Amy Adejokun
Section editor
This is a hotel with many assets: it has a good location, close to the village center, comfortable rooms and a myriad of bars and restaurants for celebrations and good food.
This hotel review is a translation from the French published on our French site Easyvoyage.com.
Le Meridien Abu Dhabi - © Alexis Bidegain/ Easypresse
Le Meridien Abu Dhabi - © Alexis Bidegain/ Easypresse
On the seaside - a few hundred meters from Abu Dhabi center. The airport is 19 miles away (the transfer takes half an hour).
There are 229 rooms of different classes and 68 studio rooms. Furniture and amenities are new, the beds are cosy and there is double-glazing on the windows (an important detail for rooms with view on the city): you will sleep soundly. 50% of the rooms have a view on the swimming pool, the garden or the Creek. You should ask it when booking your room, for an extra charge. You can have a balcony (6 m²) with a standard room of 26 m² . The furniture is contemporary with several design details (a round gilt mirror on the wall and a lamp on the bedside with the same motif as the mirror). The local tradition is evoked by several reproductions representing Arabic scenes, and by the wood, fabric and carpet colors : mahogany, chestnut-brown and night blue. The bathroom facilities and the extra fresh or fruity scented products are very nice ( 2 x 1.35 oz shower gel, shampoo, hair conditionner and body lotion). There is only one bathtub (there is no separate shower stall) but all other fixtures are provided ( a bathroom scale , hair dryer, bathrobes). Air-conditioning, television with flat screen, direct telephone line, a minibar and a safe.
Opened in 1979, the Méridien Abu Dhabi was renovated most recently in 2005-2006. This contemporary building with outside Arabic architecture (friezes and geometric sculptures) has a spacious lobby-atrium : there is a fountain in the middle, rattan lounges, green plants and artificial palm trees - the lighting overhead emphasizes the coloured mosaic of the fountain's basin and the geometric friezes on the walls. The way to the swimming pool is a little complicated : you have to pass through the gardens to reach it. Behind the main pool ( 25 x 10 m), there is another rectangular and smaller one (15 x 6 m) where the swimmers are less numerous. The sundeck, paved with stones, is a good place to relax in peace, if not you can find a place on the lawn or on the beach. Leisure facilities are simple : plastic deckchairs, mattresses, cloth umbrellas. Towels are at disposal atthe spa's reception.
With 12 restaurants and 5 bars, the Meridien is the hotel in Abu Dhabi offering the largest variety of cuisines. The food is good and well presented. A festive atmosphere abounds, especially at night, when there are special events organized regularly (thematic buffets, music and oriental dancing). And as the restaurants have each a terrace located around the same garden, conviviality is everywhere. However, you can have dinner in a peaceful environment if you wish : there is at least one restaurant without any specific activity offered. La Brasserie has a good buffet service. You may sit inside or on the sundeck and the food is very good even at breakfast: for breakfast you can choose from vegetable juices, fresh fruits, omelettes, egg cooked upon request, yogurt, small brioches, oriental specialities (houmous : mashed chick peas); egg plant caviar ; "foul mesdames" : bean soup ). The other meals include various international recipes with two thematic events per week, "seafood night" and " meat night"
Unfortunately the beach is bordered on each side with boat clubs (one of them is under renovation) and opposite, Al Reem island is bristling with electric pylons. This ugly view will soon disappear, however it is to be replaced with many other hotels. Briefly, there is no view from anywhere and the beach is only 200 m long by 10 m wide. There are deck chairs arranged in 3 to 4 rows under palm trees or straw huts. A swimming area is delimited in the water. The sea is clear, warm and pleasant.
The Méridien is one of the oldest hotels in Abu Dhabi. Its many restaurants and bars and its night club attract exile customers almost every night. This is the place to stay in Abu Dhabi if you are looking for fun or want to enjoy local life while talking with Westerners that settled here.
Advice about accommodations
If you choose to stay on the town side, your room won't have a balcony. So book a room with sea view ( for an extra charge) : there is a balcony and a swimming pool, a garden and a view of the Creek ( branch of the sea between Abu Dhabi and its islands).
massage, beauty salon, sauna, hammam, keep fit, spa, Turkish bath, wellness
tennis, gym, volleyball, beach volley, golf, mountain bike, squash, water-polo, fitness, sports
Anonyme.
hotel au top avec service génial. tout était parfait!
le sea food du lundi soir avec tous les produits de la mer à volonté pour 30?! Personnel dispo tout le temps et super agréable....
rien à signaler! même le temps était parfait!
