26 Apr an arabian adventure
i recently was lucky enough to attend a spectacular fam trip to abhu dhabi. the programme was put together and hosted by gmc, arabian adventures and the abhu dhabi convention and exhibition. a massive thank you to them for putting together a programme that really highlighted the wonders of abhu dhabi.
day 1 – culture
we all departed wednesday evening on a night flight, meaning we would land thursday morning and be able to get straight into things. we checked in into the beautiful jumeirah at saadiyat island resort, our home for 2 nights. this luxury resort is situated on a white sandy beach with clear blue water offering a complete oasis from the hustle and bustle. if the beach isn’t your thing, not to worry as the hotel has 3 pools to choose from. the bedrooms are all spacious and modern with calming interiors and all come with balconies or terraces to relax on.
after freshening up we were all given lovely abaya’s and head scarfs, so we could dress appropriately for our visit to the sheikh zayed grand mosque. it is the largest mosque in the country and is a key place of worship for daily prayers. the mosque is breath-taking and it was great to experience such a cultural landmark of abu dhabi. following this, we headed to hilton conrad for a sport of lunch by the pool and a site visit. this hotel has everything, 12 restaurants and bars, 3 pools, a private beach, a multitude of event spaces and a 74th floor observation deck so you can admire the view.
after lunch, we headed to the louvre. the uea and france have an agreement in place which allows the uae to use the name the louvre. we split into groups, with one group heading of inside to take in all the wonderful art and the other group took a kayak tour around it.
a quick freshen up at the hotel, and we were back out for the evening. we started at qasr al watan to watch a very clever light show. the show was split into 3 acts to show the past, present and future vision of the nation. our evening concluded at the prestigious mandarin oriental emirates palace. we were treated with a wonderful drinks reception in one of the suites, followed by a private dinner in a one michelin star restaurant talea by antonio guida.
day 2 – adrenaline
day two saw us head off to the yas marina circuit home to the final race in the f1 calendar. this is where the competitive side of us all came out as we suited up ready to whizz round the karting track. with plenty of activities based on and off the track and meeting spaces to go with, this is a great location for an event with a difference. the w hotel is located next door and connects to the circuit. the hotel offers rooms with great views of the tracks and works well in conjunction with the track. after this, we drove to hilton yas island where we had a quick look around. this hotel is perfect for events with various meeting rooms, modern bedrooms and comes at a more affordable price point than the other hotels in the area.
after all the excitement from the morning, we were ready for lunch so we walked over to cafe del mar, where we were treated to an array of dishes and cocktails. from cafe del mar, we took a speedboat over to the private island nurai, where we visited some of the most luxurious villas before settling in for an afternoon at the smoking pineapple. the luxurious pool overlooks the arabian gulf and was the perfect spot for a glass of wine and a dip in the pool. after finally agreeing to leave, we headed back to the hotel for a spot of dinner at tean.
day 3 – nature
after a couple of hours by the pool, it was time to leave the jumeriah and head to our next hotel. on the way, we stopped off at the jubail mongroves park. we took a walk around the mangrove sanctuary, learning about all the species that inhabit the area and the mangroves themselves. from here, we took an hour transfer into the desert where we spent our final night.
al wathba, a luxury collection desert resort & spa was the perfect ending to our adventure. deep within the desert landscapes, this property offers an intimate retreat with natural beauty. the rooms all feature traditional artwork and arabesque accessories. we watched a beautiful sunset before heading to the main restaurant for drinks, live music and a wonderful dinner buffet. the hotel offers great meeting rooms along with unique spaces in the desert for private dinners and parties.
day 4 – home time
a few of us got up very early to head into the desert to watch the sunrise, which was the perfect way to start the day. followed by a couple of hours by the pool and trip to see the camels, we didn’t want to leave but the time came for us to head to the airport and say goodbye to our wonderful guides.
abhu dhabi is a destination full of culture, adrenaline and nature, making it the perfect balance for any incentive or event.
if you think abhu dhabi is the place for your next incentive or event, please get in touch today on info@sevenevents.co.uk or call us +44 (0) 207 659 4430.