February 13, 2024
Hyatt Hotel Hopping in Abu Dhabi
Pam
I just returned from my most recent trip planned around an award redemption, Etihad Apartments, first class for only 65K Air Canada miles. While there, my daughter, Lindsey, and I did a little Hyatt hotel-hopping in Abu Dhabi. First, I had NO intention of returning to Abu Dhabi again, but the opportunity to try out Etihad Apartments changed it all. Not that Abu Dhabi isn’t a great, warm, and exciting place to visit, but I had been there before. I am usually all about visiting new places, especially at my age!
Visiting the UAE offers a captivating blend of futuristic marvels and rich cultural experiences. The UAE has beautiful beaches, particularly along the coastline of Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Visitors can relax on pristine sandy shores, engage in water sports, and enjoy the vibrant beach scene. And that is precisely what we did. We also did a little hotel-hopping by staying at the Grand Hyatt Abu Dhabi and the Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi. Here is a review of our Hyatt hotel-hopping in Abu Dhabi.
Grand Hyatt Abu Dhabi
The Grand Hyatt Abu Dhabi sits next to the Etihad Towers, a tourist destination. It is a 30-minute taxi ride from the airport and cost us about $25. It is located on The Corniche, one of the most iconic roads in Abu Dhabi, with its beachfront location and pristine promenade. It is a lively, bustling boardwalk stretching for five miles.
The Grand Hyatt Abu Dhabi is adjacent to Etihad Towers, a landmark in the city.
We were pleasantly greeted at check-in, but our suite was unavailable since we arrived at 9:00 am. We changed into swimming suits and went to the pool area to read, relax, and wait for our room to open up. They did confirm at check-in that we had a suite—that confirmation is always welcome!
The lobby was still festively decorated for Christmas, and was opulent and spacious (as is almost everything in the United Arab Emirates)! You’re not in Kansas anymore when you are in Abu Dhabi!
When we arrived, the Christmas spirit was still in full bloom in Abu Dhabi.
The Grand Hyatt Abu Dhabi is only a Category 4 hotel, which blows my mind. You could stay here with a free night certificate or 15,000 Hyatt points per night (standard pricing), which is what I paid. I used a Suite Upgrade Award to ensure that we had a suite.
Pool/Beach Area at Grand Hyatt Abu Dhabi
We quickly found chairs the first day (it might have been that 9:00 am time 😜), but it got busier and busier as the day progressed. There were a lot of families with children, so we assumed that school had not started. As the day passed, it was harder for people to find chairs.
It isn’t set on an oceanside beach; it is more of a waterway, but it was vibrant and active, with jet skis and other water sports all day. There was beverage and food service offered by the poolside restaurant, Verso, all day. I think only one guy was doing the service, but he was fast and efficient! One of the more entertaining parts of each day was watching people yell at the guy in charge of seating and umbrellas—he was so patient in a very demanding job. (We complimented him numerous times!)
The hotel’s pool and beach area were always busy.
Free Suite at the Grand Hyatt Abu Dhabi with Credit Card Points
I transferred Ultimate Rewards to Hyatt for our stay, along with the all-important SUA—I love that you can use just one for your whole stay! We walked into our room, and WOW! It was huge, with a fantastic view of Emirates Palace and the Persian Sea!
Consisting of a massive living area with two couches, a large dining table that seated 6, a huge bedroom with a desk, and two bathrooms (one large, one small), it was pretty breathtaking. We felt like we were staying in a luxury apartment.
AED bed + breakfast option converts to about $500 USD – still a steal in cash for all you get!
The bedroom area of our suite was large and had floor-to-ceiling windows with a water view.
This massive living area of the suite felt like we were in a luxury apartment, not a hotel.
Our balcony views never got old! This view is of the Emirates Place and the Corniche Boardwalk.
Dining Options including Free Breakfast
With my Globalist benefits, we also had access to the Grand Club, where there were snacks and beverages all day and appetizers and drinks between 6-8pm. On our first night, they had a variety of sushi along with salads, breads, cheeses, desserts, etc. One could definitely make a meal there!
During the day, the Grand Lounge offered cookies, fruit, and beverages.
Breakfast was held daily at the Sahha restaurant, and was served buffet style with made-to-order eggs. I enjoyed a delicious omelet on the first day, eggs benedict on the second, and another on the third. There was also fresh fruit, juices, and tasty pastries, and we looked forward to our “free” breakfasts every day.
There were a multitude of choices at the breakfast buffet.
We LOVED the Verso restaurant at the hotel. While it served good poolside meals, the dinner there was outstanding, and the restaurant decor was adorable.
Look at the gorgeous ravioli rose I got for dinner!
The restaurant decor was the cutest, but the diner looks tired (blame it on the jet lag)!
Can you tell I loved the Verso decor at the Grand Hyatt Abu Dhabi?
Activities at the Grand Hyatt Abu Dhabi
We were there to relax. However, Abu Dhabi offers many exciting activities options, including Ferrari World, the Emirates Palace, Etihad Towers, Qaá¹£r Al-Waá¹an Palace, and the incredible Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque.
We walked over to Etihad Towers, and there was a great supermarket there with favorites from all over the world, where we grabbed some snack items and drinks. We wandered about the stores after walking the Corniche Boardwalk.
Our walk along the Corniche Boardwalk was a great activity.