Anonyme.
Hotel très bien placé à proximité du Mall. Il faut éviter la page qui donne sur une marina
Personnel disponible et agréable Buffet petit déjeuner et restaurants très bons
Plage à éviter (vase) Prix du restaurant un peu élevés
Anonyme.
En résumé, un hôtel sympathique mais vraiment banal. La mer reste un peu loin de l'hôtel.
Beaux restaurants et belle piscine.
Chambres petites et banales; Parking chaotique; Service assez moyen. Un "Méridien" qui n'en a que le nom.
Anonyme.
Un Méridien ancienne génération et qui a du mal à rester à flot, installations un peu vieillottes.
De nombreux restaurants, Environnement "expat"
Chambres petites et banales Parking chaotique Service assez moyen Un "Méridien" qui n'en a que le nom.
Good places to eat (several famous restaurants), good places to visit (one club where you can see the young exiles)... Why shouldn't you stay there ? The rooms have no balcony : for once, the view won't be a big deal.
This hotel review is a translation from the French published on our French site Easyvoyage.com.
Whether you want to arrive by boat or by helicopter, the Palace caters for it. One of the most expensive hotels ever built, and originally built as a palace for the Sheikh, The Emirates Palace, run by Kempinski, is the place to see and be seen when in Abu Dhabi. Smack-bang in the middle of a busy intersection, the hotel with its domed ceiling and turrets, is an impressive fortress. The enormous lobbies remind of Kubrick dimensions with a smattering of Middle Eastern luxe. The hotel is more of a tourist attraction than a cosy haven away from the hustle and bustle of the city. If you like your upmarket facilities and your cappuccino sprinkled with real gold, then this is the place. The hotel attracts a wide-ranging clientele, from celebrities and families with young children, to couples on a romantic getaway.
The Sheraton Abu Dhabi offers a very good comfort level, and a variety of restaurants in a compact space. An ideal hotel for a beach stop during a journey - alone or with a group - in the Emirates.
This hotel review is a translation from the French published on our French site Easyvoyage.com.
The Intercontinental Abu Dhabi hotel is certainly full of surprises. From the outside, it looks uninteresting and dated, but as soon as you have crossed the threshold, you will doubtless be impressed by the beauty and modernity of its various areas which are so different from one another. Luxury and comfort are present from the reception hall to the bedrooms passing by the large marina. Some of its restaurants are unique and quite magical both for the quality of their cuisine and their decoration. In short, whether you are staying at the Intercontinental or not, you have to try out its bars and restaurants!
This hotel review is a translation from the French published on our French site Easyvoyage.com.
The Sofitel Abu Dhabi is another one of our favourites in the city. Located right across the road from the cornice, it is in the heart of Abu Dhabi. The hotel is extremely well-appointed and adapted to the country without a tad of brashness but a little touch of French influence - Sofitel after all, is known for its upmarket French credentials. Staff will greet you with a Bonjour and the food is worthy of its native France no matter where the hotel is in the world. An ideal hotel for a business clientele, but due to its high standard leisure facilities like the spa and restaurants, the Sofitel would also be suitable for leisure stays.
The Eastern Mangroves by Anantara is a luxury hotel with the added bonus of sitting in an exclusive location: in a protected nature reserve of mangrove. A serene atmosphere reigns here by the pool, especially at sunset, when the nearby islands of mangrove forest come alive with birds. Anantara, the Thai hotel group, is renowned for its choice of natural sites and for its extremely high standards of service. With a great setting, an impressive hammam and an authentic Thai restaurant, the Eastern Mangroves by Anantara is a cosy hotel that is successful at providing a personalised service - and this is precisely what sets this hotel apart from the rest. An ideal hotel for guests not wanting to be too far from the city but away from the main hubbub while remaining close to the water's edge. At Anantara, the attention to detail makes all the difference.
Coming soon...
