I was so lucky to be given an amazing opportunity to visit one of the most luxurious places in the world Abu Dhabi!
The excitement for this trip was incredible, it has always been somewhere I have wanted to visit to see the sights, experience the culture and witness the stunning hotels on offer.
Day 1
Our flight was from London Heathrow on a direct service, and we flew with Etihad Airlines which only took 6 hours and 30 minutes. The plane itself was incredible: there was unlimited entertainment service, food, and refreshments and the seat space was generous.
On arrival to Abu Dhabi we sailed through the luggage reclaim and immigration, the queues were small and quick which was wonderful and the staff everywhere so lovely and kind.
Our stay for the next 5 days was on Saadiyat Island and was only a 40 minute transfer. For the first 2 nights we stayed at the beautiful Saadiyat Rotana resort and Villas.
You’ll find this place perched on Saadiyat Public Beach, a five-mile-long stretch of snow-white sand. It’s a 10-minute cab ride from some of the city’s most popular mainstays, like the Louvre Abu Dhabi art gallery and Zayed National Museum.
The Saadiyat Rotana Resort & Villas makes the most of its beachfront spot on the 9km long white beach. There’s a giant pool a few feet from the shore, and one of the restaurants has a sea-view, rooftop terrace where you can dine on lobster by candlelight.
Once we had checked in and unpacked it was time to head out and explore some of the trips.
Our first stop was to visit the iconic Louvre Abu Dhabi which is the first universal museum in the Arab World, translating and fostering the spirit of openness between cultures. It was mesmerising inside with a huge range of arts and historical pieces they even had an open Egyptian sarcophagus! They had historical items that dated back over 16,000 years it was incredible! After we had some time to go back to our hotel to freshen up and get ready for our evening visit to the St Regis hotel and enjoy a hosted dinner at the Budda-Bar the resorts exclusive beachfront venue (the king of Spain owns a villa on this complex!).
Day 2
After a wonderful night's sleep in the comfiest of beds I have ever slept in it was time to enjoy a huge buffet choice for breakfast and trip number 2 was to experience "Teamlab Phenomena". I was unsure of what to expect here but kept being told to wait and see as they didn't want to ruin the surprises along the way!
Well, all I can say is WOW WOW WOW and everyone must visit here. So much fun and I have never experienced anything ever like it! So, I don't give away too much, it is explained as an immersive art-tech journey experience. I have attached some pictures below as a guide, it is great value for money averaging around £35 each entry and you can spend an entire afternoon/day here so much to see and do and you can visit each of the rooms as many times as you want whilst there.
Next stop was off to visit the 5* Rixos Premium hotel. This hotel is the only one that offers a 5* deluxe all-inclusive premium experience. The hotel is STUNNING, it’s large however the space around the grounds with its beautiful fountains, grass areas and magnificent beach it is really lovely to have a hotel you can stay at and not have to worry about any extra spending as everything is included here, perfect for families with non-stop kids activities and clubs so the adults can relax and unwind by the beautiful pools or beach.
After a wonderful lunch it was time to head back to our Rotana hotel for some free time to relax and get ready for the evening which was an early start at 5.15pm as we were off to visit the famous "QASR AL WANTAN" the most Luxurious President palace I have every witnessed!
For this trip there is a rule for knees and shoulders to be covered whilst visiting the palace and grounds. Whilst we were arriving the view of the palace was something from what reminded me of the movie "Aladdin". Huge white and gold domes with class and elegance it is something I will never forget. The security here is high so be prepared for bags going through scanners and a body scanner you walk through. We had a guide who took us around and after it was followed by an illumination light show outside against the palace building.
Day 3
We called this the fun thrilling day! A visit to Warners Brothers and Ferrari world with the biggest and fastest rollercoaster in the world! Both these attractions are inside and all air conditioning which is perfect as the heat can be high in the afternoons.
