Picolo recommends · Hotel in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Emirates Palace
Domes, gold and marble at the far tip of the Corniche, with a stretch of private sand that runs on for more than a kilometre.
You walk in under a dome and the ceiling keeps going. Emirates Palace was conceived as a palace rather than a hotel, and the scale shows in every marble corridor and every courtyard on the way to your room.
Outside, the sand runs along the sea for more than a kilometre, all of it reserved for guests. The hotel sits where the Corniche ends, so the city skyline is behind you and the Gulf is in front.
Picolo’s verdict
Why we chose Emirates Palace
We chose it because nothing else in Abu Dhabi does old-fashioned grandeur on this scale. If you want one stay that feels like an occasion, with a long beach thrown in, this is it.
It is a big building, and walking from the lobby to a far wing takes time. The décor is lavish by design. If you like pared-back rooms and short distances, you will be happier elsewhere.
What you get
- Private beach over a kilometre long
- Palace architecture with domes and marble halls
- Afternoon tea in the lobby
- Pool area facing the sea
- Corniche location on the Gulf
A day at Emirates Palace
- Morning
- Breakfast, then straight down to the beach before the sand heats up.
- Midday
- A swim in the pool while the domes glare white above you.
- Afternoon
- Tea and gold-dusted cakes in the lobby, the hotel's best-known ritual.
- Evening
- A walk along the Corniche as the towers light up across the bay.
Location
Corniche, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Open in MapsQuestions about Emirates Palace
Does Emirates Palace have its own beach?
Yes. Guests have a private beach of more than a kilometre in front of the hotel, at the western end of the Corniche.
Can non-guests visit Emirates Palace for afternoon tea?
Yes, the lobby tea draws many visitors staying at other hotels. Booking ahead is wise, especially in the cooler winter months when demand is highest.
Is Emirates Palace a good choice if you prefer a small hotel?
Probably not. The building is vast, the walks between wings take time and the décor is lavish, so it suits travellers who want spectacle more than intimacy.
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Updated 6 Nov 2026All articles
How Picolo chooses
Our editors pick every hotel themselves, and most of them we have stayed at. No hotel can pay to be included or ranked higher. When you book through our links, Hotels.com pays Picolo a small commission. It never changes the price you pay, and it never decides what we write.
