Emirate of Abu Dhabi · United Arab Emirates
Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental
A kilometre-wide palace on its own beach, now run by Mandarin Oriental
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Emirates Palace was built as a statement of national ambition and opened in 2005: a kilometre of pink Gulf sandstone under a central dome, set in eighty-five hectares of gardens with its own 1.3-kilometre private beach. Mandarin Oriental took over management in 2020 and has sharpened the service and dining without touching the scale.
Rooms and suites are enormous, the marble and gold leaf are unapologetic, and the public spaces regularly double as venues for state occasions. There are two large pool complexes with a waterslide, a marina, and a spa with a very good hammam and a long treatment list.
Dining is the strongest part of the modern offering, spanning Emirati, Levantine, Italian and Japanese kitchens. The Louvre Abu Dhabi, Qasr Al Watan presidential palace and the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque are all within a short drive along the corniche.
At a glance
What to expect
- Private 1.3km beach
- Two pool complexes
- Mandarin Oriental spa
- Hammam
- Marina
- Multiple restaurants
- Extensive gardens
- Kids club
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