A visit to Abu Dhabi Recapped
The empire of Abu Dhabi is fast becoming the world's most developed city. The richest city in the world enjoys year-round sunshine, perfect for enjoying its pulsating cosmopolitan ways, splendid sand dunes, and pristine beaches. Abu Dhabi's display of world-class infrastructure gives guests a massive glimpse of the enchanting destination. The city is the capital of United Arab Emirates, characterized by the Arabian Gulf's turquoise waters. Guests can stay inside one of the most opulent and elegant hotels in the world, the Emirates Palace, or choose to see Abu Dhabi's imperial structures instead. Gead to one of world's largest beach resort, or see the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in all its grandeur. Shop like royalty at the Hamdan Center, or browse through Mina's carpet souk. The Saadiyat is home to the largest concentration of top-class cultural institutions in the world, including the reconstructed Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, the Louvre Abu Dhabi and the Zayed National Museum. The t-shaped island is also home to Al Ain, and oasis city which features spectacular views of the rest of Abu Dhabi. The incredible architecture makes you forget that you are, in fact, at the center of a desert.
'Abu Dhabi can be the best city in the world if we believe so. I certainly do, and I want you to do the same!
These are the famed words of Sheikh Khalifa who came to the throne of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, not more than a mere decade or so ago.
But unlike what has been an insidious tradition in Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Khalifa has actually chosen to shed off the lethargy and adopt the chutzpah of the modern age, where everyone is attracted by glitter and fame. As a part of his efforts, he has reformed the entire public service system of his Emirate, creating a more efficient technocratic government where people have a say in the scheme of things.
But what has really set the things turning in the right direction for Abu Dhabi is the fact that these reforms have allowed the world at large to take notice of Abu Dhabi and its changing ways. This means that more and more countries have started investing in Abu Dhabi and buying properties here. Even though Abu Dhabi has always been a rich Emirate, the mere idea of tourism furthering its economy has come as a huge cultural boost.
This bodes well for Abu Dhabi and its immediate future, because pretty much every large oil and petroleum company has a large operational facility or corporate office in Abu Dhabi.
To witness all this hubbub of activity and the riches of cultural extravagance that Abu Dhabi has to offer you, you will have to catch a flight and land in the Arabian Desert where time seems to slow down by many paces. Are you ready for an exotic adventure in Abu Dhabi? We sure are!
Budget Accommodation Options in Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi is often called as the richest Emirate, amongst all of UAE. This tag has certainly not surfaced out of thin air, as Abu Dhabi boasts of the largest per capita wealth (not income, mind you “ it's old money!) in the Federation. To go with that, it also has the largest concentration of billionaires in the world and the most expensive real properties in the Middle East are found on every other street of Abu Dhabi.
With this in mind, tourists are justified to think that finding cheap hotels can be an arduous task in Abu Dhabi. Well, we don't like to break this to you, but that is, quite unfortunately, the case.
So, tourists will be better off finding Abu Dhabi hotels that are relatively cheaper, instead of going for out-and-out cheap hotels. That strategy, if executed rightly, will likely yield the name of La Residence first up. It is a no-nonsense semi-luxury resort located at the outskirts of the city. Although it is not really an impressive property “ aesthetically speaking “ it gets the job done at low prices, and that's what matters when we compare options in this segment.
Next up is a similar budget hotel that is a touch more luxurious than the previous entrant. AG Hotel Abu Dhabi is situated in the prime central district of the city, and makes it easy for its guests to access modes of transport and various local attractions. Clean, spacious rooms with complimentary breakfast and Wi Fi mean that you will never be left wanting for basic amenities in the middle of a desert in a foreign country!
Lavish Accommodation in Abu Dhabi: Luxury Hotels and Resorts
Being such a rich city has a few perks of its own. For example, tourists who love to indulge in various luxuries of life will find that locating a truly marvellous luxury hotel or resort in Abu Dhabi is not a task that one needs to go about with a frown on their face.
Basically, every neighborhood of the city “ and virtually every other street here “ is home to at least one posh hotel that tourists can choose in order to get their dose of lavish lifestyle. Needless to say, nightly prices here often wander upwards of $500, and at times, some presidential suites in a prime hotel can require guests to cough up as much as $5,000 per night.
That may sound too high to be realistic, but Eastern Mangroves Hotel and Spa makes it all look quite easy. It's only presidential and royal suite is often booked by visiting celebrities and statesmen for prices that defy all logic.
Kempsinki Abu Dhabi is another extravagant hotel here that you just cannot get hold of, unless you pay exorbitant prices and book ridiculously well in advance!
Luxury hotels in Abu Dhabi may just be out of reach of most of us, but that's not a reason enough to can your plans, because plenty of other options exist.
Alternative Lodging Options
If Abu Dhabi hotels of posh kind are not economically viable, you can always go for one of many alternative lodging options available.
They include:
- Independent hotel units
- Boutique/Customisable hotel units
- Rental apartments
- Holiday homes
Hotels in the Vicinity of the Airport in Abu Dhabi
The Abu Dhabi International airport is situated just outside the city limits of Abu Dhabi.
This makes travelling from and to between the airport and the city quite an easy exercise. Hence, looking for suitable hotels in Abu Dhabi near the airport that can also fit within your means and requirements becomes a needless endeavor.
Best Time to Visit Abu Dhabi
Weather plays a huge role in the day to day activities of Abu Dhabi residents. It can get unbearably hot during summers and stingingly cold during winters. The extremes of weather are all on account of the vast Arabian Desert that surrounds the city. So, from that viewpoint, the best time to visit Abu Dhabi is during the months March and April or October and November.
During these months, Abu Dhabi climate is rather moderate and you can actually enjoy your sightseeing, instead of dreading it.
December can be a great month to visit here, too “ provided that you are prepared to deal with intense tourist frenzy.