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Abu Dhabi Three Nights


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We are looking at booking a hotel back from a cruise via Abu Dhabi and want to do a three night stop off there. What area is the best to stay in that is not too far from the airport, but convenient for any sites and/or good transport systems?

 

We will want to see things, but not hare round to see everything as may well do another stop off sometime. Looking for a hotel that is not too pricy, but knowing which area to stay in is more important than an actual hotel recommendation, so we know where to start.

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  • 3 weeks later...
We are looking at booking a hotel back from a cruise via Abu Dhabi and want to do a three night stop off there. What area is the best to stay in that is not too far from the airport, but convenient for any sites and/or good transport systems?

 

We will want to see things, but not hare round to see everything as may well do another stop off sometime. Looking for a hotel that is not too pricy, but knowing which area to stay in is more important than an actual hotel recommendation, so we know where to start.

 

Anybody have recommendations for Abu Dhabi. We have looked at InterContinental because of beach being close. End of 30 day cruise/land (Insignia Singapore to Abu Dhabi with a week prior in Dubai). Would like hotel recommendations and tour guide suggestions for 3 adults private tour.

Arrive May 2,2017 and leave May 4, 2017. Al Ain and city tour first choice.

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  • 1 year later...
Anybody have recommendations for Abu Dhabi. We have looked at InterContinental because of beach being close. End of 30 day cruise/land (Insignia Singapore to Abu Dhabi with a week prior in Dubai). Would like hotel recommendations and tour guide suggestions for 3 adults private tour.

Arrive May 2,2017 and leave May 4, 2017. Al Ain and city tour first choice.

 

Did you choose the Intercontinental hotel? The older one near the palace and the beach? We will be there Jan. 2019 and this is our first choice from research. Appreciate your reply.

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1. Forget about a transport system. There ARE buses, but generally only the labourers are using those. Taxis are inexpensive and reliable.

2. For hotels close to the airport (max 10 taxi minutes), look at YAS ISLAND HOTELS. Lots of choice in a range of prices. Also on Yas island is the Abu Dhabi F1 race track, Yas marina with lots of restaurants and bars. Yas Mall, the largest in the Emirate, Ferrari world amusement park, Yas Water World , Warner bros Studio (opening July 2018), a golf course etc, etc.

From the hotels in this area it is a 15 or so minute taxi ride to the beautiful Shaik Zayed Mosque. The spectacular Louvre museum is 20 or so minutes away. You'll see that one when arriving by ship.

If you want a spectacular hotel away from Yas, look at the Kempinski Emirates Palace, the Ritz Carlton or the Shangri-La.

All have some good mid week deals from time to time.

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We spent 4 nights in the downtown Crowne Plaza. It is a very nice hotel and was reasonably priced. We got one of their executive rooms that included breakfast and use of their club room; which included free sodas all day and drinks from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM, along with some food that could substitute for a light dinner. The highway system is outstanding in Abu Dhabi as are the inexpensive taxis.

 

I am sure that you will go to the Sheik Zayed Mosque during the day; but if possible, try to go at night when it is illuminated. A totally different and gorgeous experience. The taxi cost from downtown to the mosque was just $10 each way. You can see what we did while there and the excellent tour company we used, EA Tours, in our review of our trip on our website. It is linked to in my signature.

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I am the OP who started this thread a year last January. We realised soon after I posted this that we would be there during the Grand Prix and hotel prices were up massively. Luckily we were able to get a room on points at The Holiday Inn Downtown, which we were very happy with. We both had chest infections by that stage of our travels, so just walked out from the hotel and got a taxi back one day. As stated the hotel is in the city centre and was easy to walk round, seeing both the newer and older parts of the city. We also walked to the seafront and along the prom a bit. We were surprised that the prom/beach was just on a road with nothing else around - no cafes or hotels in sight.

 

You could get a taxi to anywhere from that hotel, but it was not that near to the airport. As stated previously the Yas Island hotels would be nearer. Not something we were likely to be looking at though as that is where the Grand Prix takes place! The hotel we stayed at had a cafe/small restaurant with a sitting out area on the main road, but was set up a little, so not actually on the pavement. That was a great place to have a light meal at night and watch the world go by. It was not too expensive like the main restaurant, but food was substantial enough for us.

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We're stopping at the HI Downtown in January. Can you remember how long it took you to walk to the Corniche(prom) as we are thinking of getting the Big Bus HOHO there at stop 10? or stop 11 at the WTC Souk?

 

 

Simon

Edited by sddsddean
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We're stopping at the HI Downtown in January. Can you remember how long it took you to walk to the Corniche(prom) as we are thinking of getting the Big Bus HOHO there at stop 10? or stop 11 at the WTC Souk?

 

 

Simon

 

 

Do not know anything about the HOHO bus, but it did take a while to walk and if you want to go to the part of the prom nearer to the cruise dock, which is were you will find something other than a prom with high buildings used as flats of offices, then that is not walkable. The hotel concierge will advise, but we felt they were trying to rail road us into going to the tourist sites that we were not interested in. I suggest you try Bing (or Google) maps of the area and you could search for the walking distance/time by clicking the little walking man. There really is nothing of interest and not even cafes on the nearest bit of prom - it goes on for miles.

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There are underpasses - you just have to find them. Yes it is a main dual carriageway if I remember correctly so crossing that road any other way would be a no go.

 

There were not many people around the part we went to - mainly locals out for a jog or cycle ride.

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Problem is Abu Dhabi hasn't been 'Google earthed' so you can't have a look with the orange man! We were thinking of hiring the bikes(like they have in various cities round the world) and going for a ride down the corniche. I'm sure we'll find something to do....even having a beer by the pool!!

 

 

Simon

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Problem is Abu Dhabi hasn't been 'Google earthed' so you can't have a look with the orange man! We were thinking of hiring the bikes(like they have in various cities round the world) and going for a ride down the corniche. I'm sure we'll find something to do....even having a beer by the pool!!

 

 

Simon

 

Yes I rely a lot on Google Earth. The concierge did make a number of suggestions as places to go, so definitely worth having a word with them. I understand the mosque is a must see, but we would have needed to travel towards the Grand Prix area and we thought we were best well away from it - not sure if I said that is when we were there. Got caught out with really high hotel prices after we booked our flights, but were able to book HI on points/smallish payment basis. We had been away for almost six weeks by the time we got there and we both had chest infections, so sightseeing was nothing like as appealing as having a quiet, peaceful stroll around.

 

The hotel is good.

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