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Top things to do in Abu Dhabi

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The capital city of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is one of the world's modern marvels - a little over 50 years ago, the pristine cityscape was simply desert and coastline. How things change.

Now, Abu Dhabi is home to some of the most notable sights and landmarks in the middle east. Parks, museums, points of interests, shopping (of course), beaches and religious sites are all located on the Persian Gulf seafront. And naturally some of the tallest buildings you can imagine are nestled here, too.

With so much on offer, it's hard to select just 6 travel tips for Abu Dhabi - but we'll give it a try. Whether you're looking for a family day out, cultural immersion, retail therapy or just a bit of sightseeing, we've got your bases covered. Check out our top things to do in Abu Dhabi below for some guidance on your Emirati adventure…

How to Get to Abu Dhabi

Getting to Abu Dhabi (AUH) from the UK is simple - there are flights to Abu Dhabi from London Heathrow, Edinburgh and Manchester Airports. Etihad Airways provide direct flights, with other airlines offering direct and indirect options.

Car hire and airport transfers are both available from Abu Dhabi airport - be sure to book in advance on Trip.com.

Top things to do in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Arguably the most famous of Abu Dhabi's many architectural marvels is the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque and one of the top things to do in Abu Dhabi. Considered a cornerstone achievement in the modern architectural history of the UAE, the mosque - the largest in the country - was completed in 2007 after 11 years of construction.

While a pioneering landmark in recent middle eastern history, the brilliant white exterior is actually the face of an entirely global structure. The building contains numerous materials from countries across the globe, in keeping with the original concept to unite the cultural diversity of the Islamic world with modern artistic values.

Should you wish to visit the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, we recommend staying at the incredible 5-star Shangri-la Hotel in nearby Qaryat Al Beri, a little over a 1 mile (1.7 km) hop away.

Yas Water World

Going on a trip with the family? Or are you merely, in fact, a big kid yourself? If yes, we can say with confidence that Yas Water World Abu Dhabi is for you. Anywhere that names itself 'Water's Greatest Playground' is good with us.

More than 40 H2O-centric rides can be enjoyed here, with everything from the extreme (the Jebel Drop offers thrill-seekers a terrifyingly exciting 10-story plummet) to the kid-friendly (Tot's Playground offers slides for the little ones). However, it's not just slides and cannons, with traditional pearl diving and an underwater VR experience and on offer. Of course - this being Abu Dhabi - dining and shopping is available at Yas Water World too.

For a nearby hotel option, Trip.com recommends a hotel that's equally family-friendly - Park Inn by Radisson Abu Dhabi Yas Island is close to the water park, and offers plenty of kid-focused amenities.

The Corniche

We are cheating a little bit here, as the Corniche Road isn't so much a 'travel tip' as it is a 5-mile (8 km) home to numerous tips. Restaurants, cafes, shopping, children's play areas – they can all be found on Abu Dhabi's seminal coastal highway.

The Corniche is sprinkled with numerous fountains and park areas - ambling along the road offers views of many of the city's hotspots. Naturally, there is an immaculate beach along the stretch too - pristine sand and turquoise waters are the order of the day.

Although abundant with glistening architecture, a highlight of the Corniche is unquestionably Emirates Palace Hotel Abu Dhabi - one of the most famous and striking buildings in the entire city - located on the western side of the famous road. And you can book your stay there with Trip.com, should you wish…

Marina Mall

Given that we are discussing one of the great retail therapy hubs, it would be remiss not to mention shopping in Abu Dhabi. The Marina Mall, located on the namesake island, is one of the finest of its kind in the middle east - so if browsing and buying a luxury item or two is on your travel checklist, the mall is a great port of call (rhyme intentional).

Home to shops of the world's most prominent brands, the Marina Mall also lays claim to numerous eateries, a 100m observatory, bowling alley, multiplex movie complex - and musical fountains. For the kids, the internal Bounce trampoline adventure park will provide boundless (pardon the pun) entertainment.

