Brits in Abu Dhabi
Jun 17th 2007, 9:58 pm
#1
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 6
Brits in Abu Dhabi
Hey there
Have recently accepted a job in Abu Dhabi, will be flying out in a couple of weeks......
Am thinking in advance if there are any particular hotels or places that brits or other ex pats go to, in particular a beach!!!
Any advice on anything would be appreciated!! Have accomm etc arranged by employer so am fine there!!
Thanks
jeni
Have recently accepted a job in Abu Dhabi, will be flying out in a couple of weeks......
Am thinking in advance if there are any particular hotels or places that brits or other ex pats go to, in particular a beach!!!
Any advice on anything would be appreciated!! Have accomm etc arranged by employer so am fine there!!
Thanks
jeni
Jun 18th 2007, 4:46 am
#2
Concierge
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 29,625
Re: Brits in Abu Dhabi
Twinkle is moving to Abu Dhabi soon and you may want to check out www.abudhabiwoman.com
Jun 18th 2007, 5:36 am
#3
Here comes the Sun
Joined: Apr 2007
Location: Here
Posts: 3,478
Re: Brits in Abu Dhabi
Twinkle is moving to Abu Dhabi soon and you may want to check out www.abudhabiwoman.com
Try .../www.alloexpat.com/abu_dhabi_expat_forum/
They are really good and all the info is on the board....I have had a day in Abu dhabi and thats all but it looks really nice
Hope you are used to the extream hot weather....if not put your oven on at 220 for an hour and then stick your head in it.
No honestly it gets that hot...
Jun 18th 2007, 6:59 am
#4
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jan 2007
Location: By the old canal...
Posts: 7,715
Re: Brits in Abu Dhabi
Hi Jeni - welcome to Abu Dhabi.
Beaches in Abu Dhabi where Brits go - by a long chalk, the most popular place would be "the Club" (used to be called the "British Club", they changed the name to make it sound less colonial but the real politik is that it's still predominantly a Brit institution). They have their own beach, and nice facilities. Membership is a bit steep.
You may also want to try the beaches at the Hiltonia, the Beach Rotana and Le Meridien. You can pay a day membership fee at any of these and see which you like best before joining one of them. The golf & equestrian club is also nice, but has no beach. But good golf & gee-gees.
There is a public beach near the Emirates Palace hotel - it is OK but has no facilities and you may get ogled.
Other places where female expats frequent:
a) Hemingways at the Hilton (bar with tex-mex style food, night club & jazz bar)
b) Sax bar at Le Royal Meridien
c) PJ O Reillys at Al Ain Palace (OK for a spit'n'sawdust pub quiz or karaoke nite, if this is your cup of tea. Popular with cabin cew)
d) Heroes sports bar, Crowne Plaza hotel (popular on Thurs nights, the band there is a bunch of brits playing 80's & 90's covers)
e) Trader Vics at the Beach Rotana
f) Any of the pubs in the Meridien Village
g) For your morning Latte (if you're a lady of leisure), the cafes at The One, Spinneys Khaladiya or Le Brioche next to Marks & Sparks
h) If they ever finish renovating the Intercon hotel (!!!), there are some nice waterfront restaurants & bars there. The beach club there is open, and you can get a boat there around the islands which is a good day out.
Avoid bars in hotels with less well known names - there are quite a few dodgy bars that are pretty seedy.
There is a thriving Salsa community in Abu Dhabi which a lot of expats go to - there are 3 salsa nights per week, plus a lot of beach parties & other social things. Check out www.salsaarabia.com or www.salsawithbrando.com for details.
Enjoy - AD is not as cosmopolitan as Dubai, but is a really nice place to live, and developing very quickly. By next year, Al Yas island will be finished & there will be a host of new bars, hotels, leisure resorts. And a formula 1 GP race!!!
