Feast on chocolate treats
Family friendly Rosewater restaurant are holding a buffet over the Easter weekend.
On the menu will be roasts with trimmings as well as chocolate eggs and other desserts. The venue will be decked out with themed decorations and kids can meet and play with the Easter bunny.
Dhs225 for food only or Dhs495 with pink bubbly. Rosewater, Jumeirah at Etihad Towers (02 811 5555).
Enjoy a family buffet
There are two Bubbly Easter brunches at Flavours Fusion Restaurant this year on March 29 and 31. The buffet features European and Asian specialties, seafood selections and chocolate eggs and desserts. In the children’s corner, the little ones will be entertained with lots of activities including egg colouring, crafts and face painting as well as a movie corner. What’s more, the kids can join in a treasure hunt at the resort at noon with prizes up for grabs. The brunch starts at 12.30pm and includes unlimited bubbly for adults. Dhs250 per adult and Dhs95 per child (four to 11 years), free for children below four years.
Flavours, Sheraton Abu Dhabi Hotel & Resort (02 677 3333).
Hunt for eggs
Emirates Palace will be hosting a variety of events from Thursday 28-Sunday March 31. Most of the hotel’s restaurants are offering an Easter-themed menu and there will be brunch available at Le Café on Sunday March 31 for Dhs260 per person. There’ll be a display of chocolate eggs and plenty of family activities on Saturday, with a kids’ egg hunt taking place at 11am, a kids’ Easter basket at 2pm, and an adults’ treasure hunt at 2pm.
Emirates Palace, Ras Al Akhdar (02 690 7999).
Pick and choose
The Beach Rotana is offering brunch at three of their outlets. Join them on March 31 at Essence, Brauhaus and Benihana with lots of entertainment for you and your kids such as an egg hunt, face painting, balloon sculpting, cotton candy, popcorn and also the famous Trader Vic’s band. Dhs225 (buffet only), Dhs295 (inclusive of selected house beverages) Dhs115 for kids aged between six-12 years. Complimentary for kids under six when accompanied by their parents.
Beach Rotana, Tourist Club Area (02 697 9011).
Have a family day
La Brasserie has an array of activities at the centre garden on Sunday March 31 including a buffet on the village terrace. Indoor and outdoor seating options are available. The buffet will run from 12.30pm-3.30pm and is priced at Dhs150 for adults and Dhs70 for children aged six to 12 with free entry for children under six. There’s plenty of fun activities in store for kids including face painting, an egg hunt in the centre garden, a bouncy castle and a visit from the Easter bunny. Music will be from The Brothers Three.
Le Méridien, Tourist Club Area (02 644 6666).
Celebrate with brunch
The Shangri-La Hotel is offering an Easter-themed Sunday brunch in Sofra Bld, Hoi An and Shang Palace for Dhs275-Dhs450. There will be a kids’ area with a bouncy castle, face painting, egg painting, a bunny mascot and popcorn station. Popular brunch spot Pearls & Caviar will be hosting an Easter brunch on the Sunday also for Dhs249 which will include special Easter blends. Then you can carry on at Pearls Bar upstairs from 4pm where they will be hosting a bunny costume party.
Shangri-La Hotel Qaryat Al Beri, Bain Al Jessrain (02 509 8888).
Chase the bunny
Many of you will remember The Westin’s Santa Chase over the festive period last year, where all the neighbourhood children chased Santa across the lawns. Well, for Easter this year, the kids get to chase, or hop, after the Easter bunny. With an array of activities such as egg painting, egg hunts, face painting, a bouncy castle and egg and spoon races, the day is set to be a real treat for the whole family. Prizes in all shapes and sizes will be available for kids who participate including a big chocolate bunny for the first child to catch Thumper, their Easter bunny. The event is free for all to enter and every child that participates will also get a certificate. 4pm-6pm on Saturday March 30.
The Westin Golf Resort and Spa, Khalifa City A (02 616 9999).
Have a long lunch
The Long Easter Lunch at The Café features a buffet with a wide selection of Arabic and international dishes as well as a dessert buffet with a chocolate fountain. Popular courses include oysters, smoked salmon, slow roasted rib eye beef as well as marinated kingfish and king prawns. The lunch is priced at Dhs250 per person including food, Dhs400 per person including selected beverages and Dhs540 per person including bubbly from 1pm-5pm.
Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi, Saadiyat Island (02 407 1138).
Go to camp
Children from four to 12 years old can join a great action-packed Easter camp at Hiltonia every Sunday to Thursday from 9am to 3.15pm. The camp is filled with cool watersport activities, arts and crafts, games, sports and more at the Hiltonia Beach Club. The Easter camp runs from March 24 to April 11 and children can join for Dhs200 per day or Dhs875 per week. The price includes a healthy lunch and snacks, activities and games.
Hiltonia Beach Club, Hilton Abu Dhabi (02 6811900).
Get a sugar hit
The Easter bunny has hopped all the way to Hey Sugar in Khalidiyah Mall and is offering baskets of six or 12 cupcakes, each decorated like Easter eggs or egg nests in bright colours. Packed into the bottom of each basket are candy and chocolate surprises and decorations. A basket of six cupcakes including all the hidden candy and decorations is Dhs180, and a basket of 12 cupcakes with the hidden surprises is Dhs300. These baskets are available by order only at select Hey Sugar outlets across the UAE.
Hey Sugar, Khalidiyah Mall (056 767 9357).
Easter by the sea
Celebrate Easter Sunday by the sea with brunch at Ornina, which offers some sensational views of the coast, on March 31 from 12.3pm-4pm. The brunch will include a selection of homemade chocolates. It costs Dhs249 per person for soft drinks, juices, water and a mocktail option of the day.
It’s Dhs299 for house beverages and a blend option of the day and Dhs499 with all of the above plus bubbly.
Ornina, Al Bandar (02 556 6090).
Bunny on the beach
Starting Friday March 29 until Sunday March 31, Oléa, will have lunch and dinner buffets including Easter-themed entertainment. Kids can get involved with the Easter egg hunt during lunch and the Easter bunny will be showing up, too. Friday brunch Dhs300-Dhs490, children five to 12 years dine for Dhs100 and children under five years dine for free. Saturday and Sunday brunch is Dhs250 per person for food only, children five to 12 years dine for Dhs100 and children under five years dine for free.
The St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort, Saadiyat Island (02 498 8888).
Anyone for chocolate?
The perfect places for you to hunt out your favourite Easter treats in Abu Dhabi…
Calling all chocolate fans, Marks & Spencer has proudly announced its Easter Egg selection is now available, including hand-crafted Belgian creamy chocolate eggs.
Marks & Spencer, Marina Mall (02 681 2360).
Bespoke cake shop Bloomsbury’s, in both Al Wahda Mall and Mushrif Mall are offering a special range of cupcakes this Easter. Known for their decadent and quirky flavours this is a great sweet alternative for those who want something different to an Easter Egg.
Al Wahda Mall, (02 443 7000), Mushrif Mall (02 690 4422).
If you happen to be missing all the old favourites from home then we suggest you pop into Waitrose or Spinneys where you can pick up classics like Cadbury Creme Eggs, Dairy Milk Eggs with Dairy Milk bars, Ferrero Rocher egg with eight Ferrero Rocher chocs inside, After Eight Premium eggs, Lindt gold chocolate bunnies and Roses eggs.
Spinneys, Khalidiyah (02 677 0577) Waitrose, Boutik, Reem Island (02 616 7778).