Should you wish to stay near the mall on Al Marina, The St. Regis Abu Dhabi is located in the nearby Corniche - and the 5-star hotel is one of Abu Dhabi's most popular on Trip.com.

Louvre Abu Dhabi

Were you aware that one of France's most famous cultural landmarks has a sister venue in Abu Dhabi? It's true. And while the Mona Lisa et al may reside in Paris, art-lovers should absolutely head to the breathtaking Louvre Abu Dhabi on Saadiyat Island, which lays claim to works by the likes of Bellini and Jordaens.

With numerous exhibitions focusing on the parallels and differences of Eastern and Western art, the gallery is truly a spectacular bearer of the Louvre name. An absolute must for those wanting to drink in some true original masterpieces.

Located on the same island as the Louvre Abu Dhabi is the stunning Saadiyat Rotana Resort and Villas - a hotel almost as striking as some of those aforementioned exhibitions…

Observation Deck at 300

Finally, no trip to Abu Dhabi would be complete without the opportunity to gaze over the city's incredible landscape. Observation Deck at 300 is the highest vantage point in the Emirati capital.

Why has the deck been given that name? Simple - it's 300m (985ft) high. That is a long way up, and it makes for spectacular panoramic vistas for as far as the eye can see. If you fancy a refreshment while you're peering at sky, sea and sand, the very same floor houses a cafe serving tea and mocktails.

Conveniently, the Observation Deck at 300 is located on the 74th floor of Conrad Abu Dhabi Etihad Towers - a luxury hotel in the West Corniche area of the city that you just happen be able to book on Trip.com…

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Best Hotels in Abu Dhabi

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9.1/10
Great
PPulishendinachuangwuer
This hotel is centrally located, which is very convenient for business trips, and also great for tourists. It's next to a large shopping mall, and there are plenty of restaurants and supermarkets nearby. Public transportation is also easily accessible. The window view is nice, and there's even a football field.
Centro Al Manhal

Centro Al Manhal

Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi
9.1/10
Perfect88 Reviews
PPulishendinachuangwuerThis hotel is centrally located, which is very convenient for business trips, and also great for tourists. It's next to a large shopping mall, and there are plenty of restaurants and supermarkets nearby. Public transportation is also easily accessible. The window view is nice, and there's even a football field.
Price per night from:€80
9/10
Great
塵塵世中的一顆微塵
The hotel's location is excellent, but the entrance was hard to find. The nearby parking lot was under construction, so it took a long time to find a small alley entrance. However, once found, the location is super convenient, with a large shopping mall and many restaurants nearby. Also, the hotel automatically upgraded my room type; the room was very large and clean. However, the customer service was a bit strange. When checking in, I stood at the front desk for over ten minutes (around midnight, not a busy time). The front desk staff knew I was there but had a very long conversation with someone who wasn't a hotel guest (I could tell from their conversation), as if I were invisible. It wasn't until I showed my displeasure and asked how much longer I'd have to wait, or if there was another staff member who could help me, that the pointless chat finally ended. I called the front desk to ask for tissues and room service. Room service was delivered, but they told me tissues were handled by a different department… After I finished my room service in the room, the dishes were just left there. I then requested 'Make Up Room' and left. When I returned, the room had been cleaned, but all the room service items were still in the room, untouched by anyone… Bizarre. Overall, the hotel's hardware meets a 4-star standard, but the service needs improvement.
Mercure Abu Dhabi Downtown

