United Arab Emirates - Abu Dhabi
On arrival in Abu Dhabi, they have a dedicated terminal for Etihad Airways which does make the service quicker and more enjoyable. After collecting our luggage we were met by our ground handler Desert Adventures (who were with us throughout) who took us to our hotel 5* Fairmont Bab Al Bahr hotel on Abu Dhabi Island for our 3night stay. The facilities at the hotel were amazing, especially for corporate clients who want to be close to the city. It has fantastic views over to The Grand Mosque from the bedrooms which is a fantastic building in itself.
I visited The Hilton Abu Dhabi which is located on the Corniche, 10mins from the city centre, a good option for both corporate and leisure guests. The beach club is accessed via a walkway underneath the road and is open to residents and non-residents. Across from the hotel is the Heritage Village which provides a interesting glimpse into the country's past showing traditional aspects of the Bedouin way of life.
The Beach Rotana Hotel & Towers is right in the heart of the city and faces the sea, currently building works are taking place nearby, but it has fabulous restaurants including a French Polynesian. It also offers guests a private entrance to Abu Dhabi Mall which offers several shopping outlets.
There is an exhibition at Manarat Al Saadiyat which means 'Enlightenment' it's interactive which shows the vision and cultural history of Abu Dhabi, definitely worth a visit, in this area is the first class hotel St Regis on Saadiyat Island, which was the best one by far in my opinion, it is family friendly with fantastic facilities, guaranteed views of the ocean from the rooms, it also offers private dining and intimate spaces overlooking the beach or the Saadiyat Beach Golf club. It also offer corporate guests excellent conference facilities as well.
For the wilder side of Abu Dhabi why not go to Ferrari World which is the largest indoor theme park where you can experience the world's fastest rollercoaster which goes from zero to 240km in 4seconds - I was scared just watching!!
That evening I visited The Westin Abu Dhabi which is a 5* Golf & Spa resort situated next door to 18hole Abu Dhabi Golf Course, it offers a wonderful dining experience in Fairways and all rooms overlook the course, Premier Rooms are located on the ground floor so that you can access the golf straight away, golf packages and night golf (9hole) are all available.
After a hearty breakfast at our hotel we arrived at Eastern Mangroves Hotel & Spa by Anantara which had only opened the day before, it is set on the waterfront overlooking the Mangroves and its unique location offers guests a wonderful experience. The decor has an Arabian feel with grand passageways and arched ceilings, you can also re-juvenate yourself in the Spa before relaxing around the pool. It was an inviting property away from the hustle and bustle of the city, which would appeal to both leisure and corporate guests.
One of the highlights for me was visiting the Grand Mosque which is a complete masterpiece with marble and intricate decorations and carvings. To get a feel for the place you can have a guided tour at certain times throughout the day. It allows up to 40,000 worshippers and is home to the world's largest handmade carpet. The mosque is also the burial site of the late president Sheikh Zayed who also had the vision for Abu Dhabi, a wonderful attraction.
The Emirates Palace is a majestic property near the Corniche, it has 1.3km of private beach and grand rooms as well as suites. It is the ultimate in luxury for the discerning traveller.
My last stop was Jumeriah by Ethiad Towers, it offers a beach location as well as conference facilities for corporate clients. The hotel has a panoramic restaurant located on the 63rd floor, which is an amazing sight. It also offers residential apartments and office space as well as hotel rooms so it is open to non-residents as well.
Wherever you go in Abu Dhabi I would recommend a car due to the distances, but what a wonderful place for a stopover or holiday.