Paddy09

I would appreciate your advice regrading accommodation in Abu Dhabi. I had read threads on this forum about how crazy it is here but of course I had to see it to believe it.

Im looking for a one bed apartment or studio apartment for my wife and I. She will arrive in 2 weeks. Yesterday I arranged to view a few apartments with a dodgy Moroccan letting agent (i didnt know that til i met him of course). He drove me around AD for an hour in crazy traffic while showing me run down apartments that are currently available and the asking prices ranged from 130,000-140,000DHS pa. unfurnished with no parking.

I am currently staying in a hotel apartment which is costing 450-500DHS per night. Its nothing spectacular buts its comfortable, clean and the staff are very friendly which makes it an ok place to stay. If I stayed there for a year it would cost me SAY approx 160,000DHS pa. If we stayed there:
(1) We would have no crazy lease agreement
(2) No furniture etc. to buy
(3) No other bills to pay unless I use the hotel services; plus
(4) Its alot nicer than the apartments ive seen.
(5) I have 6 weeks off a year so I would not need to rent it then.

To me, it seems like im better off staying with my hotel apartment. Please let me know your opinion as I have found this forum to be a great source of advice.

I know moving out off island would reduce the rent a bit and commuting to Dubai is also an other option, but so far to me it seems like renting an apartment in AD is the worst option going. We could stay in the hotel until we find somewhere suitable.

Thunderbirds Are Go

i was also looking at hotel apts, but i couldn't find a 3 bed for less than 330k/year.

my advice - go with the hotel apartments, and negotiate on the annual rent. your bills should be covered (tv, internet, maid cleaning couple of times/week, laundry service, gas/electric & ac!). plus, you may get a dedicated parking space.

Hello.Kitty

yup, we were seriously considering hotel apartments as an option, albeit in Dubai simply for the flexibility, as well as the reasons you listed above. We worked out that it'd work out at about the same price per annum as a flat once you included agent's fees, set-up fees, telecoms, bills, A/C and cleaning, say 3 times a week.

Try to negotiate a good deal on a longer short-term lease... and maybe you'll even get breakfast thrown in!

Thunderbirds Are Go

tamani hotel in dubai marina had great rates (i believe 3 beds were 162k aed all in, apart from telephone). 2 great pools, gym, breakfast at 6am free, and sea views...

too bad i moved to abu dhabi...

Millhouse

Go for a Hotel Apartment until you are more wise to how things work. You will then find somewhere to live.

Personally, I wouldn't like to be in a serviced hotel as it wouldn't never be "home".

Autonomy

Agree - our first 2 months in Dubai 5 years ago were in a hotel apartment and they were great for a while, but you really are not "home" there. However they are very convenient and relatively affordable base to start from.

Perhaps try to do a 3 month deal with the place you're in?

Norm_uk

I'm sure the hotel would give you better rates as well if you said you wanted to stay for a year...

It's a sad state of affairs when a hotel is a better option on a yearly basis than renting and goes to show just how greedy and capricious Abu Dhabi landlords.

Personally I would take the Dubai option depending on where my office is and if I need to be there a lot. Rents in Dubai are 50% - 75% ++ cheaper for the same sort of property.

N.

Hello.Kitty

I loved being in a hotel apartment - there's not much difference in terms of homeliness to a fully-furnished apartment apart from you have all mod-cons sorted out for you.

Abu Andy

I have been in Abu Dhabi for nearly 5 months now and I am still staying in Le Meridien Residence Apartments. You get full use of their facilities; gym, spa, tennis courts, private beach and pool area.
The hotel is also an ideal location for AD Mall, Captains Arms and NRG but is still only a 15 AED taxi to the top end of the corniche.
After paying tax its still less than 500 AED per night and like you say you have no hidden extras or crazy contracts, which suits me being on 6 month contracts.

A.A.

Norm_uk

So it's more or less the same as an average decent 1 bedroom apartment (unfurnished) in the city...and I bet you don't have to pay a year or even six months in advance do you?

Goes to show how utterly messed up Abu Dhabi has become when you can stay in a fully service apartment for the same or less as a private unfurnished residence.

N.

Hello.Kitty

we did the maths on living in a 2-bed apartment in JBR - albeit paying rent at last September's prices (ie 190k) - and all-in (incl internet, telly, phone, utilities, cleaning 3 times a week and fees), it came to around 500 per night. But that didn't include furnishing it... or breakfast.

ctfc

Would be grateful for any recent info on prices - also looking at 6 months in AD and serviced/hotel apartments look like the way forward!

Boomhauer

Downside , which may not be an issue for some people, is not having your own washer and dryer. Maybee you could talk the hotel into letting you bring one into the apartment.

ctfc

Beach Rotana's serviced apartments have washer/dryer apparently

Hello.Kitty

both the serviced apartments we stayed in in Dubai had washers, but not dryers (apart from the clothes-horse airers)