Hilton Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi

The Cranley Report®: Hilton Abu Dhabi

Hilton Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi

Hotel Address

Corniche Road
PO Box 877
Abu Dhabi
United Arab Emirates

Cranley Rating

Hilton Abu Dhabi

Photo 1 of 34. Click to enlarge

Hotel Summary

Category

Resort Hotel

Awards Won

2007 - Time Out Restaurant Awards
BiCE - 2 awards: Best Business Lunch / Best Italian Restaurant
Vascos - 1 award: Highly commended
Hemingways - 1 award: Best Bar Food
Jazz Bar & Dining - 1 award: Best International Restaurant
2006 - What’s On restaurants awards
Bice; Best Italian Restaurant Abu Dhabi / Dubai
2005 - What’ On awards for year
Favourite Arabian Restaurant in Abu Dhabi Award for Al Mawal Restaurant.
Favourite Bar in Abu Dhabi for the Jazz Bar

Hotel Opened	1976
Refurbishment	Refurbished in the last three years: Discothèque/nightclub Jazz Bar and Dinning Lobby Hemingway's Lobby lounge Opened in the last three years Cinnabar - Club/Lounge (March 2008) Jazz Bar and Dinning Royal Orchid Restaurant

Cranley Summary

The Hilton is one of the original hotels to be built in Abu Dhabi. It is located on the Corniche near the city centre with it’s own private beach. The Hiltonia Health Club and Spa is located across the road from the main hotel and is accessed via an underpass. It includes a purpose built gym and spa, three swimming pools, a private beach and water sports centre as well as a number of restaurants, a pool bar and beach bar. Within the hotel there are several award winning restaurants ranging in cuisine from Lebanese to South American, Italian and International, as well as a lively Jazz Bar. There are a selection of rooms and suites at Hilton Abu Dhabi with the basic rooms starting at a compact 26²m and increasing in size, the largest suite being 115²m. Situated at the city’s edge the hotel has a comprehensive range of conference, function and meeting rooms available that are suitable for most types of events.

Hotel Location & Layout

Location Description

Hilton Abu Dhabi is located towards the end of the Corniche near the Emirates Palace on the city side of the Corniche road, with an underpass in front of the hotel that connects with the Hiltonia Beach Club. Its location gives it the benefit of being just about one kilometer from the city centre, placing it near the business district and shopping areas, whilst also benefiting from a beach front location. Abu Dhabi Golf Club is a short distance away and the horse racing track is 25 kilometers away, providing additional leisure options for guests.

Airports
Distance	38 km
Airport Transfers	Taxi Transfers

Cities and Sights
Distance	1 km
City/Sight Transfers	Taxi Transfers

Layout Description

The hotel is split in two parts: the main hotel complex is on the city side of the Corniche Road with the Hiltonia Beach Club and Spa on the other side of the road. The two sites are connected by an underpass under the Corniche. Within the hotel the majority of the restaurants, boutiques, coffee shops and banqueting rooms are located on the ground and first floors, with the boutiques located on the ground floor. The Jazz bar and Hemingway’s have a separate entrance outside, at the rear of the hotel, to ensure guests are not disturbed. The two private tennis courts are located behind the main hotel. The Hiltonia Beach Club is home to three swimming pools, Vascos and Coconut Bay restaurants, and the purpose built Health Club and Spa complex.

Lobby & Guest Relations

Open Hours	24 Hours
Languages Spoken	English, Arabic, German, French, Russian, Spanish
Payment Methods	All major credit cards accepted
Foreign Exchange	24 Hours All major currencies exchanged at reception There is also a bank on the first floor
Taxis Arranged	Taxis are on standby for guests
Tours Arranged	A full range of tours and tailor made packages can be organised through the Concierge to include: Abu Dhabi City tours Al Ain City tours Camel Riding Desert Safaris Dhow tours Dinner Cruises Dubai City tours Fishing trips Liwa full day safaris Night at the Races Oman Dhow tour Sand Skiing Sharjah and Ajman City tours Snorkelling or Scuba Diving Wadi Hatta or Hajar Mountains Snorkelling, Scuba Diving and Fishing trips are organised at the Hiltonia Water Sports Club.

