GOLF doesn’t have to be the end all and be all of every golfing holiday, like my husband and I discovered on our recent stay in the Westin Abu Dhabi Golf Resort & Spa. In any family of golfers, there are the golf enthusiasts, and those who harbour an open dislike for the sport that takes hours out of their loved one’s lives while on holiday.
And yet, worldwide golf holiday sales by golf tour operators have grown by more than 20 per cent over the past two years, according to IAGTO, the global trade organisation of the golf tourism industry.Headline figures drawn from its 2014 golf tourism survey reveal that golf tour operators’ holiday sales grew by an average of 11.1 per cent in 2013, on the back of 9.3 per cent growth in 2012 and sales are continuing to forge ahead this year.Bunched under the Golf in Abu Dhabi initiative, are courses such as Saadiyat Beach Golf Club, Abu Dhabi Golf Club, Yas Links Golf Club, Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting & Golf Club, Abu Dhabi City Golf Club and Al Ghazal Golf Club. Westin serves as the hospitality partner of the lush, 27-hole Abu Dhabi Golf Club with its iconic falcon-shaped building. Managed by Troon Golf, this course features the 18-hole National Course, where the world’s golf fraternity descends annually to be part of Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship, a European PGA Tour event. After a quick check-in, we were whisked away in a golf buggy towards the clubhouse, which, despite its refurbishment excludes old-world charm, while being a classy place to chill out. My husband and I were greeted upon arrival by the cheerful Lil Strika, the marketing director of Abu Dhabi Golf Club and Saadiyat Beach Golf Club. We enjoyed a wholesome, long lunch with golfers and their families. Strika filled us in on the workings of the golfing world, and drove us back to the hotel herself. We were in time for our massage treatments in the Westin Heavenly Spa. My husband and I both opted for a featured package called Hope – a 90-minute treatment including a scrub and the Heavenly Spa Signature Massage (Cost: Dh515 or $140 each). We are both given a piece of paper in which to write our thoughts, cleansing our mind before the treatment. A consultant checked our medical history and areas of concern, recommended some treatments and sent us to the fragrant steam room for ten minutes. Then we headed towards the couple’s spa treatment room with ambient music and low lighting, instantly putting us at ease. Both the scrub and Swedish massage were equally top notch; our therapists sure knew to hit the right spot. Once the treatment was over, we were shepherded towards the relaxation room, a haven of peace and calm, with a view of the sunset amid greenery. We were offered a potful of the most relaxing Jing tea and cookies were also at hand. I made full use of the meditation tape given to both of us, leaving me feeling even more relaxed. I was given enough time in the relaxation room before taking a shower and leaving to explore the rest of the hotel. Without venturing into comparisons with other spas, it is sufficient to say that nothing short of a three-figure tip seemed like an apt gesture of the gratitude we felt. We left the spa with a strong intuition that the best was behind us. We explored the property on foot and walked around the flood-lit golf course as well. Having worked up quite an appetite, we headed towards the dinner buffet at the Fairways restaurant, which though extremely busy, had a decent spread of seafood. Back at our suite, the Heavenly Bed came next only to the view of the vast golf course. The stay turned out to be a pleasant experience – even for non-golfers. Link for the Deal Alert!By Rashi Sen