Abu Dhabi was so much more than I thought it would be. People say it’s another Dubai, but on a smaller scale, oh no, from glorious beaches, endless dessert, and a proud show of their culture and history, Abu Dhabi is the place to be…
Just a 7-hour flight from the UK, this wonderful destination was my home for 4 days. After the leaving the cold behind, the heat coming out of the airport was very welcome! Just a short 35-minute drive, I arrived at the Rixos Premium Saadiyat Island Hotel where I would spend 3 nights. The only Ultra All-Inclusive Resort in Abu Dhabi, the Rixos offers everything you could need – on a glorious stretch of beach, scrumptious food and drinks flowing by the pool, what more could you really need?!
On my first day, I visited the Presidential Palace, Qasr Al Watan. The working palace has some of the most breaktaking arcitechture I have ever seen. Having the largest central dome in the world, The Great Hall is a sight to behold. The colouring within The Great Hall all holds meanings to represent the Arabian Gulf – Blue for the Waters, White for Purity and Yellow to represent the Desert Sands. I could quite happily have spent hours exploring every nook, cranny and design!
I then had a visit to the Saadiyat Beach Golf Club, the regions first ocean front golf course. This is a Golfers Paradise – after a quick demo on the driving range, I discovered I do not have the coordination to be a pro golfer, but I am an expert at creating divots!! It would take an average player around 5 hours to play the 18 holes!
I finished the day with a splendid meal back at the Rixos in their a la carte Italian restaurant, L’Olivia. Booking here is recommended so you don’t miss out! My next day was a day for activity and being a kid again! Who knew Abu Dhabi had the World’s Biggest Indoor Theme Park?! Warner Brothers World Abu Dhabi is in the heart of Abu Dhabi’s Yas Island, with Ferrari World, Yas Waterworld, Yas Mall, and Yas Marina Circuit all close to each other. I had an excellent lunch at the Starlight Resturant, a 1930’s themed restaurant. Whilst enjoying lunch, I got to watch the parades and entertainment going on at the centre of Warner Brothers Abu Dhabi!
The final day was spent exploring the Louvre Abu Dhabi. As well as being an Art Gallery and Museum, the building itself is an Architecural wonder. The floating dome offers natural light and shade filtering through it’s intricate design, a gemoetric structure with over 7800 stars, these stars are repeated in various sizes and angles through eight different layers. The modern, open air spaces lend views leading to Abu Dhabi.
My final stop was an afternoon at the Saadiyat Rotana Resort. This beautiful beachfront hotel has a flexbible dining option, from just breakfast to fully inclusive. The hotel can suit everyone, families can take advantage of the kids club and splash pool and spacious family rooms and suites. A beautiful spa will tempt adults and couples into a little pamper, and who can say no to seven dining venues?! I ate in the buffet restaurant – Sim Sim. Themed evenings take place on selected nights, offering a different experience and menu every night! The Asian themed menu was my favourite food of the trip!
I fell in love with all Abu Dhabi had to offer, and over the next couple of years, Abu Dhabi will have more. Currently, Harry Potter is in the planning to be added to Warner Brothers Abu Dhabi, Guggenheim Abu Dhabi will open in 2025, and a host of restaurants and shopping venues to compliment Abu Dhabi’s existing offerings….. I cannot wait to return in the near future!
If you have any other questions about my trip and want to chat about all that Abu Dhabi has to offer, pop into the Cirencester shop or send me an email to [email protected] as I would love to share more details about my amazing trip.