Guest Relations	10th floor Executive guests have a dedicated check in desk in the lobby or can be checked in at the 10th floor executive reception
Concierge Services	The Concierge to the left as you enter the hotel is on hand 24 hours a day and will assist you with any arrangements including tours, restaurant reservations, limousines and airport transfers. Avis Car Rental in the long lobby is open from 08:00 – 13:00, 16:00 – 19:00 Saturday to Thursday
Medical Facilities	The hotel has a clinic open from 09:00 to 17:00, five days a week, with a nurse on duty. A doctor comes in for 90 minutes a day from 14:00 to 15:30. Outside of these hours a doctor can be called with 30 minutes notice.
Parking	Complimentary valet parking for 203 cars

Cranley Comment

The entrance lobby to the Hilton Abu Dhabi has high ceilings and is square in shape with chandeliers, light brown marble flooring and dark wood panelling. In the centre there is a lobby lounge where hot and cold soft drinks are served. To the left there is an upmarket jewellers ‘Kahram’ and the Lebanese restaurant and ladies and gent’s toilet facilities. A long passage leads out to the tennis courts and Hemingways restaurant and Jazz bar. To the right is the business centre and three of the five hotel lifts and a sweeping staircase that leads to the first floor restaurants and conference centre. The Concierge desk, Reception desk, Avis car hire, and a selection of boutiques shops are located down a wide hall leading off the lobby to the left. The Vienna Plaza Austrian Café is situated at the end of this hall, and there are two additional panoramic guest lifts leading to the BiCE restaurant and guest rooms.

Shops & Amenities

Description

Avis Car Hire
08:00 to 13:00, 16:00 to 19:00 Saturday to Thursday

Lobby Boutiques:
Silwan Gifts (Palestinian heritage gifts)
10:00 to 22:00 Saturday to Thursday
10:00 to 13:30, 16:30 to 22:00 Friday
Kahraman Jewellery
10:00 to 13:30, 16:30 - 22:00 Saturday to Thursday
The Book Shop
08:00 to 22:00 Saturday to Thursday
10:00 to 22:00 Friday
Arabian Gifts
09:00 to 22:00 Saturday to Thursday
10:00 to 22:00 Friday
Sinikka's Gallery (Art)
10:00 to 13:30, 16:00 to 21:00 7 days a week
Classic Touch (Arabian gifts)
10:00 13:00, 17:00 to 22:00 Saturday to Thursday
17:00 to 22:00 Friday
Fresh Flower Shop
18:00 to 17:00 7 days a week
Tadmor Jewellers
10:00 to 13:00, 17:00 to 22:00 Saturday to Thursday
Closed on Fridays
Belgian Sweets
10:00 to 13:00, 17:00 to 11:00 7 days a week

Hotel 1st Floor:
Ladies Hair Salon
10:00 to 20:00 Saturday to Thursday
Forever Young: beauty salon offering facials, eye care, make up, waxing and massages
10:00 to 20:00 Saturday to Thursday. Bookings can sometimes be made out of normal hours
National Bank of Abu Dhabi
09:00 to 12:00, 17:00 to 22:00 Saturday to Wednesday
O9:00 to 12:00 Thursday

Hiltonia Health Club and Spa:
Ladies Salon: offering hairdressing, pedicures and manicures (more specialised treatments are available from the Spa)
10.00 to 20.00 Saturday to Thursday
Men's Salon
10.00 to 20.00 Saturday to Thursday

Cranley Comment

The hotel has a selection of boutiques within the lobby area for essential items, reading materials and gifts. The opening times of the boutiques vary, The Book Shop is generally open from 08:00 in the morning to 22:00 at night with most of the others closing during the afternoon. In addition to the hotel boutiques, there is an array of shopping outlets just a short taxi ride away at many of Abu Dhabi's large Malls and authentic Arabic shops.

Rooms, Suites & Villas

Number of Floors	10
Total Rooms	325
Elevators	5
Rooms per Elevator	65
Total Staff	512
Staff per Room	1.6

Check-in Time	14:00
Check-out Time	12:00
Late Checkout	Up to 18:00 subject to availability
Smoking Rooms	With the exception of the Emirates Suite there is a full selection of 101 non-smoking rooms available.
Room Service	24 hour room service is available. Breakfast 06:00 to 11:00 All Day Dining 10:00 to 23:00 Healthy Options – Available 24 hrs
Laundry Service	Same-day laundry services. Clothes handed in before 10:00 will be returned by 18:00. For the 3 hour Express Service, and on Fridays and public holidays, there is an additional charge applied. The Pressing Service is available Saturday to Thursday between 08:00 to 17:00.

Club or Executive Facilities

The Executive Lounge is a 200²m non-smoking lounge located on the 10th floor with its own dedicated reception area. The Executive Lounge overlooks the Corniche and the Ocean and has a number of sofas and armchairs, dining tables, two computer stations, plasma screens and two smaller rooms leading from it at either end. Children are allowed in the Executive Lounge.

