Although finding a place to stay in Abu Dhabi is not difficult as the capital of the United Arab Emirates has a wide range of hotels, we want to give you a selection of what we consider to be the best places to stay in Abu Dhabi to make your search as easy and quick as possible.
Based on our visit to the city, during our trip to Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Rub' al Khali, we leave you a selection of places to stay in Abu Dhabi and the best neighbourhoods and hotels. Let's get started!
Neighbourhoods where to stay in Abu Dhabi
Sometimes forgotten due to having the incredible Dubai as a neighbour, Abu Dhabi is also one of the visits that we recommend you to make if you travel to the United Arab Emirates, as there are not few attractions in the city, which we are sure will not leave you indifferent.
Although many travellers come to the city on a day trip from Dubai, either by rental car, public transport or on an organised tour such as this day trip with a guide in English or this tour in English that includes the Grand Mosque and the Louvre, we recommend, whenever possible, to stay overnight in Abu Dhabi to enjoy the city at sunset and especially to see the sunset at the Sheikh Zayed Mosque, one of the must-see places in Abu Dhabi.
Although there are many places to stay in Abu Dhabi, considering that most travellers are only in the city for one night, we will focus on the most central and recommended areas.
Downtown Abu Dhabi: staying in the Corniche area, the main artery of the city or near the Marina Mall will allow you to be in one of the liveliest and most central areas of the city.
Yas Island: This man-made island is one of the most expensive areas of the city. It is home to the Yas Marina Circuit and Ferrari World.
Saadiyat Island: Known for being home to the impressive Louvre Museum, the Zayed National Museum and the Guggenheim, this is the most cultural island in the city.
Note that the city's main attractions are quite far from each other and, as in Dubai, the city is not particularly pedestrian-friendly, so it's important to hire a car or use public transport to explore the city's attractions.
1. Corniche, the best place to stay in Abu Dhabi
The most central area of the city, which includes the Corniche, the main thoroughfare and the Marina Mall area are, in our experience, the best places to stay in Abu Dhabi.
Although, as mentioned above, the main tourist attractions are far from each other and you'll need to have transport to get around, staying in an area like this, where there is a wide range of hotels and restaurants, will allow you to find accommodation to suit your budget.
You'll also be on the Corniche, Abu Dhabi's promenade, where you can enjoy the beach or stroll along the promenade when the sun goes down and temperatures drop.
Accommodation on the Corniche and Marina Mall is typically priced at 80-100 euros per night although you can find both more affordable and more expensive options.
Find your accommodation in Corniche and Marina Mall here.
Recommended hotels in Corniche and Marina Mall
Here are the most recommended options we have found for accommodation in Corniche and Marina Mall, taking into account the quality/price ratio:
Corniche and Marina Mall, the best place to stay in Abu Dhabi.
2. Yas Island, another of Abu Dhabi's best places to stay in Abu Dhabi
This artificial island, known for being home to the famous Yas Marina circuit and one of the city's most fashionable luxury and leisure areas, is another of the most recommended places to stay in Abu Dhabi.
It's also home to Ferrari World, the Ferrari-themed amusement park, and Yas Waterworld, an Emirati-themed water park.
Although we prefer the downtown area for hotels in Abu Dhabi, this can be a good option if you want to be in a lively area at night and be closer to the Sheikh Zayed Mosque, which is in the adjoining neighbourhood.
Accommodation on Yas Island is usually priced at 70 euros per night although you can find both more affordable and more expensive options.
Search here for your accommodation in Yas Island
Recommended hotels in Yas Island
Here are the most recommended options we have found for accommodation in Yas Island:
Yas Island, another of the areas where to sleep in Abu Dhabi.
3. Saadiyat Island, another option for hotels in Abu Dhabi
Saadiyat Island is known for being home to the impressive Louvre Museum, the Zayed National Museum and the Guggenheim, three of the most important museums in the city and the country.
Although we don't think it's the best option to stay in Abu Dhabi as most hotels are luxury and have very high prices, if you want to be close to these museums, it can be an option to consider.
Keep in mind that as we have repeated several times, the main attractions of the city are quite separated from each other, so we believe it is best to choose to sleep in Abu Dhabi in an area that has a good range of hotels and restaurants and then move by transport to see all the sights.
The price of accommodation on Saadiyat Island is usually 250 euros per night.
Find here your accommodation in Saadiyat Island
Recommended hotels in Saadiyat Island
Here are the most recommended options we have found for accommodation in Saadiyat Island taking into account the quality/price ratio:
Saadiyat Island, another option for accommodation in Abu Dhabi
Our recommended accommodation
In this case, our stay in Abu Dhabi was in an AirBnb flat in the Corniche area a few metres from the beach and the truth is that the experience was perfect.
After our experience, when we return to the city we will definitely stay in this area as we think it is the best place to stay in Abu Dhabi.
Where to stay in Abu Dhabi, one of the most fascinating cities in the world.
Best hotels in Abu Dhabi
In addition to all the places to stay in Abu Dhabi that we have recommended in this post, if you want to enjoy an unforgettable stay in the city and treat yourself, these options we believe are the best to enjoy a few unique days in the city.
Tips for finding cheap accommodation
In addition to the above, here is a selection of recommendations and tips to make finding a hotel to stay in Abu Dhabi quick, easy and convenient.
Interestingly, and contrary to what it may seem, luxury hotels in Abu Dhabi are generally not excessively expensive, so if you feel like treating yourself, this may be a good time to do so.
As we've mentioned before, the main sights are not close to each other, so you'll need transport to visit them. With this in mind, we recommend staying in an area such as the Corniche, one of the liveliest, and visiting from there.
Although most travellers travel to Abu Dhabi for a day trip from Dubai, if you can stay for a night, you won't regret it as you'll be able to enjoy the sunset at the Sheikh Zayed Mosque, one of the most impressive moments of the day.
Remember that to avoid paying commissions and to always have the current exchange rate, we recommend you use the Revolut card and the N26 card, which are the ones we use, are free and will save you a lot of money.
Once you have found the ideal place to sleep in Abu Dhabi you can organise your routes around the city with the following guides and posts:
Travel to Dubai, Abu Dhabi & Rub' al Khali in 9 days
12 must-see places to visit in Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi in a day: the best route
How to get from Dubai to Abu Dhabi (tour or on your own)
