Abu Dhabi short break

We hadn't planned an early break, but as the weather was particularly cold and awful we found ourselves pining for some warmth, so when the invitation arose for us to join friends in Abu Dhabi for a few days in March, we jumped at it!

We took the 19:10 direct overnight flight from Manchester to Abu Dhabi with Etihad Airways, a great flight which had us arriving around 6½ hours later into a very pleasant 24 degrees early the following morning!

We stayed just a short distance from the airport at the beautiful Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi Grand Canal, where we found ourselves checked in and eating breakfast by 9:30am!

The hotel has one of those ‘wow’ locations – it overlooks the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque which is a stunning building and especially so at night when it is lit up. The entrance into the hotel lobby is beautiful and welcoming with fabulous chandeliers and flower displays, along with a very pleasant fragrance.

We had a Deluxe Room which was very spacious and well-appointed with a fabulous view overlooking the pool, canal and beyond. We stayed half board which included a buffet breakfast and dinner with an abundance of choice. The staff here cannot do enough for you and we thoroughly enjoyed our stay.

We, along with our friends, took a sightseeing boat trip from our hotel, along to the Corniche where we took full advantage of the white sand and clear blue sea for a dip, before heading to the mangroves where we saw the flamingos and other birdlife.

Our friends were travelling home before us, so we spent their last evening at the Li Jiang Asian restaurant where we dined on the terrace overlooking the Grand Mosque, such a special and memorable experience.

We had a great day out using the Big Red Bus to travel around. Abu Dhabi has lots of construction work currently taking place which was interesting to see and learn of the city’s exciting plans – I hope to return in the future to experience some of these new additions.

One recently opened attraction, in November 2017, was the Louvre Abu Dhabi which we enjoyed visiting. The building itself is architecturally worth a visit to see, as well as the museum inside. The end of the day took us to the Grand Mosque. Entry is free and an abaya is provided for ladies to wear to meet the respectful dress guidelines. It really is quite stunning, and as you can imagine we took one or two photographs! As we came out, the sun was setting, a perfect time to visit.

As we only had a short time in Abu Dhabi there is plenty we didn’t do, so it’s a perfect excuse to return! With the direct flight offering, it is a perfect alternative for some winter sun for either a short or long stay.