Mercure Abu Dhabi Downtown

Abu Dhabi Corniche, Abu Dhabi
9/10
Perfect82 Reviews
塵塵世中的一顆微塵The hotel's location is excellent, but the entrance was hard to find. The nearby parking lot was under construction, so it took a long time to find a small alley entrance. However, once found, the location is super convenient, with a large shopping mall and many restaurants nearby. Also, the hotel automatically upgraded my room type; the room was very large and clean. However, the customer service was a bit strange. When checking in, I stood at the front desk for over ten minutes (around midnight, not a busy time). The front desk staff knew I was there but had a very long conversation with someone who wasn't a hotel guest (I could tell from their conversation), as if I were invisible. It wasn't until I showed my displeasure and asked how much longer I'd have to wait, or if there was another staff member who could help me, that the pointless chat finally ended. I called the front desk to ask for tissues and room service. Room service was delivered, but they told me tissues were handled by a different department… After I finished my room service in the room, the dishes were just left there. I then requested 'Make Up Room' and left. When I returned, the room had been cleaned, but all the room service items were still in the room, untouched by anyone… Bizarre. Overall, the hotel's hardware meets a 4-star standard, but the service needs improvement.
Price per night from:€71
8.8/10
Very Good
RRokaya Issa
Nehal’s hotel is very good to stay. The staff are so kind and always smiling The location is near everything. Thank you for everything 😃😃
Nehal Hotel Abu Dhabi

Nehal Hotel Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi
8.8/10
Perfect55 Reviews
RRokaya IssaNehal’s hotel is very good to stay. The staff are so kind and always smiling The location is near everything. Thank you for everything 😃😃
Price per night from:€50
8.8/10
Very Good
Xxc_X_9739
The hotel's location is excellent. You can directly access the mall from the bus center and walk through it to the hotel, which is incredibly helpful for avoiding the intense sun on the streets. Right next door to the hotel is a large mall, which also features a LuLu hypermarket. Taking a taxi to the Presidential Palace and the Louvre Museum is quite affordable, costing approximately 25 AED.
La Quinta by Wyndham Abu Dhabi Al Wahda

La Quinta by Wyndham Abu Dhabi Al Wahda

Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi
8.8/10
Perfect190 Reviews
Xxc_X_9739The hotel's location is excellent. You can directly access the mall from the bus center and walk through it to the hotel, which is incredibly helpful for avoiding the intense sun on the streets. Right next door to the hotel is a large mall, which also features a LuLu hypermarket. Taking a taxi to the Presidential Palace and the Louvre Museum is quite affordable, costing approximately 25 AED.
Price per night from:€87
8.7/10
Very Good
MM220119****
The location is excellent, right in the city center. You can take the A1 bus directly from the airport to the hotel's doorstep. There's a 24-hour convenience store nearby, and a huge home furnishing store where you can browse. Next to that is Abu Dhabi Mall, which has various brands, designer stores, restaurants, and a cinema. The room layout in this hotel is a bit unique and unconventional, featuring a bar counter. The rooms are very spacious, and all toiletries are provided. Although the facilities show some age, they are kept quite clean. Do note that slippers are not provided. The service is standard; early check-in might not be possible, as it's generally after 2 PM. A common complaint is the bar on the 2nd floor, which has live music until after 3 AM. Light sleepers should be cautious. Also, the air conditioning is a central system, so you can't adjust it yourself, and the vent is directly above the head of the bed, which can make it easy to catch a cold.
Al Diar Dana Hotel