Beaches in Abu Dhabi where Brits go - by a long chalk, the most popular place would be "the Club" (used to be called the "British Club", they changed the name to make it sound less colonial but the real politik is that it's still predominantly a Brit institution). They have their own beach, and nice facilities. Membership is a bit steep.
You may also want to try the beaches at the Hiltonia, the Beach Rotana and Le Meridien. You can pay a day membership fee at any of these and see which you like best before joining one of them. The golf & equestrian club is also nice, but has no beach. But good golf & gee-gees.
There is a public beach near the Emirates Palace hotel - it is OK but has no facilities and you may get ogled.
Other places where female expats frequent:
a) Hemingways at the Hilton (bar with tex-mex style food, night club & jazz bar)
b) Sax bar at Le Royal Meridien
c) PJ O Reillys at Al Ain Palace (OK for a spit'n'sawdust pub quiz or karaoke nite, if this is your cup of tea. Popular with cabin cew)
d) Heroes sports bar, Crowne Plaza hotel (popular on Thurs nights, the band there is a bunch of brits playing 80's & 90's covers)
e) Trader Vics at the Beach Rotana
f) Any of the pubs in the Meridien Village
g) For your morning Latte (if you're a lady of leisure), the cafes at The One, Spinneys Khaladiya or Le Brioche next to Marks & Sparks
h) If they ever finish renovating the Intercon hotel (!!!), there are some nice waterfront restaurants & bars there. The beach club there is open, and you can get a boat there around the islands which is a good day out.
Avoid bars in hotels with less well known names - there are quite a few dodgy bars that are pretty seedy.
There is a thriving Salsa community in Abu Dhabi which a lot of expats go to - there are 3 salsa nights per week, plus a lot of beach parties & other social things. Check out www.salsaarabia.com or www.salsawithbrando.com for details.
Enjoy - AD is not as cosmopolitan as Dubai, but is a really nice place to live, and developing very quickly. By next year, Al Yas island will be finished & there will be a host of new bars, hotels, leisure resorts. And a formula 1 GP race!!!
Jun 18th 2007, 7:04 am
#5
Here comes the Sun
Joined: Apr 2007
Location: Here
Posts: 3,478
Re: Brits in Abu Dhabi
Hi Jeni - welcome to Abu Dhabi.
Beaches in Abu Dhabi where Brits go - by a long chalk, the most popular place would be "the Club" (used to be called the "British Club", they changed the name to make it sound less colonial but the real politik is that it's still predominantly a Brit institution). They have their own beach, and nice facilities. Membership is a bit steep.
You may also want to try the beaches at the Hiltonia, the Beach Rotana and Le Meridien. You can pay a day membership fee at any of these and see which you like best before joining one of them. The golf & equestrian club is also nice, but has no beach. But good golf & gee-gees.
There is a public beach near the Emirates Palace hotel - it is OK but has no facilities and you may get ogled.
Other places where female expats frequent:
a) Hemingways at the Hilton (bar with tex-mex style food, night club & jazz bar)
b) Sax bar at Le Royal Meridien
c) PJ O Reillys at Al Ain Palace (OK for a spit'n'sawdust pub quiz or karaoke nite, if this is your cup of tea. Popular with cabin cew)
d) Heroes sports bar, Crowne Plaza hotel (popular on Thurs nights, the band there is a bunch of brits playing 80's & 90's covers)
e) Trader Vics at the Beach Rotana
f) Any of the pubs in the Meridien Village
g) For your morning Latte (if you're a lady of leisure), the cafes at The One, Spinneys Khaladiya or Le Brioche next to Marks & Sparks
h) If they ever finish renovating the Intercon hotel (!!!), there are some nice waterfront restaurants & bars there. The beach club there is open, and you can get a boat there around the islands which is a good day out.
Avoid bars in hotels with less well known names - there are quite a few dodgy bars that are pretty seedy.
There is a thriving Salsa community in Abu Dhabi which a lot of expats go to - there are 3 salsa nights per week, plus a lot of beach parties & other social things. Check out www.salsaarabia.com or www.salsawithbrando.com for details.
