A Winter Getaway in the Emirates at Rixos Reborn from Hilton

I've been to the Rixos in the Emirates a few times, and I'm excited to share my experience with you. This review will cover the details of my stay at Rixos Reborn from Hilton, a 5-star hotel located in Ras Al Khaimah.The hotel is situated in the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah, which is a popular area for all-inclusive resorts, especially among Russian-speaking audiences. In fact, I've stayed at several resorts in this area before, and I've even been back to some of them multiple times. Rixos Reborn from Hilton has undergone a rebranding since its previous life as a Hilton, so you can feel a slight difference in vibe. Additionally, the hotel has been open for over a year now, and they've managed to give it a fresh new look with new pools and a revamped area that's quintessential Rixos.Rixos Al Mairid Ras Al Khaimah 5* reviewThe territory is quite large, and the biggest plus point is the beachfront – the beach is a decent 1.5 km long, which is more than the Rixos Bab Al Bahr in Ras Al Khaimah can say. There's plenty of space to walk around, and it's especially beautiful in the evenings with the lighting. The main building is this massive high-rise where you'll find the lobby, main restaurant, and all that jazz. The lobby's actually pretty chill, with a cafe serving up drinks and baked goods. They don't serve booze till after 6 PM, but during the day you can grab tea, coffee, juice, or cocktails. Right next to the main building is this huge saltwater pool (no heating, so it's freezing in the winter, but amazing in the summer). There's also a big bar, a stage for evening shows, and a direct path to the beach. Along the coast, there are these villas with four entrances - basically, two rooms on each floor. There are villas on the second line, but they're not as great since they're right next to the road and don't have much of a view.I spent a week in a villa right on the beach, and every day I'd fall asleep and wake up to the sound of the waves crashing - it was amazing. The view from our villa was incredible. There were plenty of cats roaming around the property, and they were all super cute and well-fed. I loved the funny signs asking not to feed them - it was like they were saying, 'Don't fall for their tricks, we've already got them fed'. The cats would often hang out in the restaurant area on the street and sometimes it was hard to get them to move from the chairs - they just felt so comfortable there.RoomsI can't say much about the rooms, but my friends stayed in the main building and had a standard room - you can check out the pics on Booking or the official website. Another friend stayed in one of the villas on the second line, and their room was basically one big room with a bed and two extra beds for kids. There were these buggies that would drive around the property, and you could call them to take you somewhere or just walk out of the main lobby and head back to your villa. We didn't use them that much, but I loved walking around, especially when the scenery was so beautiful.Here's a shot of our villa room. The room keys were these wooden cards. We had two rooms, one was a bedroom with a massive bed, a wardrobe, a dresser, and a TV, the other was like a living room, where they set up a huge bed for my son on the couch. He even had his own TV, but we didn't end up using it. There was also a coffee machine with capsules, a mini-bar with soda and chocolate in the fridge, and all of it was free - we just replenished it every day.Naturally, there were robes, slippers, a hair dryer, and all the essentials. The bathroom was pretty spacious, with a shower, a toilet, and a bidet right across from each other. The separate bathtub was a nice touch - we didn't use it, but it was there. All the essentials were stocked, including the usual Loccitane toiletries. I loved that there were two locations - when my conditioner ran out in the shower, I was able to grab a new one from the bathtub. Housekeeping was top-notch, as you'd expect in the Emirates. I loved the little window near the bed - it gave the room a castle-like feel.We had a private balcony with a decent-sized terrace, which was great for taking in the views. We were on the second floor, but the first-floor rooms had a direct exit to the lawn - it looked like it might be a nice perk, but I preferred our room's layout.Sea LifeAs I mentioned earlier, the beach is massive, and there are plenty of spots to swim. But in January, the water's chilly - it's invigorating, to say the least. I loved swimming, but it was tough to stay in the water for too long. The sun was scorching hot, and I was worried we'd get burned, but we already had a nice tan from our previous trip to Lanka. The sand was great - soft and not too sharp.Most of the guests were lounging by the pools - there were 7 of them on the property, including a massive one with saltwater that was always empty, and the others with heated water that were always bustling. It was great that they had separate kids' and adults' pools.Ultra All InclusiveFood is my favorite part of the description, because the quality of the food and drinks really makes a difference in how you feel relaxed, and I can attest to that. The food here is on par with what you'd expect from a Rixos, with great breakfast options, a huge selection of freshly squeezed juices, fruits, and even maracuyas, which were a nice surprise, given we flew in from Sri Lanka where they're also abundant. There was a big selection of cheeses, cold cuts, and a 'lox, avocado, Benedict' station that was super popular. And honestly, everything looked great everywhere. The pastries were fresh, and the coffee was served beautifully. The drinks were all top-notch. For kids, there were plenty of options for lemonades, cocktails, both in the restaurant and the bars around the property. The booze selection was great, with several types of beer, wine, champagne, and popular cocktails. The bar near the pool always had ice cream on hand, and there was even