We went to the Luma Spa at the hotel and had massages and facials that were the epitome of relaxation. I fell asleep multiple times (I think I scared my masseuse a few times). It was divine! The price was quite reasonable as they stretched to nearly two hours for 600 AED (about $150 – not bad)!
The most relaxing massage of my life started with a foot bath.
The fitness center was large and not too busy. I must admit that I forgot to pack workout clothes but my daughter, Lindsey, enjoyed using it!
Final Impressions of the Grand Hyatt Abu Dhabi
I still cannot believe that this hotel is only a Hyatt Category 4 hotel – it seemed like it would be one of the highest categories. The service, decor, and amenities were top notch, particularly for those with Hyatt Globalist status. I heartily recommend it to anyone heading to Abu Dhabi! Now, let’s get on to hotel-hopping in Abu Dhabi…
Free Stay at the Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi
I was so glad I had written the review above before I wrote the review of the Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi. I was also happy that I did our stay in this order. Simply put, the Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi is in another class! I initially thought that I probably wouldn’t return to Abu Dhabi (just because I have other destinations I need to get to). The Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi changed that thought. It has risen to the top as the #1 Park Hyatt I’ve ever stayed at. It is THAT amazing! Hotel hopping in Abu Dhabi was worth the effort!
It is located on Saadiyat Island, a natural island that feels like you are thousands of miles removed from the bustle of a city. The island boasts a stunning beach with pristine white sands and clear turquoise waters. It’s an ideal spot for relaxation, water activities, and enjoying the beautiful surroundings. It is also home to some of the most luxurious resorts and hotels.
Our welcome and greeting here were insane. Everyone was so happy to see us and welcome us. At check-in, Stephanie, who is part of guest relations, treated us like we were the Kardashians and couldn’t be more charming. She presented us with beach bags and water, and insisted we go to the Cafe Library for beverages and cakes (her treat).
From the moment we walked in, we were impressed by the hotel’s spaciousness and clean, modern lines. Brass, leather, black walls in some halls, and exciting architecture were the themes, and it worked beautifully!
Clean lines, black walls, and brass accents added to the beauty of the Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi.
Free Suite at the Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi with Credit Card Points
As much as we loved our free suite at the Grand Hyatt, we couldn’t believe the suite we were given at the Park Hyatt. We even got an upgrade on our suite to a premium suite! It may have been double the space of the other suite with two huge terraces with furniture and umbrellas. It was the best suite they had besides the Presidential Palace.
The bedroom area was very spacious and had a terrace off it.
This was the living area. There was also a dressing area, a walk-in closet, a large bathroom, and a small bathroom.
Fresh fruit was waiting in the room at the Grand Hyatt. The Park Hyatt added two trays of yummy truffles and coconut water in coconuts.
A lovely welcome treat and note are always appreciated!
The Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi is a Category 6 and only costs 25K Hyatt points/night. Again, I applied a SUA (suite upgrade award) to get our suite. This room with breakfast would have cost almost $900/night. We paid zero.
Dining Options including Free Breakfast
There is no club lounge at the Park Hyatt, but you can go to The Cafe for free breakfasts if you are a Globalist. The food options were endless at the buffet, the restaurant was gorgeous, and we could order eggs off the menu. We loved the avocado toast with poached eggs every morning with fresh fruit, juices, divine pastries, and many other buffet options. It is one of my favorite buffets ever.
This pastry/dessert area was my favorite at the buffet.
Did I have breakfast or dessert? The option of gelato at breakfast was terrific!
We ate all our lunches poolside. We usually just ate snacks because we were so full from breakfast.
On our first night and last night, we ate at the Beach Club on the beach. The meals were great, the ambiance was gorgeous, and the service was top-notch. It was a tad chilly, but they provided blankets and space heaters, and we were comfortable.
We ate twice at the Beach House, which was so cute!
We went to Maté, the Argentinian Grill, on our second night. It was pretty fancy, and we were very underdressed, but the meal was terrific. We had steak and langostino, and both raved about the food quality and service.
Maté Restaurant was spectacular in the decor and the food!
All in all, we found the food at the Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi to be superb. I would say it is a tad expensive, but the quality is great.
Pool/Beach Area at Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi
The pool area is flanked with lots of seating. There is also another pool with a ton of seating. Finding a seat was never a problem.
This is the main pool, and there are other pools as well. Seating was always open.
Down from the pool is the beach area, which also has a ton of seating and umbrellas. It is well-manned with staff that set up your padded seats, bring water, and take your orders for food and beverages. Looking out at the sea, it was hard to imagine that I wasn’t in the Caribbean, Mexico, or some exotic island (except when I saw the Abu Dhabi skyscrapers in the distance).
There were also many seating options by the beach.
Activities at the Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi
We were there for a beach vacation but did venture out for a few hours to Nurai Island (a waste of money when you are staying at the Park Hyatt).
However, the spa called, and we did book 60-minute massages one day at the A Spa—my favorite indulgence when I’m not paying for flights/hotels. Not only did we do some Hyatt hotel-hopping in Abu Dhabi, but we spa-hopped!
Final Impressions of the Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi
If you want to visit the Middle East, stay at the Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi. I would plan a trip around a stay here. I may be even more jaded because of the suite we got, but the hotel itself is worth it regardless, in my opinion. If you want to feel pampered, this is the gorgeous spot for you! Hyatt hotel-hopping in Abu Dhabi was a resounding success with both stays, but the Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi hit a home run, beating out the very family-friendly and still magnificent Grand Hyatt.
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Flying Etihad Apartments for 65K Miles
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