Abu Dhabi Tourism Board

Doing business
Abu Dhabi is in the United Arab Emirates, so Arab business etiquette is the order of the day. This means investing plenty of time building up trust and understanding. While it can take a while to relax into such an environment, the formalities of tea or coffee and what may seem like idle chitter-chatter is your opportunity to slow down and get to know new partners. Expect evening entertainment to be long and generous. With the UAE dirham pegged to the US dollar, you can afford to put your hand in your pocket to reciprocate – if your hosts will let you.

Cool hotel
The Beach Rotana Hotel & Towers (www.rotana.com; doubles from £100) is one of the most popular haunts in town. While the rooms are swanky enough, the main attractions are the beach and excellent restaurants. The hotel is joined on to Abu Dhabi Mall, so there’s no excuse to avoid buying your hosts a small gift while picking up something to take home.

Hip restaurant
The outdoor terrace at Prego’s at the Beach Rotana is one of the best places to entertain clients over a long lunch. While not distinctively Arabian, the quality Italian fare on offer here is the best in the city.

Happening bar
You’ll generally only find alcohol in hotel bars and restaurants. The Hilton (Corniche Rd West) is home to the city’s best cocktail menu and live music at the Jazz Bar, while Hemingway’s offers incongruous Latin American flavours.

Must-see sights
The Palace Fort (www.cultural.org.ae) is the oldest building in Abu Dhabi and dates from 1761. The Fort isn’t strictly open to casual visitors, but you can ask to be shown around by enquiring at the nearby Cultural Foundation. A nose around the colossal Emirates Palace Hotel will give you a view of the modern city, and just maybe make you pause for thought before declaring Dubai’s Burj al-Arab to be Arabia’s finest hotel.

Getting downtown
Make use of the convenient airport check-in at the City Terminal opposite Beach Rotana Hotel. There are shuttle buses to and from the airport, as well as taxis costing around £10.

The details
Like the rest of the United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi is four hours ahead of GMT – note, though, that time remains constant throughout the year. Exchange rate: £1 = 7 UAE dirham. There are plenty of expats in Abu Dhabi so English is widely spoken in business. That said, a few words of Arabic will be hugely appreciated – even if it’s as minimal as the occasional 'shukran' (thank you).

Getting there
You can fly to Abu Dhabi with national carrier Etihad, British Airways and bmi. Etihad and bmi also fly from Manchester; Etihad also flies from Dublin. Fares are competitive and start at around £300 return.

The carbon cost
A return flight from London Heathrow to Abu Dhabi will cover 11,976km and emit 1.3 tonnes of CO2. Offset this with The CarbonNeutral Company starting from £9.75.

INSIDER’S TIP
“Take a tour of the Sheikh Zayed Mosque, one of the largest in the world. It's one of the most worthwhile cultural experiences in Abu Dhabi and visitors will be given the chance to gain a unique insight into the religion and culture of the Emirates. The Sheikh Zayed Mosque is open for guided educational tours commencing at 10am to 11.30am from Sunday to Thursday”
Angela Bates, Trade Promotions Senior Executive, Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority

Compiled by Tom Hall on behalf of Lonely Planet. www.lonelyplanet.com

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