a Baskin-Robbins ice cream shop that popped up occasionally, with four flavors to choose from. My kids would run and grab some, and I even treated myself once.The lunches and dinners were also great. In addition to the standard menu items, there were always some special stations set up where food was prepared right in front of you. I've been trying to get this combo right - avocado spread and corn chips, and let me tell you, it's a winner. Seafood's always been plentiful for me, and I'm really happy with that.Since we were in the midst of the holiday season, I figured I'd show you our Christmas dinner from December 6th, I've got to say, the food presentation was stunning, especially the Christmas brunch on January 7th (it was a 12-day affair), where everything was just fantastic. Christmas in the Emirates Some dishes were served in the restaurant, where they'd set up a beautiful spread. Ultra All Inclusive Rixos Al Mairid Ras Al Khaimah reviewThe seafood, in particular, was presented in a super creative way. And a huge part of it was set up right outside, next to the main pool - I mean, it was a real spectacle. Oh man, there are so many different grills, meat, and seafood, my eyes were scanning the options like crazy!) I ended up going with all the seafood, and the Wellington pie with salmon was super delicious. And the desserts? They totally blew my expectations. I felt bad about ruining such a beautiful view. Ultra All Inclusive Ricos I saw the chefs walking around with their culinary masterpieces.Restaurants with à la carte menus were available, but we didn't end up going to any of them - you need a room key, and the free slots were always late, so we didn't bother. The food in the main restaurant was amazing anyway.EntertainmentKids' ClubEvery Ricos has a kids' club called Riksi, which usually has plenty of activities for kids. This time, I couldn't really assess it, as my kid is already a teenager, and we didn't visit, but I saw them having fun with the animators in costumes and stuff. I'm sure there's plenty to keep the kids entertained. The outdoor area with slides and other attractions is conveniently located near the kids' pool. There's also a separate games area for teenagers, with consoles and stuff, where they can relax and have some independence.The resort offers a range of activities, including games, cocktails, billiards, and more. We've been there a few times, and there are people who help organize activities, including some who speak Russian, which is great since there are more Russians there. They also have an evening program with dancing, contests, and all sorts of themed activities - it's really fun and colorful, with music and plenty of opportunities for kids to get on stage, but it's all pretty standard fare compared to other places.There are also sports facilities where kids can play soccer, volleyball, and I saw people playing all the time - my son even joined in and had a blast.For the adultsThere's also plenty of sports activity for adults, with people playing volleyball on the same sports facilities I mentioned earlier. Plus, there's a fitness area with a schedule that changes daily, and it's not just your typical stuff - there are some really interesting activities to try out.I've gotta say, they also organized this super cool activity - ice bath immersion. People would meditate, get their breathing right, and then dive into these ice-filled barrels. I won't post the photos, but one of our friends sat in there for three minutes - it's just insane, but he did it, and it was actually pretty cool. I've never seen anything like it.They also had spa and fitness options, but I didn't end up going - something just wasn't feeling right. But the evening program was on point every day. I didn't take many photos, I was too busy filming the whole thing, because it was just so cool.The concerts were amazing - maybe it was just because we were there during New Year's, but the performances were top-notch. There were tons of bright costumes, killer dance moves, and live vocal performances of all these iconic hits. It was a real treat to sit there and enjoy it. There were all sorts of seating options, including couches, and a bar right next to us. It was beautiful.The crowd was awesomeI was surprised by the number of Russian-speaking guests, and it's not just Russia - it's a lot of people from the Commonwealth of Independent States. I'd say it's around 70% of the guests, so it's no surprise that there's Russian-speaking staff at the reception and in the bars. I noticed that they understand and respond to simple phrases like 'beer'. The other guests were mostly Europeans - I met some Brits, French people, and other Europeans, and even some Slavs who spoke a similar language. Everyone was well-behaved and I didn't see any conflicts over sunbeds or anything like that. The atmosphere was pleasant overall.The VerdictRixos is pretty standard when it comes to food, and I have no complaints about that. There are plenty of activities and entertainment options, and it's a great choice for families with kids. The only downside is that the hotel itself feels a bit dated. For me, it's a solid middle-of-the-road option. If you're visiting Rixos for the first time, it might impress you, but for me, it's not the most impressive hotel. Still, I'd give it 5 stars because the food and infrastructure are good, and we had a pleasant stay. In terms of value for money, we booked a room for $600 per night for two adults and a 12-year-old child, who's basically considered an adult, so that's $200 per person per night. That's without flights, by the way - our route was pretty complicated and we booked everything separately. However, booking through a tour operator can often be cheaper than booking directly with the hotel, especially if you're looking for a package deal with a charter flight.My Personal Rating of Rixos Hotels in the Emirates1. Rixos Premium Saadiyat Island 5*2. Rixos The Palm Dubai 5, Dubai 5* 3. I'd put Rixos Al Mairid Ras Al Khaimah in third place.4. Rixos Bab Al Bahr 5*, UAE