Abu Dhabi - Winter Sun
For a long weekend and some winter sun I can highly recommend the jewel of the UAE. We flew with Etihad direct out of Manchester. In economy, you can pick up flights very reasonably and get there in just over 6 hours! When you compare the prices and flight duration with the Canaries for some winter sun, it is well worth considering as an alternative.
Abu Dhabi has the most beautiful beach, turquoise waters and lovely sunny days! The skyscrapers are some of the tallest and architecturally pleasing in the world. They make a stunning skyline. You can enjoy the Emirati cuisine, sightseeing, loads of adventure on Yas Island and amazing shopping malls!
On the flight, out I was really impressed with the service, space and entertainment in the economy cabin. We were lucky enough to be in business class on the return flight. It was fantastic. It started with the check-in experience, then the Etihad Business Class Lounge and then the flight itself. The space was great with a seat that converts to a flat bed at the touch of a button. The service, drinks, food and entertainment were all fantastic!
I had booked a private taxi transfer to pick us up at Abu Dhabi airport, through Holiday Taxis and they were easy to locate, and we were at the hotel in the city in just over 30 minutes! There is a very long line of airport taxis you can jump in easily enough if you don’t want to pre-book a transfer but, I prefer to know someone is there waiting, especially after a night flight.
What can I say about the elegant Emirates Palace Hotel? It is a Kempinski hotel, 5-star Arabian luxury, located in the heart of the city. I would describe it as GRAND as its 1 km wide from one side of the hotel to the other. The private beach is beautiful, clean with white sand and they have their own private marina. The facilities in the hotel are second to none, pools for families or for adults, so many restaurant and bar options and a luxury spa. The rooms are huge, we stayed in a Diamond sea view room, the bed was the largest I have even seen and the view out of this world!
The best part of the Emirates Palace though is the service and small touches that make the difference from other 5-star hotels. Where ever you stay in Abu Dhabi you can go and visit Emirates Palace and have a famous gold cappuccino.
On our second day, we got a city taxi (which are easy and reasonably priced in Abu Dhabi) from the hotel to Yas Island, which costs around £20 one way. For families, the Ferrari World Abu Dhabi is a must. It is the world’s largest indoor theme park and has the fastest roller coaster in the world, which my husband went on without me! I don’t do roller coasters! Whilst you are on Yas Island the Yas Mall is worth a visit with over 400 stores - shopping heaven!
In the evening, we went back to Abu Dhabi and went up the amazing Etihad Towers to have a cocktail in the famous Ray’s Bar on level 62 with the most stunning views of the city. Then we found a fabulous Indian restaurant in downtown Abu Dhabi.
On our last full day, we visited the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque which is the largest Mosque in the UAE. The design is spectacular!! White marble and huge chandeliers in the vast prayer rooms. Things to note, its free to visit, free to park, women must follow a dress code, however whatever you put on you can get an Abaya dress to cover you for free once you get there.
We then jumped in a taxi to go to Saadiyat Island for our last evening and had sundowner drinks at the cool Buddha Bar Beach Club watching the sunset and taking full advantage of happy hour drinks from 5pm-7pm. We then ate a fabulous Thai Meal at Sontaya restaurant. Both are part of the St Regis Hotel Saadiyat Island. I would recommend if you are looking for a pure beach holiday then staying on Saadiyat Island is the way to go. They have fantastic hotels, some all-inclusive and half board options which are worth considering, as eating out and drinks in hotel restaurants are expensive!
Other things to do that we didn’t fit in:
1.Visit the Presidential Palace which literally opened for visitors for the first time on our last night. You can see an amazing moving light show on the building every evening. 2. If you like adventure you can do a desert safari, with an authentic Emirati dinner in the desert and even stay overnight if you choose to! 3. Visit Dubai for the day or the evening, only 1hr 40 minutes in a car
Tip and hints:
1. Even though it is a warm 22-25 degrees in March you will need a jacket in the evening, as soon as the sun goes down it does get chilly. 2. Taxis are so easy and affordable, use city taxis rather than hotels own taxi services, however they do not take cards in the taxis as payment so have some cash with you. 3. Take advantage of the happy hours in most hotel restaurants and bars, from 4-6 or 5-7 as alcoholic drinks are expensive. £12 for a beer and wine can be even more! 4. Don’t be afraid to try a local restaurant in town. We ate an excellent Indian meal and it cost us £25 for two people. This was a non-licensed restaurant as most local restaurants are. The restaurants with licenses are mainly those attached to hotels. 5. I would recommend 3-5 nights as a perfect duration to be able to see and experience the best of Abu Dhabi.
Give me a call or email for more advice and ideas of where to stay in Abu Dhabi, I could chat about it all day!
