Abu Dhabi: Insider’s Guide

The insider advice on this page is from one of Wendy’s Trusted Travel Experts for the United Arab Emirates: Justin Parkinson of Linara Travel.

Trusted Travel Expert

Justin Parkinson

Justin visits the U.A.E. regularly, checking out both over-the-top resorts and five-star hotels that won’t break the bank. He can arrange entry into Dubai’s exclusive clubs, unusual desert adventures and safaris, and private access to the Louvre Abu Dhabi before it opens to the public. Justin is on The WOW List for Indian Ocean islands as well, including the Maldives and the Seychelles. When he’s not exploring these exotic locales, you’ll find him at home in either Australia or L.A.

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Where to Stay and Eat

Emirates Palace Abu Dhabi is one of the most lavish hotels in the Middle East. Photo: Emirates Palace

The iconic stay
Live like royalty at Emirates Palace, one of the most expensive hotels ever built. Set on 250 acres with a mile-long beach, this hotel dazzles with acres of gold leaf and more than a thousand Swarovski-crystal chandeliers. The Diamond Rooms have lovely views out to the Arabian Gulf. Justin’s travelers receive room upgrades, a $100 hotel credit, and other extra benefits.

Dish to try
Lamb shoulder medfoun at Mezlai Restaurant. Medfoun is a traditional Emirati way of slow-cooking meat in banana leaves in an earthen hole, and Mezlai has a special oven that helps replicate this technique.

Best restaurant for local flavors
Located just off the Abu Dhabi Corniche and the Abu Dhabi Beach, Michelin-starred Erth Restaurant in Qasr al Hosn is a must for foodies looking for Middle Eastern fine dining.

Best restaurants for international fare
If Asian food is more your style, then BB Social Dining, at the Rosewood Hotel, will be a highlight of your stay in Abu Dhabi. And while the Chinese specialties at Michelin-starred Hakkasan are undoubtedly terrific, just as memorable are the surroundings inside the Emirates Palace, one of the most lavish palace hotels in the Middle East. For the times when you just want a great steak, try Hunter & Barrel at Yas Bay—the view’s not bad either.

Best beer bar
The bar scene in Abu Dhabi is diverse and dynamic, with establishments to suit every taste. If you happen to be a craft beer enthusiast (like Justin), don’t miss the Brewhouse Gastropub.

What to See and Do

Don’t miss
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is the most impressive and important mosque in the U.A.E. Completed in 2007, the structure’s 82 white domes, four 350-foot-high minarets, and 183,000-square-foot marble courtyard symbolize the grandeur of Abu Dhabi. Free tours are given by the mosque (except Friday morning, when it’s closed for worship), and their guides are quite good.

You don’t have to be a museum buff to enjoy the offerings of the Louvre Abu Dhabi. The museum’s roof—called Nouvel’s Dome, a geometric structure comprised of 7,850 stars—is reason enough to visit.

Don’t bother
Yas Waterworld is a very nice water park—but why fly all this way just to take your kids to an amusement park? Instead, go to the Falcon Hospital, where you can learn about falconry, a historic form of hunting in the region and, today, a sporting pastime for wealthy Emirati. This facility, the world’s largest, treats more than 10,000 birds every year and allows visitors to get up close to birds currently under care.

Hidden gem
Qasr Al Sarab Resort. Set in the red-tinged dunes of the Empty Quarter—the largest uninterrupted sand desert in the world—this Anantara resort offers epic adventure (camel trekking or desert fat biking, anyone?), desert culture, and complete luxury in a location that is bound to have you asking, “How did they build this?”

Downtime
Take a relaxing walk along the Corniche, a four-mile stretch of beachfront paths and parks. The water is clean and refreshing, with plenty of lifeguards. Rent a bicycle from Funridesports, then stop for lunch at the Cabana Bar and Grill in the St. Regis.

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