Al Diar Dana Hotel

Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi
8.7/10
Perfect100 Reviews
MM220119****The location is excellent, right in the city center. You can take the A1 bus directly from the airport to the hotel's doorstep. There's a 24-hour convenience store nearby, and a huge home furnishing store where you can browse. Next to that is Abu Dhabi Mall, which has various brands, designer stores, restaurants, and a cinema. The room layout in this hotel is a bit unique and unconventional, featuring a bar counter. The rooms are very spacious, and all toiletries are provided. Although the facilities show some age, they are kept quite clean. Do note that slippers are not provided. The service is standard; early check-in might not be possible, as it's generally after 2 PM. A common complaint is the bar on the 2nd floor, which has live music until after 3 AM. Light sleepers should be cautious. Also, the air conditioning is a central system, so you can't adjust it yourself, and the vent is directly above the head of the bed, which can make it easy to catch a cold.
Price per night from:€48
8.5/10
Very Good
GGuest User
Room: The room was spacious and clean, though amenities and facilities were definitely showing age with no sign of upgrade / update (including outlets, water boiler, lighting, gym facilities). There was no hot water in the showers - after speaking with several different people at reception I was told to ”leave it running for 20 minutes or so”, which (1) was shocking considering the amount of water that would waste; and (2) did not ultimately work anyway. Several outlets were also not working in the room. F&B: There is a restaurant and a cafe (Costa Coffee) on 1/F and both have decent food with reasonable pricing. Given the hotel is located around the airport with nothing else around, those were the only choices for F&B without venturing into the city. Breakfast options were decent and if your flight is before the breakfast hours, you can ask for a breakfast package to be prepared upon checkout. Facilities: The gym was small with sparse machines (e.g. three treadmills). Location: Although it is the only airport hotel in Abu Dhabi, it is not all that close to the airport. Except for the benefit of the airport shuttle (which runs only once per hour), there appear to be better hotels in the vicinity at a similar driving distance and similar price. The mark-up in the pricing seems to only be attributable to the monopoly it has over the airport zone. While the staff is friendly and food is decent, the value for money on this occasion felt poor.
Premier Inn Abu Dhabi Airport (Business Park)

Premier Inn Abu Dhabi Airport (Business Park)

Abu Dhabi
8.5/10
Perfect917 Reviews
GGuest UserRoom: The room was spacious and clean, though amenities and facilities were definitely showing age with no sign of upgrade / update (including outlets, water boiler, lighting, gym facilities). There was no hot water in the showers - after speaking with several different people at reception I was told to ”leave it running for 20 minutes or so”, which (1) was shocking considering the amount of water that would waste; and (2) did not ultimately work anyway. Several outlets were also not working in the room. F&B: There is a restaurant and a cafe (Costa Coffee) on 1/F and both have decent food with reasonable pricing. Given the hotel is located around the airport with nothing else around, those were the only choices for F&B without venturing into the city. Breakfast options were decent and if your flight is before the breakfast hours, you can ask for a breakfast package to be prepared upon checkout. Facilities: The gym was small with sparse machines (e.g. three treadmills). Location: Although it is the only airport hotel in Abu Dhabi, it is not all that close to the airport. Except for the benefit of the airport shuttle (which runs only once per hour), there appear to be better hotels in the vicinity at a similar driving distance and similar price. The mark-up in the pricing seems to only be attributable to the monopoly it has over the airport zone. While the staff is friendly and food is decent, the value for money on this occasion felt poor.
Price per night from:€67
8.5/10
Very Good
GGuest User
Overall, the hotel was fine — everything inside was okay. and the staff were friendly and cooperative However, the biggest problem was the parking. When I booked, it said there was public parking available with a charge, which I was happy to pay for. But when I arrived, I was shocked to find that although parking is technically “available,” it’s almost impossible to find a space! I had to drive around the area for nearly an hour each time just to find a spot on a side street. It was very exhausting every time I returned to the hotel. I’m not sure whether this issue is with the hotel or with Trip.com, but the information about parking was not made clear at all
Kingsgate Abu Dhabi

Kingsgate Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi
8.5/10
Perfect119 Reviews
GGuest UserOverall, the hotel was fine — everything inside was okay. and the staff were friendly and cooperative However, the biggest problem was the parking. When I booked, it said there was public parking available with a charge, which I was happy to pay for. But when I arrived, I was shocked to find that although parking is technically “available,” it’s almost impossible to find a space! I had to drive around the area for nearly an hour each time just to find a spot on a side street. It was very exhausting every time I returned to the hotel. I’m not sure whether this issue is with the hotel or with Trip.com, but the information about parking was not made clear at all
Price per night from:€57
8.4/10
Very Good
DDmitry80
Excellent hotel. The staff are polite and always happy to help with any queries. The rooms are good and spacious. The windows don't open, but in January, even with the AC off, the temperature was comfortable – neither cold nor hot. The ventilation system worked well. We slept great; the mattresses were good and not worn out. Breakfast was a bit sparse, but you won't go hungry. There's a Burger King on the other side of the hotel building. The beach is a 30-minute walk away, and on the way, there's a WTC mall with a McDonald's.
Novel Hotel City Center

