Dubaiexile

After 16 years living in Dubai, I now face having to move to Abu Dhabi for a new position, yes I suppose I could commute but I do not fancy doing that at all!
Also Abu Dhabi is not somewhere that I have spent anytime in at all apart from occasional meetings, and even then I have found the place utterly confusing with the lack of road signage!
Now the office will be next to Al Wahda Mall, so I would appreciate any tips to where would be the best place to find accomodation, not after anywhere flash just a nice area, so please feel free to put your recommendatons forward!
And Iggle I know where the The Trap and 49`ers are so I do not need a hand with night life (no pun intended)!

iggle

Reeam Island, Mariana Square, Gate Towers are your best bet. Close as well, 10 min drive!

Lightandbitter

you live on Reem and can't spell it. Sums you up pal.

Mariana Sq.......... you cock

DXBtoDOH

Reem Island is filled with misogynists who can't spell. And has no personality. The buildings are widely scattered, getting around is a pain and there's nothing to do there. Traffic in/out is apparently a pain during rush hour.

My personal preference would be Saadiyat Beach Residences on Saadiyat Island. Quick entry into AD via the Corniche yet only 50 minutes from Dubai Marina. Great beach there, St. Regis Hotel is available for drinks. Waitrose market as well.

Al Rayaana in Khalifa City just off-island is a pleasant low-rise apartment community bordering a golf course (sort of their version of the Greens). Longer commute to your office but on weekends only 45 minutes from Dubai Marina.

On the island itself it's not so much the area but the building. Just about anywhere on the island there's a handful of nice new towers with amenities, with 1980s buildings with no amenities and filled with Syrian expats for your neighbours and a mini Mumbai in the rear. Khalidiya used to be where lots of western expats lived but not sure if that's the case these days.

If you want to be very close to the office you should be able to find a building nearby that meets your standard and budget. Just walk around till you find a likely suspect. But if you want a western expat community, your best bets are Saadiyat, Rayaana, Raha Beach, and yes, Reem.

iggle

arabic isn't my native tongue..

archie159

How about telling us what you actually need? How many bedrooms? Do you have family? What's your budget? etc.

(Not sure what you mean by lack of road signage - I find AD far, far easier to navigate around than Dubai. The only confusion is the recent renaming of streets, where 3/4 of the main roads are now named after very similar sounding members of the ruling family. But at least they have reinstated the numbers again)

Bahtatboy

I found AD infuriating with respect to road names. There are 3 systems: number, official name and nickname (for want of a better term). The numbering system is simple, logical and well-signed: perfect. The official names (for the major roads) are also well-signed. But what do most people do? Use the nicknames: fine if you've been there for aeons, but for newcomers and those who don't have the opportunity to learn all the nicknames (or can't get their heads round why a perfectly logical system is disregarded), it's madness. What made it worse for me was that those who used the nicknames refused to use the numbering system to the point of almost denying the very existence of the system, despite the abundant signage and its logicality. Agghhhhh.....

Have they implemented the to-the-door postal system yet?

flood2

the only problem getting off Reem Island is at the turn onto Salam St at the lights if you are heading East. If you are going to Al Wanda Mall area it is never a problem. Taxis each way from Reem would costs about 10AED each way of you didn't have parking at office.

I stay in Gate Tower and there is enough around here at Boutik to keep you fed and entertained

Dubaiexile

New Company are putting me in a hotel for the first month, so it gives me breathing space to look around, it is strange as I have friends who have lived in Abu Dhabi before and said they preferred it to Dubai....I, at this stage do not understand the fascination with the place!!
Than you for all the responses.

Bahtatboy

I lived in both (AD first, then Dubai) and liked both. AD moves at a slower pace, and on balance I preferred it because it has something of a single, central point (the Corniche) whereas I couldn't find the heart of Dubai (and its main artery has no appeal). Although I must say that I was getting a bit bored of AD after 3 years, and the move to Dubai opened up new opportunities; I think doing it in reverse could make life seem more relaxed, but much will depend on where you live and if the commute is hell.

TGFKASE

I did Dubai first, then AbDab...

Every time I drive back to AbDab from a day out in Dubai, I cant help feeling like I did when I lived in a small rural village in NE Scotland, heading home from a day out in Aberdeen... Ah well, back to the village then....

DXBtoDOH

It's called denial

AD is a quiet place. I'm told that the sense of community is better in AD, whatever that means. Probably because the expat crowd is much smaller so everyone "knows" each other and frequent the same handful of bars/restaurants. It can be more laid back from a certain perspective. Some people like that. Just as some people like living in small villages in the middle of the Highlands. Likewise, many Arabs prefer AD because it does feel much more "Arabic" than Dubai.

Me, personally, thinks Dubai can be as quiet as you want it to be, but when you want excitement, it's right there and more accessible. And I like the buzz. Dubai has a je ne sais quoi AD doesn't. It's not surprising those who made the transition the best are those with families content to have a quiet life. Singles will probably find it harder.

FYI it's not the end of the world. Dubai is still only slightly more than a hour away

iggle

Ream was manic this morning. It was like a great big convention of shite white under-powered Asian cars driven by women.

Millhouse

AD is a far nicer place. Good move in my opinion. And I've lived in Dubai longer than I did AD.

scrubbedexpat141

The road system always had one of those options. Formal name, number or common name. Never ever seemed to have all of them for you to reference.

'We're on 3rd and Hamdan' (or whatever).

Get to 3rd....it's only labelled as Electra (or whatever).

Stupid way to use a very good grid system.