Facilities and services include:

Check-in and check-out in the lounge or at a dedicated desk on the ground floor
Complimentary breakfast in the lounge from 06:30 to 10:30
Complimentary afternoon tea from 15:00 to 16:30
Complimentary cocktails from 18:00 to 23:00
Canapes served from 18:00 to 21:00
Complimentary newspapers
2 Business rooms (off the main lounge) one with plasma television
2 computer terminals with a high speed internet connection
Wireless Internet
Complimentary 2 piece suit pressing (per stay)
Complimentary airport pickup and drop off

Cranley Comment

The Hilton Abu Dhabi has a number of different room types with either ocean or garden views but they do not have balconies. The basic room type is the King Hilton which is 26²m in size. The King Hilton Plus has ocean views and the Executive Rooms benefit from the additional facilities and services of the Executive Lounge. There are 36 interconnecting rooms in total. The Executive Lounge was refurbished four years ago and is located on the 10th floor. All the other room types and suites are larger, some with equipped kitchens for longer staying guests.

Type of Room, Views & Facilities

Type	No.	View	Facilities	Max. Occupancy	Size m2
King Hilton Guest Room	96	Garden View	Electronic locking system Viewfinder spy hole Individually controlled air-conditioning DDL line Work space/desk High speed Internet access Television Satellite TV Movie channels In room video games Radio/alarm CD Player – on request Sofa Cot – on request Roll out bed – on request Interconnecting rooms Large safe suitable for laptop Mini-bar Iron and ironing board Tea and coffee making facilities En-suite bathroom Bath tub with fitted shower over it Bidet Bathrobes Slippers Shaving point Retractable drying cord Hairdryer Telephone Luxury Crabtree and Evelyn toiletries	2 Adults	26

Cranley Comment

The King Hilton Rooms are a compact at 26²m with Garden views. They benefit from floor to ceiling windows some also having a floor to ceiling mirror, giving an illusion of greater space. The rooms themselves are either decorated in a light or dark wood contemporary style with matching wood furniture, mirrors, lamps and framed pictures. Of the 96 rooms 60 have king-sized beds and the remaining 36 are twins. Each room is equipped with a television, a writing desk and chair, sofa or two separate chairs and coffee table, UK sockets and chargeable Internet access, a small mini bar area and closet. The bathrooms are functional and have a bath with a shower over it, bidet and a marble surround basin and large mirror, bathrobes, slippers, and luxury Crabtree and Evelyn toiletries. Many of the rooms are interconnecting, none of the rooms have balconies.

Type	No.	View	Facilities	Max. Occupancy	Size m2
King Hilton Plus Room	106	Ocean View	As for the King Hilton with the added benefit of: Ocean view	2 Adults	26

Cranley Comment

The King Hilton Plus Rooms are also a compact at 26²m and have the added benefit of Ocean views. They benefit from floor to ceiling windows some also having a floor to ceiling mirror, giving an illusion of greater space. The rooms themselves are either decorated in a light or dark wood contemporary style with matching wood furniture, mirrors, lamps and framed pictures. Of the 106 rooms 65 have king-sized beds and the remaining 41 are twins. Each room is equipped with a television, a writing desk and chair, sofa or two separate chairs and coffee table, UK sockets and chargeable Internet access, a small mini bar area and closet. The bathrooms are functional and have a bath with a shower over it, bidet and a marble surround basin and large mirror, bathrobes, slippers, and luxury Crabtree and Evelyn toiletries. Many of the rooms are interconnecting, none of the rooms have balconies.

Type	No.	View	Facilities	Max. Occupancy	Size m2
King Hilton Executive Room	78	Garden View/ Sea View	As for the King Hilton and the King Hilton Plus rooms with the added benefit of: Access to the Executive Club lounge on the 10th floor Complimentary airport pickup and drop off Complimentary internet access Bathroom weighing scales Shaving mirror	2 Adults	26

Cranley Comment

The King Hilton Executive Rooms are the same size as the King Hilton and King Hilton Plus Standard Rooms with Garden and/ or Ocean views. They benefit from access to the Executive Lounge on the 10th floor. Many of the King Hilton Executive Rooms have floor to ceiling window across a third of the wall with the remaining two thirds being a floor to ceiling mirror giving the room a sense of more space. The rooms themselves are decorated in a contemporary style with light wood furniture and gold edged mirrors, lamps and framed pictures. Of the 78 rooms 56 have king-sized beds and the remaining 22 are twins. Each room is equipped with a television, a writing desk and chair, sofa or two separate chairs and coffee table, UK sockets and Internet access, a small mini bar area and closet. The bathrooms are functional and have a bath with a shower over it, bidet and a marble surround basin and large mirror, bathrobes, slippers, and luxury Crabtree and Evelyn toiletries. Many of the rooms are interconnecting, none of the rooms have balconies.

