Al Reem Island hotels & places to stay

The city center is Abu Dhabi’s most important accommodation district, and it presents visitors with the best shopping, dining and entertainment around. While it may not have the glamour and prestige of Dubai, this city and emirate is more mature and not opposed to slowing down and taking life as it comes. Given its excellent infrastructure and commercial attractions, the city center is the preferred place to stay for commercial tourists and business travelers.

Most of the luxury hotels in the city center are on the Corniche, a seaside avenue and promenade brimming with fancy restaurants and high-street shopping venues. The Corniche follows the northern coastline from Port Zayed, with the Persian Gulf on one side and a spread of high-rises on the other. It is also strung with bicycle and jogging paths along with picnic facilities on white-sand beaches. For locals, a favorite way to enjoy the Persian Gulf is with an early evening stroll on the Corniche.

Abu Dhabi’s shopping scene is almost as comprehensive as Dubai’s, with a great selection of venues to choose from here in the city center. Among the best places to shop are Abu Dhabi Mall and the Marina Mall, the latter of which is at the end of the Corniche on an island in the gulf. Traditional souks in the area deal in antiques, Arabian carpets and other exotic merchandise.

Connecting from hotels in the city center to other districts in Abu Dhabi requires hiring a car, hailing a taxi or riding the bus. But for many visitors, it’s hard to think of reason to leave the city center, as all the best beaches, restaurants and entertainment venues are here.