Abu Dhabi is one of the wealthiest regions in the world and a major international business centre. With its diverse population, it also provides an exciting and one of a kind cultural experience.
One of the most important things to consider when planning a successful business trip is booking the right place to stay. Many business people, however, find staying in hotels and B&Bs underwhelming, which can easily impact the overall experience of a trip.
However, s Situ serviced apartment in Abu Dhabi might provide exactly what you are looking for. In this type of corporate housing, guests can expect their stay to be fulfilling, where they’ll have access to everything they need. Key facilities in both our long and short-term luxury apartments in Abu Dhabi include fully equipped kitchens, washing facilities, spacious dining and living rooms, homely bedrooms, free Wi-Fi and on-site housekeeping services.
Ultimately, all the fully furnished Abu Dhabi serviced accommodation options we source are designed to make guests feel like they are staying in a ‘home away from home’, where they can live and work freely. We select which properties we offer based on where they are located too, to ensure bookers have the option to pick and choose where they stay based on what their business travel schedule requires.
Abu Dhabi is the capital city of the United Arab Emirates. It’s also the city with the second-largest population of the seven regions (or emirates) that make up the UAE. The population of the Abu Dhabi emirate is approximately three million, of which around 1.4 million live in the city of Abu Dhabi. By area, Abu Dhabi is by far the largest of the emirates, occupying all but the northeastern corner of the country.
Abu Dhabi is located on the Persian Gulf, with its centre and western areas actually branching off from the mainland into the sea. The centre of Dubai, the most populous emirate, is around 65 miles to the northeast of this island.
The primary official language here is Arabic, but Abu Dhabi is home to a large number of people who were born overseas. This refers to as many as 80% of the population according to some estimates, so don’t be surprised if you hear lots of different languages being spoken on the streets. English is widely spoken in shops, restaurants and amongst the business community in Abu Dhabi and most of the signs are written in English. Moreover, the local currency is the dirham, with 100 files making up one dirham.
Buoyed by its immense oil revenues, the small state of the UAE ranks as one of the 30 largest economies, and based on GDP per capita, the country ranks even higher. Abu Dhabi is also considered to be the wealthiest of the UAE’s emirates, based on both income and GDP. Oil and gas are still major contributors to Abu Dhabi’s prosperity. However, the local government is seeking to develop a more sustainable broad-based economy – via the Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030 - and is actively promoting the development of sectors such as technology, real estate, healthcare and renewable energy. Other prominent industries here include construction, property development, textiles, financial services and tourism.
Abu Dhabi is home to many well-known companies from all over the world. These include major local companies such as Abu Dhabi National Oil Company and Etihad Airways, alongside large overseas businesses such as Marriott International, IHG Hotels and Resorts, Siemens, Accenture, Deloitte, KPMG and Halliburton.
Unemployment here is also very low and economic growth in recent years has been very rapid. Almost all of the local population are of working age as only around 0.5% of Abu Dhabi residents are aged 70. The majority of the millions of people who visit for work, and stay in serviced apartments in Abu Dhabi, also contribute to this large population of working-age people.
Business networking opportunities in Abu Dhabi are offered by the following organisations:
Just a heads up as well, if whilst in the city you are introduced to a businessperson of the opposite gender who you think might be a Muslim, don’t offer a handshake unless they make the first move.
There’s no doubt there’s plenty to see and do in the UAE capital, and the demand for available long term, luxury Abu Dhabi apartments from millions of tourists all year round reflects that. Possibly the most striking building in Abu Dhabi is the Sheikh Zayed Mosque Center, which has no less than 82 domes and can host 40,000 worshippers. The gold chandeliers are an incredible sight, and make sure you also visit the pool to see the reflections of the mosque’s breathtaking architecture.
The famous Paris museum The Louvre has a site in Abu Dhabi. Here, not only will you find a superb collection of art and other objects from around the world, but the building itself is a masterpiece – the museum is topped by a 180-metre patterned geometric dome.
If you’re visiting with children, the Warner Brothers World indoor theme park is a must. Here, there are 15 rides, all inspired by well-known characters. Older kids might appreciate a trip to an Abu Dhabi mall instead, especially the ultimate retail hub that is the shopping mall on Yas Island. In a place where there are so many modern buildings, why not also visit the oldest structure in Abu Dhabi? The 18th century Qasr al-Hosn, with its elaborate stonework and imposing watchtower, now houses a local history museum.
As Abu Dhabi is home to people from so many different cultures, you can sample just about any type of food while you’re here. The best restaurants include Hakkasan Abu Dhabi, a Chinese eaterie in the Emirates Palace building; the Italian establishment Villa Toscana; and Catch at St. Regis, which specialises in seafood.
You can purchase alcohol at a large number of places in Abu Dhabi but be aware that the authorities have a zero-tolerance approach when it comes to drinking on the street. They’re also likely to crack down hard on any offence involving drugs. If you’re in Abu Dhabi with your partner, it’s also best to keep public displays of affection to a minimum.
Abu Dhabi International Airport is 20 miles east of the city centre. It serves more than 100 destinations in more than 50 countries. You can fly to Abu Dhabi from London (Heathrow), Manchester and many cities from all over the world such as Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam, Madrid, Barcelona, Dublin, Rome, Milan, Vienna, Munich, Moscow, Athens, Istanbul, Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Toronto, Mumbai, Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Sydney.
We have serviced apartments in Abu Dhabi just a short drive from the international airport, meaning travelling to and from your property and your arrival or departure flight doesn’t need to be too long-winded.
There are plans to build a city metro system and to link Abu Dhabi to Dubai by high-speed rail, but at present, Abu Dhabi does not have a passenger rail network.
There is an extensive network of bus routes both in the Abu Dhabi City Region and in other areas of the emirate. On some routes, buses run as frequently as every 20 minutes.
Many bus routes operate 24 hours a day and all buses are likely to be air-conditioned. The easiest way to pay for your fare would be to use a Hafilat smart card.
Travel Management Companies