We started the day at Warner Brothers with a huge range of rides, 4D experiences and all the characters walking around (ready for a picture or an autograph). What I loved here were all the small queues so not much time at all to get on a ride average wait was 10-15 minutes. For the little kids the Looney tunes section is so adorable, Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck are around to push you on swings and keep you entertained even while eating some food at one of the restaurants on offer.
Ferrari world well this is FAST, THRILLING and a ride screamer theme park more so for the older children and adults. It is huge inside and attached to a shopping mall. Again, the queues were not huge and we only waited around 20 minutes. We had time to enjoy a couple of rides, and experienced Fiorano GT challenge and Rossa the worlds fastest coaster!
Next it was time for a hotel inspection at the Warner Bros Abu Dhabi Hotel. This hotel is directly opposite Warner Bros. Theme park, Ferrari World, and a waterpark. If you stay at this hotel, you will enjoy free entry to any of these theme parks each day! It had the most amazing infinity roof top pool which is adult only after 6pm with a DJ and views over the city. STUNNING!
It was now time to check into our second hotel for our final 2-night stay at Jumeirah Saadiyat Island. This hotel oozed class and luxury along with a modern twist. The glass doors as soon as you pulled up looked through to the immaculate grounds and dazzling beach. The beach can only be described as " The Maldives" - soft pure white sands and crystal clear waters.
The marine life is protected, so no motorised water sports are allowed. If you enjoy an early walk along the beach around 7-8am in the morning you would witness the incredible blue bottle nosed dolphins swimming, playing and jumping around they come so close to shore and what a sight to witness.
I was so lucky to enjoy a 2-night stay in a 1-bedroom Seaview Suite. Now this room was huge, it had a dining table with cozy corner sofas in the lounge with flat screen tv and a kitchen side which includes free tea, coffee and water. They do offer mini bar and snacks however these must be paid for on top. My balcony was a panoramic balcony which was so long and included a cozy cuddle sofa in the corner for me to enjoy the sea views and beautiful sunsets in the evening.
Our evening was a hosted visit and dinner at the Park Hyatt hotel and we enjoyed a Michelin 6 course dinner at one of its Michelin restaurants, the same restaurant that Tom Cruise has recently dining in!
Day 4
Our final full day in the beautiful Abu Dhabi, I didn't want it to end! Today was about experiencing the local culture and what they do each day. The first stop was to enjoy a tour of Abrahamic Family House. Encompassing a mosque, a church and a synagogue. The family house welcomes people from all walks of life to exchange their knowledge and practice faith. Again, a strict dress code is mandatory here your arms, legs and hair must be fully covered to enter.
The 3 houses are identical in looks from the outside and I was blown away with learning about each of them. You can visit here free of charge all we would advise you to do is pre-book your slot due how busy it can.
Next stop lunchtime. Our driver took us to Mamsha which is a residential area on Saadiyat. The beach again is spectacular and is lined with different choices of restaurants. We dined in a Lebanese restaurant opposite the beach and enjoyed, meats, pittas, dips etc it was wonderful.
With belly's full it was time to visit our final stop... The breathtaking "SHEIKH ZAYED GRAND MOSQUE" here you will get to experience its incredible architecture, intricate design and grandeur. Again, arms, legs, chest and hair must be covered with security checks on entry.
When you enter Abu Dhabi's Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, you will understand why it is such a special place. Here, people from all walks of life come together to take in the architecture's beauty and gain a deeper understanding of religion and culture in the United Arab Emirates. The mosque is one of the world's largest and was the vision of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan - the Founding Father of the UAE. He envisaged the creation of a welcoming and cultural haven that inspires people from all backgrounds.
This trip has got to be one of my favourite destinations to experience of all time. It has something for everyone and everything is within easy reach and short transfer times. We have some amazing offers for Abu Dhabi and I also know customers will have a few questions and want help and advice. Please feel free to pop into store to see me or even give me a call. I will be very happy to help.
