Emirates Palace: an extraordinary Abu Dhabi hotel
Mandarin Oriental
Abu Dhabi Hotel Review
The kind of place you should stay at least once in your life:
an ultra-luxurious “7-star” hotel—a nickname, rather than an official rating.
If you’re traveling to Abu Dhabi, UAE, this is one place
I’d seriously consider splurging on. Yes, we’re talking about full-on seven-star luxury.It really is that kind of hotel.
Most people base their UAE trip in Dubai,
but for this hotel alone,
I’d recommend spending one night in Abu Dhabi.
Especially if it’s your honeymoon!
Make it the last night of your UAE trip,
and finish on a high note. You can live like royalty for a night.
The reviews are overwhelmingly glowing.
One Korean reviewer basically said, “Scrape together the money and go.”
Another had stayed at dozens of luxury hotels around the world
and said none topped this one—not even Burj Al Arab in Dubai!
The hotel? Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental, Abu Dhabi.
The usual rate I found was $1,043 per night,
but with some digging, you can find nights around ₩600,000–₩700,000, roughly $450–$525.
Trip.com usually had the lower prices, while MyRealTrip was more expensive.
MyRealTrip stayed pretty consistently around $1,118.
Agoda was showing $968 when I checked.
I’ve included the links if you want to take a look!
Trip.com : Rates around $596.
While writing this, I also noticed that
Grand Hyatt Abu Dhabi Hotel & Residenceshad rates around $149—just something to keep in mind!
Agoda : You can occasionally find rates around $596, but $968 was more typical.
The café here is famous for its
gold-dusted cappuccino,and plenty of people visit on tours just to try it.
What surprised me was how many spots here carried the same Le Café name.Yes, Le Café!
It seemed to pop up everywhere.
At roughly ₩35,000–₩50,000 a cup—about $25–$36—it’s pricey, but worth trying for the experience.
Our waiter was quite the salesman, repeatedly suggesting that we order the chocolate cake, too.
We also got cookies—the standard ones that come with the coffee.
A few years ago,
the café changed its name from Episode to Le Café,
and the teacups got a lovely new look along with it.
Though honestly, I thought the old cups were prettier.
Back then, everything arrived on this dazzling
gold tray.
Talk about blindingly shiny!
Check-in: 3:00 p.m.
Check-out: noon.
It’s about 30–40 minutes from Abu Dhabi’s airport.
West Corniche Road, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
This is what it actually looks like—no photo editing.
It was actually built as a royal palace, so
the place is absolutely enormous.
Inside, it feels every bit like a palace, too.
You could show up in an evening gown and fit right in.
If you love taking photos,
or you’re on your honeymoon and want a truly luxurious travel experience,
this Abu Dhabi hotel would be high on my list.
Just don’t expect an ultra-modern property.
Think antique elegance, grand proportions, and the sort of setting where a princess might appear—
more fairytale castle than sleek contemporary hotel.
Everywhere you look, the interiors shimmer with gold.
Even the rooms have a golden palette.
Look at that ceiling.
Pretty magnificent, right?
Everything about it feels lavish.
Even the walk to your room is seriously long—almost airport-terminal long.
And the decorations are as ornate as they come.
This is the view just behind the hotel.
Etihad Towers is much closer than I expected.
There are garden-view, ocean-view, and city-view rooms, and honestly, they’re all beautiful.
Ocean-view rooms cost a little more.
And here’s the pool!
You can see the towers from the water.
For another perspective, head up to the Etihad Towers observation deck.
This is what the hotel looks like from there.
You really get a sense of how enormous it is.
Another incredible feature:
the hotel has a 1.8-kilometer beach.
I wondered why it was so empty,
then realized it was a private beach.
There are even camels down by the sea.
Just casually wandering around!
That’s part of the UAE’s charm.
I’d heard that they used to offer complimentary camel experiences in the evening,
which guests could join,
but I’m not sure whether that’s still available.
This was around 4:00 p.m., I think.
And this is the atmosphere in the evening.
The lighting is beautiful, too—this photo just faces the opposite direction.
The hotel is every bit as lovely after dark.
It’s incredibly spacious, with wonderful views and great service.
It’s also very close to the Presidential Palace, Qasr Al Watan, and Etihad Towers,
making this Abu Dhabi hotel a great base for sightseeing in the UAE capital.
The rooms are spacious and comfortable,
but you should definitely keep the property’s age in mind.
Check room availability
I’ve only included the Trip.com link, since it had the lowest price,
but if you’d like to compare Agoda, too, click here.It’s worth checking both.
Trip.com was also running a flight promotion when I checked!
Booking your flight and hotel together could save you up to 11%, so keep that in mind.
Compare flight + hotel package prices
If you tell the hotel you’re celebrating your honeymoon,
I’ve heard they can arrange rose petals in a heart shape and balloons,
so honeymooners, be sure to mention it!
Can You Visit Abu Dhabi on a Day Trip?
Go Supercar Spotting in Dubai