Type	No.	View	Facilities	Max. Occupancy	Size m2
King Hilton Deluxe Room	9	City View	As for the King Hilton Executive rooms with the added benefit of: Extra space	2 Adults and 1 extra bed	38

Cranley Comment

The King Hilton Deluxe Rooms are one room studio suites and are 38²m in size. They are decorated in the similar contemporary styles of the Hilton, Hilton Plus and Hilton Executive rooms. On entering, there is an en-suite bathroom directly in front with the room itself being rectangular in shape, a king bed at one end. Each room is equipped with a television, a writing desk and chair, sofa and two separate chairs and coffee table, UK sockets and Internet access, a small mini bar area and closet. The bathrooms have a bath with a shower over it, bidet and a marble surround basin and large mirror, bathrobes, slippers, and luxury Crabtree and Evelyn toiletries. The Hilton Deluxe rooms have city views, none of the rooms have balconies.

Type	No.	View	Facilities	Max. Occupancy	Size m2
King Junior Suite	14	Garden View/ Sea View	As for the King Hilton Deluxe rooms with the added benefit of: Kitchenette area Separate bedroom 2 televisions 2 double closets	2 Adults and 1 extra bed	57

Cranley Comment

The King Junior Suites have a separate lounge and bedroom area with garden/sea views. The suites benefits from an entrance hall with a bar/kitchenette off to one side of the living area which has a sofa and chairs with coffee table, a writing desk, chair and television. The separate bedroom has additional closet space and an additional television. The rooms are decorated in a contemporary style with rich colours and dark wood furniture. Guests staying in Junior Suites have access to the Executive Lounge on the 10th floor.

Type	No.	View	Facilities	Max. Occupancy	Size m2
King Residential Suite	12	Garden View	As per the King Junior Suite with the added benefit of: Extra Space – suites are between 57 - 87²m Fully fitted kitchen Additional furniture Guest Lavatory	2 Adults and 1 extra bed	57 - 87

Cranley Comment

Residential Suites are targeted at long stay guests and comprise of a separate lounge, separate bedroom and a fully fitted kitchen. These suites are available in two sizes, either 57²m or 87²m, and are decorated in a traditional style with dark wood furniture and rich colours or a more contemporary style with lighter wood furniture. The bathrooms have a bath with a shower over it, bidet and a marble surround basin and large mirror, bathrobes, slippers, and luxury Crabtree and Evelyn toiletries. The King Residential Suites have city views, none of the rooms have balconies.

Type	No.	View	Facilities	Max. Occupancy	Size m2
King Executive Suite	9	Garden View/ Sea View	As per the King Junior Suite with the added benefit of being larger and with: Separate lounge/dining room Dining table for six guests 2 flat screen televisions 2 two seat sofas Desk area, two armchairs and a round table Double sliding doors to bedroom and separate entrance to bedroom Bedroom with 2 seat sofa Ensuite bathroom with Corner bathroom Separate shower	2 Adults and 1 extra bed	100

Cranley Comment

The King Executive Suite is a two room suite with a marble lobby area and guest lavatory. Leading from the lobby area there is a separate lounge/dining room and study area. The suite is airy and spacious and is decorated in a modern style with light coloured wood furniture, glass dining table with chairs for 6 and light brown carpet. The living area and study area form the end parts of ‘L’ shape that the room is configured in. The bedroom is found through double sliding doors (with an additional separate entrance) and has a small dressing area and an en-suite bathroom with corner bath, separate shower, bidet and a marble surround basin and large mirror, bathrobes, slippers, and luxury Crabtree and Evelyn toiletries. King Executive Suites have garden/ocean views, but have no balcony.

Type	No.	View	Facilities	Max. Occupancy	Size m2
Emirates Suite	1	Ocean View	As per the King Executive Suite with the added benefit of being larger and with: Separate lounge/dining room Bar with bar counter and stools 2 Three seat sofas Dining table for six 2 Flat Screen televisions Desk Bedroom with sofa Dressing area Luxury fittings Bathroom with separate shower	2 Adults and 1 extra bed	115

Cranley Comment

The Emirates Suite is the premium accommodation at the Hilton and is decorated in rich dark colours, adding to a feel of luxury. The suite consists of a lounge/dining room complete with a bar and dining table to seat six. The bedroom is decorated in a similar theme with gold decoration behind the bed and benefits from ample wardrobes and a large marble en-suite bathroom which has a bath and separate shower.

Restaurants & Cafés

Number of Restaurants

Restaurant Comments

Hilton Abu Dhabi has a range of dining options both within the hotel building itself and at the Hiltonia Beach Club. La Terrazza is extremely popular with locals and guests particularly on the Wednesday and Thursday themed evenings. Hemingways offers a casual Mexican bistro environment, while the recently refurbished Jazz Bar and Dining has modern upmarket International cuisine. Additionally, there is an authentic Vienna Plaza café, a Thai/Chinese, Italian, Lebanese and Mediterranean restaurant. The Restaurants vary from smart to smart/casual and a number of the restaurants provide some live musical entertainment. Several of the restaurants have recently won What’s On and/or Tim