Enjoy - AD is not as cosmopolitan as Dubai, but is a really nice place to live, and developing very quickly. By next year, Al Yas island will be finished & there will be a host of new bars, hotels, leisure resorts. And a formula 1 GP race!!!
Beaches in Abu Dhabi where Brits go - by a long chalk, the most popular place would be "the Club" (used to be called the "British Club", they changed the name to make it sound less colonial but the real politik is that it's still predominantly a Brit institution). They have their own beach, and nice facilities. Membership is a bit steep.
You may also want to try the beaches at the Hiltonia, the Beach Rotana and Le Meridien. You can pay a day membership fee at any of these and see which you like best before joining one of them. The golf & equestrian club is also nice, but has no beach. But good golf & gee-gees.
There is a public beach near the Emirates Palace hotel - it is OK but has no facilities and you may get ogled.
Other places where female expats frequent:
a) Hemingways at the Hilton (bar with tex-mex style food, night club & jazz bar)
b) Sax bar at Le Royal Meridien
c) PJ O Reillys at Al Ain Palace (OK for a spit'n'sawdust pub quiz or karaoke nite, if this is your cup of tea. Popular with cabin cew)
d) Heroes sports bar, Crowne Plaza hotel (popular on Thurs nights, the band there is a bunch of brits playing 80's & 90's covers)
e) Trader Vics at the Beach Rotana
f) Any of the pubs in the Meridien Village
g) For your morning Latte (if you're a lady of leisure), the cafes at The One, Spinneys Khaladiya or Le Brioche next to Marks & Sparks
h) If they ever finish renovating the Intercon hotel (!!!), there are some nice waterfront restaurants & bars there. The beach club there is open, and you can get a boat there around the islands which is a good day out.
Avoid bars in hotels with less well known names - there are quite a few dodgy bars that are pretty seedy.
There is a thriving Salsa community in Abu Dhabi which a lot of expats go to - there are 3 salsa nights per week, plus a lot of beach parties & other social things. Check out www.salsaarabia.com or www.salsawithbrando.com for details.
Enjoy - AD is not as cosmopolitan as Dubai, but is a really nice place to live, and developing very quickly. By next year, Al Yas island will be finished & there will be a host of new bars, hotels, leisure resorts. And a formula 1 GP race!!!
Jun 18th 2007, 8:21 am
#6
Just Joined
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 22
Re: Brits in Abu Dhabi
I concur with all of the above advice.
Quite a few brits out here now - pm me if you want to know any more.
Thanks
Rob
Quite a few brits out here now - pm me if you want to know any more.
Thanks
Rob
Jun 18th 2007, 12:37 pm
#7
Concierge
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 29,625
Re: Brits in Abu Dhabi
The Club is full, there is a waiting list for membership
Jun 18th 2007, 12:41 pm
#9
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jan 2007
Location: By the old canal...
Posts: 7,715
Re: Brits in Abu Dhabi
{shakh boot whispers - i have heard that the waiting list is not as democratic a process as one might hope for. Try your luck.}
Jun 18th 2007, 8:42 pm
#12
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 6
Re: Brits in Abu Dhabi
Hey there
Thanks for all the info, am preparing myself for hot weather, have worked in Greece b4, was hot, but not quite middle east hot.....
Sounds like there r lots of places to go, so should be able to keep myself entertained on my days off!!!
Am just waiting for my flight details now, hopefully will arrive soon cos meant to be flying 29 june.... can't wait!!!
Will post bak when i think of more questions...........
Ok - heres one - some people have said that having blonde hair in abu dhabi is a real bad idea, r they talking shite or should i take notice????????????
Cheers
jeni
Thanks for all the info, am preparing myself for hot weather, have worked in Greece b4, was hot, but not quite middle east hot.....
Sounds like there r lots of places to go, so should be able to keep myself entertained on my days off!!!
