Dubai is only about 1 and a half hours drive away. Sharjah is slightly nearer and you can also drive through the mountains over to the other coast.

we have booked to go to Abu Dhabi in June for 3nights,going to seychelles for 5 nights first,and staying at Emirates Palace. That is the main reason, just have to experience the only other 7-star hotel apart from burj Al Arab in Dubai. We have been to Dubai twice and absolutely love it. I heard Abu Dhabi is excellent for shopping too and the beaches are beautiful and ofcourse you are more or less guarenteed sunshine, so you can't really go wrong.If anyone can advise on any excursions etc. to do, then I would love to hear from you too. Also has anyone stayed at the Emirates Palace who could tell me more about it please. Cheers,

Hi,

Yes thats the hotel we are looking at.......I don't think the hotel will be a problem somehow (understatement!) but we'd still like to experience some of the local culture.

Have a lovely time!

Hi

I'm off to Abu Dhabi on Saturday staying at the Intercontinental Abu Dhabi.

Has anyone been to Abu Dhabi and can you recommend any good places to eat (think the hotel might be exensive?) and also has anyone been to this hotel and and give me any comments regarding the good and bad points?

Thanks v much to you all
Nikki G

Hi, No I have never been to Abu Dhabi, been to Dubai twice but we are going to Abu Dhabi in June, staying at Emirates Palace, so would love to hear how you get on. I would like to hear about places to visit, shopping malls and good places to eat as the Emirates Palace will probably be expensive to eat in too. Don't think we will be able to afford to eat there every night. Have a nice trip and look forward to some advice/tips on Abu Dhabi when you return. Cheers,

We have the Intercontinental now added to our reviews here

Said very expenisive when there like other hotels in are no tea/coffee making in rooms and wish taken kettle.

sarah

i wish i had stayed over now from what everyone was saying on my return flight from bkk through abu dhabi back to london on etihad airways, so many good things were said, you;ll have a fab time out there

I've been to Abu Dhabi and have had to work there on several occasions too.....it is not somewhere I would recommend, especially in comparison to Dubai.

The people in Abu Dhabi are much less friendly, far less tourist friendly or driven since their oil supply is due to last another 50+ years and I didn't find any good restaurants outside the Hotels I stayed in.

There are some malls which are similar to those in Dubai and the beaches are good.

Not sure about the 7*, but I have stayed in the Burj and IMO it's not 7* - you can't go higher than 5 anyway officially and it is just wasn't all there (I used to work in the Hotel industry so know what makes a good property)

We are stopping off in Abu Dhabi on the way back from Bangkok.
We have been told that cigarettes, tobacco and perfumes are cheaper to buy at the airport here.
I have also been told that the perfume contains no alcohol so doesn't last as long.
Can anyone help?

I think somebody is pulling your leg! 'Perfume contains no alcohol and doesn't last as long'

They sell the same brands as the UK and many other airports

Traditional Arabic perfumes contains NO alcohol. It's true.

Im sure that you have things wrong.
Perfume without alcohol is purer and stronger and lasts a lot longer as it does not have the alcohol thats causes evaporation.

Also cigaretts and tobacco are cheap and plentyful at the airport.

We have been to Dubai 3 times and absolutely loved it, but we are going to Abu Dhabi just to see what it is like. We leave on june 5th, doing it as a 2-centre with Seychelles. Has anyone been to both Dubai and Abu Dhabi who could tell me how the 2 compare? We will be staying at Emirates palace. Has anyone stayed there recently who could tell me more about it, also which category of room you stayed in? What size are the balconies? Also some ideas of what to do and which shopping malls are best to visit. We are only going to be there for 3 nights so it would be good to have an idea of what places we intend to visit once we are there. Thanks,

Hi,

Abu-Dhabi is a capital. Conservative and quiet.
Dubai is a huge marketplace first...

Hi there, we have been to both Dubai and Abu Dhabi. In Dubai we stayed at the Jebel Ali the first time then the Jumeriah Beach following a week in the Maldives - of course we adored Dubai, but decided that it was time to have a go at Abu Dhabi, so.....November last we stayed at the Sheraton Towers, and it was fabulous, I agree it is quieter than Dubai, but it is beautiful and everthing is top class.

The entertainment is all hotel based, but this is very much the case in Dubai. The malls are fabulous, the food wonderful and of course the temperature is the same as Dubai. We loved it so much that we immediately went back in February to the same hotel. Can't fault it and so much cheaper than Dubai.

You will love it, we personally think that we would try all the other UAEs before going back to Dubai....it is starting to price itself out of the market, (in our humble opinions!)

Sorry just realised you are staying at the Emirates Palace......wow.....only drove past it in a taxi (fastly!) no doubt about it that it will be wonderful, apparently as good as the Burj Al Arab (not that we have stayed there either!)

Hi There,
With all the on going building work in Dubai. i was thinking of a short break in Abu Dhabi, could anyone tell me if this would be a good choice? What are the beaches like etc?