Novel Hotel City Center

Abu Dhabi Corniche, Abu Dhabi
8.4/10
Perfect75 Reviews
DDmitry80Excellent hotel. The staff are polite and always happy to help with any queries. The rooms are good and spacious. The windows don't open, but in January, even with the AC off, the temperature was comfortable – neither cold nor hot. The ventilation system worked well. We slept great; the mattresses were good and not worn out. Breakfast was a bit sparse, but you won't go hungry. There's a Burger King on the other side of the hotel building. The beach is a 30-minute walk away, and on the way, there's a WTC mall with a McDonald's.
Price per night from:€50
8/10
Very Good
Aakal
ホテル自体は綺麗で室内も基本は問題ありませんでしたが、海外旅行に慣れている人向けだと思いました。 空調は一つしかなくて、自分で温度調節を恐らく変えられるのだと思うのですが、元々がしっかり涼しくする対応なのか、あまり変化を感じられませんでした。(とてもよく効いていたので途中で冷房を切りたかったのですが全て弱にするしかできませんでした) またシャワーはお水しか出てこなかったです。 温度調整はできるようになってはいたので、お湯でシャワーを浴びるつもりがどうやってもぬるま湯にもならない日本人の私からすると水しか出ず…。 ただ単に壊れていたのか、まさか暑い国のアブダビだから温度設定が元々低いのか、水しか出なかったのは困りましたが、1泊だったのでなんとか耐えられたという感じでした。 ホテルのスタッフの方は皆さん良い方で気持ちよく安心でした。 お部屋の清潔感やアメニティなどは、いわゆる高級ホテルとまではいかないですが、そこを理解していれば十分納得できるものだと思います。
Overnight Super Yacht - Orchid

Overnight Super Yacht - Orchid

Abu Dhabi
8/10
Perfect43 Reviews
Aakalホテル自体は綺麗で室内も基本は問題ありませんでしたが、海外旅行に慣れている人向けだと思いました。 空調は一つしかなくて、自分で温度調節を恐らく変えられるのだと思うのですが、元々がしっかり涼しくする対応なのか、あまり変化を感じられませんでした。(とてもよく効いていたので途中で冷房を切りたかったのですが全て弱にするしかできませんでした) またシャワーはお水しか出てこなかったです。 温度調整はできるようになってはいたので、お湯でシャワーを浴びるつもりがどうやってもぬるま湯にもならない日本人の私からすると水しか出ず…。 ただ単に壊れていたのか、まさか暑い国のアブダビだから温度設定が元々低いのか、水しか出なかったのは困りましたが、1泊だったのでなんとか耐えられたという感じでした。 ホテルのスタッフの方は皆さん良い方で気持ちよく安心でした。 お部屋の清潔感やアメニティなどは、いわゆる高級ホテルとまではいかないですが、そこを理解していれば十分納得できるものだと思います。
Price per night from:€88
7.9/10
Good
GGuest User
Very nice service, neat and clean rooms. It’s a great option for anyone who prefers a homely stay, as the apartment includes all essential items such as a washing machine, microwave, oven, crockery, and more. However, there are two minor drawbacks: 1. Parking is not free—you’ll need to pay separately. 2. If you book a studio suite, the TV is quite outdated and the display quality is poor, like something from the 1990s.
EXECUTIVE SUITES

EXECUTIVE SUITES

Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi
7.9/10
Perfect82 Reviews
GGuest UserVery nice service, neat and clean rooms. It’s a great option for anyone who prefers a homely stay, as the apartment includes all essential items such as a washing machine, microwave, oven, crockery, and more. However, there are two minor drawbacks: 1. Parking is not free—you’ll need to pay separately. 2. If you book a studio suite, the TV is quite outdated and the display quality is poor, like something from the 1990s.
Price per night from:€54

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