Am just waiting for my flight details now, hopefully will arrive soon cos meant to be flying 29 june.... can't wait!!!
Will post bak when i think of more questions...........
Ok - heres one - some people have said that having blonde hair in abu dhabi is a real bad idea, r they talking shite or should i take notice????????????
Cheers
jeni
Jun 19th 2007, 3:41 am
#13
Here comes the Sun
Joined: Apr 2007
Location: Here
Posts: 3,478
Re: Brits in Abu Dhabi
Hey there
Thanks for all the info, am preparing myself for hot weather, have worked in Greece b4, was hot, but not quite middle east hot.....
Sounds like there r lots of places to go, so should be able to keep myself entertained on my days off!!!
Am just waiting for my flight details now, hopefully will arrive soon cos meant to be flying 29 june.... can't wait!!!
Will post bak when i think of more questions...........
Ok - heres one - some people have said that having blonde hair in abu dhabi is a real bad idea, r they talking shite or should i take notice????????????
Cheers
jeni
Thanks for all the info, am preparing myself for hot weather, have worked in Greece b4, was hot, but not quite middle east hot.....
Sounds like there r lots of places to go, so should be able to keep myself entertained on my days off!!!
Am just waiting for my flight details now, hopefully will arrive soon cos meant to be flying 29 june.... can't wait!!!
Will post bak when i think of more questions...........
Ok - heres one - some people have said that having blonde hair in abu dhabi is a real bad idea, r they talking shite or should i take notice????????????
Cheers
jeni
...Dye your hair brown before you come out here.
Jun 19th 2007, 4:40 am
#14
Concierge
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 29,625
Re: Brits in Abu Dhabi
Hey there
Thanks for all the info, am preparing myself for hot weather, have worked in Greece b4, was hot, but not quite middle east hot.....
Sounds like there r lots of places to go, so should be able to keep myself entertained on my days off!!!
Am just waiting for my flight details now, hopefully will arrive soon cos meant to be flying 29 june.... can't wait!!!
Will post bak when i think of more questions...........
Ok - heres one - some people have said that having blonde hair in abu dhabi is a real bad idea, r they talking shite or should i take notice????????????
Cheers
jeni
Thanks for all the info, am preparing myself for hot weather, have worked in Greece b4, was hot, but not quite middle east hot.....
Sounds like there r lots of places to go, so should be able to keep myself entertained on my days off!!!
Am just waiting for my flight details now, hopefully will arrive soon cos meant to be flying 29 june.... can't wait!!!
Will post bak when i think of more questions...........
Ok - heres one - some people have said that having blonde hair in abu dhabi is a real bad idea, r they talking shite or should i take notice????????????
Cheers
jeni
Jun 19th 2007, 5:11 am
#15
Account Closed
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 244
Re: Brits in Abu Dhabi
Jeni
I'm in Al Ain been here 3 weeks now. Went to Abu Dhabi with my husband on business the first week we were here and we stayed at the Beach Rotana which was fantastic got treated like royalty. We have joined the Rotana Rewards club ehich gives us discounts on rom rates etc and have since stayed at Towers Rotana in Dubai equally fantastic. I have blonde hair also and get stared at all the time. It's just curiosity on the part of the Arabs and Indians as they are not used to seeing blonde women. I also wear red framed glasses which makes it worse but now after three weeks I just ignore the stares. Be careful not to stare back though!
I'm in Al Ain been here 3 weeks now. Went to Abu Dhabi with my husband on business the first week we were here and we stayed at the Beach Rotana which was fantastic got treated like royalty. We have joined the Rotana Rewards club ehich gives us discounts on rom rates etc and have since stayed at Towers Rotana in Dubai equally fantastic. I have blonde hair also and get stared at all the time. It's just curiosity on the part of the Arabs and Indians as they are not used to seeing blonde women. I also wear red framed glasses which makes it worse but now after three weeks I just ignore the stares. Be careful not to stare back though!