You know that constant Dubai/Abu Dhabi argument you have with your friends? Which city is nicer/better/stronger? Well, I was always Team Dubai all the way. I based my Abu Dhabi judgement on a one visit a couple years a go to Ferrari World and F1 (shame on me I know). For some reason I thought that there wasn't much you can do in Abu Dhabi! Little did I know.
Last week I visited Abu Dhabi for a couple of days to celebrate the launch of AlOthman Boutique on FarFetch.com in a private dinner hosted by Style.com Arabia at the extravagant 7-stars hotel Emirates Palace. And what an eye-opener that visit was to me.
Last week I visited Abu Dhabi for a couple of days to celebrate the launch of AlOthman Boutique on FarFetch.com in a private dinner hosted by Style.com Arabia at the extravagant 7-stars hotel Emirates Palace. And what an eye-opener that visit was to me.
We stayed at Jumeirah at Etihad Towers, which had the most scenic views of the beach and Emirates Palace Hotel. On the day of the dinner I had little time to explore the city. I had lunch at a French restaurant called Brasserie Angélique. The restaurant is beautifully decorated in an art-deco kind of style, I felt like I was really having lunch in Paris! The food was very tasty, original French, quality of ingredients in the food was of a high standard, and the service very attentive.
The next day we had 3-4 hours to spend on a mini tour around the city, there are so many things you can do! And thanks to the amazing Abu Dhabi local Alia Al Qassimi, I wouldn't have known about all these hidden gems: The water park (for kids), kayaking tour through Mangrove Lagoon National Park, which looked absolutely breathtaking and it's on top of my to-do list next time I travel, visiting Manarat al Saadiyat (more on that in a separate post), the amazing beach clubs, and so much more!
So now I'm team Dubai AND team Abu Dhabi. I realized that these magical cities compliment each other. Actually I'm inclined to believe that Abu Dhabi will be the next top touristic destination for people who want to feel UAE's rich culture and to feed their minds on the creativity and the educational stuff being showcased at they current and soon-to-come museums.
Abu Dhabi.. I heart you.
The view from my room at Jumeirah at Etihad Towers
The all lemon menu at a cafe in Emirates Palace Hotel
ATM machine that dispenses gold... The rich life!
Part of the "souk-like" theme of the private dinner event held by Style.com Arabia x FetFetch for AlOthman
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