The first resort under the St Regis umbrella, The Saint Regis Saadiyat Island (not to be confused with The St Regis Abu Dhabi) is one of our favourite places to stay in Abu Dhabi. Not too far from the city centre and with a lovely beach, a lively holiday atmosphere reigns here. The lavish rooms are extremely comfortable and well appointed; the facilities onsite are of a high standard and the sea views and sandy beach earn the resort those extra points for the top position in our Abu Dhabi hotel hotlist. The hotel is the ideal place to stay for guests on holiday (as opposed to business) and attracts a wide-ranging clientele, from families to couples as well as groups of friends.
Whether you want to arrive by boat or by helicopter, the Palace caters for it. One of the most expensive hotels ever built, and originally built as a palace for the Sheikh, The Emirates Palace, run by Kempinski, is the place to see and be seen when in Abu Dhabi. Smack-bang in the middle of a busy intersection, the hotel with its domed ceiling and turrets, is an impressive fortress. The enormous lobbies remind of Kubrick dimensions with a smattering of Middle Eastern luxe. The hotel is more of a tourist attraction than a cosy haven away from the hustle and bustle of the city. If you like your upmarket facilities and your cappuccino sprinkled with real gold, then this is the place. The hotel attracts a wide-ranging clientele, from celebrities and families with young children, to couples on a romantic getaway.
A 'Small luxury hotel of the world', Desert Islands is a true haven of peace, totally isolated and very far from any kind of local life. It is the only hotel on Sir Bani Yas island with a huge nature reserve! Everything here is carefully thought through with great care and attention. It is ideal if you're looking to unwind in a magnificent setting, with a view of the sea! On top of that, the two possible activities here are sports activities and exploration of the nature reserve: wildlife enthusiasts will be delighted, beach lovers not so much.
This hotel review is a translation from the French published on our French site Easyvoyage.com.
Coming soon...
The Jumeirah Hotel Etihad Towers is one of those hotels discreetly hidden inside one of the city's numerous towers. Once you've actually found the hotel bit - because it's a bit of a maze in there if you come in a different way to the actual hotel entrance - it's all sweeping spaces modelled on something that looks like a lavish, slightly overdone, Shining film set. An enormous tower of luxe, very masculine lines, straight edges, angular, lots of black and white, the Jumeirah is one of those hotels that one learns to love due to the high quality finish and upmarket facilities. Although the hotel has a great pool at the back of the hotel, it isn't really one for the kids - a hotel more for business, and there are still few leisure guests.
Part of the Viceroy group, which is well-known for the upmarket and contemporary standards of its hotels, the Viceroy Yas Island Hotel is no different. The only 5-star property on the island, the hotel straddles one of Abu Dhabi's main attractions, Ferrari World Formula 1 race track, and has become somewhat of a landmark in the city. Appearing in the distance out of the sand mist, the hotel, with its alien outer shell of purple LED lights, is hard to miss. A stylish hotel that has been decorated with a mixed choice of materials that borders on garish, but which receives full acclaim for its avant-garde architecture and beautiful rooftop bar and pool. An ideal hotel for a young flashy clientele looking to spend a short break centred around the race track.
The Intercontinental Abu Dhabi hotel is certainly full of surprises. From the outside, it looks uninteresting and dated, but as soon as you have crossed the threshold, you will doubtless be impressed by the beauty and modernity of its various areas which are so different from one another. Luxury and comfort are present from the reception hall to the bedrooms passing by the large marina. Some of its restaurants are unique and quite magical both for the quality of their cuisine and their decoration. In short, whether you are staying at the Intercontinental or not, you have to try out its bars and restaurants!
This hotel review is a translation from the French published on our French site Easyvoyage.com.
The first resort under the St Regis umbrella, The Saint Regis Saadiyat Island (not to be confused with The St Regis Abu Dhabi) is one of our favourite places to stay in Abu Dhabi. Not too far from the city centre and with a lovely beach, a lively holiday atmosphere reigns here. The lavish rooms are extremely comfortable and well appointed; the facilities onsite are of a high standard and the sea views and sandy beach earn the resort those extra points for the top position in our Abu Dhabi hotel hotlist. The hotel is the ideal place to stay for guests on holiday (as opposed to business) and attracts a wide-ranging clientele, from families to couples as well as groups of friends.
Good places to eat (several famous restaurants), good places to visit (one club where you can see the young exiles)... Why shouldn't you stay there ? The rooms have no balcony : for once, the view won't be a big deal.
This hotel review is a translation from the French published on our French site Easyvoyage.com.