to chase some sun. I love the pools, looks like the perfect spot to enjoy a cocktail. Shame there’s some traffic management issues at breakfast but at least the food all looks delicious.
When we plan our next visit to Dubai, it would be great to get out of the city. It looks like Cove Rotana Resort would be a lovely spot on the water. Great that there are different options for accommodations. I would struggle with wanting a hillside view or one closer to the water with a lagoon. But that private swimming pool would definitely be the dream. Although I agree with you that some temperature control would be nice to have the water at a perfect temperature.
This looks so amazing 🙂 I imagine myself going for vacation here.
Wow! The tree in the reception area looks really nice. What a perfect way to welcome the guests this holiday season. I guess it would be nice to stay in one of the premium villas to enjoy the perfect view. Happy to know that the rooms are spacious and would love to visit during our future trips to UAE. The food looks great too.
I havent done Dubai yet but I am looking to go with my family soon (once things with Covid calm down and I wouldnt go when its baking hot). Yes, I would like to check out the top hotels in the city but this one for me looks more peaceful, charming and relaxing and my family would love this. Love the honesty in this review especially about breakfast but I dont think that would put me off. Have bookmarked this page and hopefully I be here next winter. 🙂
Yes winter is perfect for this place. You would really have some quality time with your loved ones when you stay here. This place is not like other resorts or business hotel. Something unique to explore in UAE.
I visited Dubai lasy year but unfortunatelly i couldn’t stay in The Cove Rotana Resort. My plan is to go to Dubai next year around on March or April. I hope that i can stay in there next time. It looks amazing. Especially decorations of the rooms
In April and March it would be awesome as you can use the private pools too.