Guide to Meeting & Event Planning in

Abu Dhabi

Meetings & Event Venues in Abu Dhabi

• Abu Dhabi has implemented strict health and safety protocols, which are updated regularly. The latest requirements for visitors and events can be found here. 
  
  
• Italy meets Abu Dhabi with the recent opening of Talea restaurant by acclaimed chef Antonio Guida. Guests will enjoy a highly curated selection of seasonal and authentic Italian dishes, including ravioli, handcrafted carbonara, artisanal pizza and more, in an elegant yet lively setting that includes a glass-paneled show kitchen, live entertainment and stunning seaside views.

• The world’s first Warner Bros.-branded hotel has opened in Abu Dhabi, the 257-room WB Abu Dhabi, Curio Collection by Hilton. On Yas Island, the hotel is decked out in iconic cinematic artwork and offers five signature restaurants, a fitness center, a spa and two pools, one of which adorns the roof. For meetings and events, the property has more than 5,450 square feet of dedicated space across five rooms, the largest of which spans 4,165 square feet. Guests enjoy complimentary daily access to Yas Island theme parks.
  
  
• The 545-room Hilton Abu Dhabi Yas Island opened in 2021 and features the sumptuous eforea spa; dining at the casual Cafe Del Mar Abu Dhabi and the Capila Pool Bar and Grill; and the 360 bar, which affords gorgeous sunset views. The hotel also has a total of 22,653 square feet of event space spread among 20 meeting rooms, the largest being the 15,381-square-foot Yas Grand ballroom, which can accommodate up to 910 people for a banquet or 1,200 for a reception. 
  
  
• The 499-room W Abu Dhabi Marriott – Yas Island in the heart of the city’s entertainment district is in close proximity to attractions such as Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi and the mammoth Yas Mall shopping center. Set atop of  the F1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix racetrack, the hotel features 45,500 square feet of event space.

  Meeting Hotels

  Emirates Palace Abu Dhabi	40
  aloft Abu Dhabi	34
  Hilton Abu Dhabi Yas Island	20
  InterContinental Abu Dhabi	18
  Jumeirah at Etihad Towers Residences	18
  W Abu Dhabi Yas Island	17
  Armed Forces Officers Club and Hotel	16
  Marriott Hotel Downtown, Abu Dhabi	16
  The Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi, Grand Canal	15
  Rixos Marina Abu Dhabi	15

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• In the Mina Zayed port area, Warehouse 421 is an arts and design center offering a wide-ranging selection of local and regional culture including paintings, sculpture and more elaborate art installations.
  
  
• The burgeoning Khalifa City district includes the Al Forsan International Sports Resort, a more than 17 million-square-foot playground featuring all manner of water sports, go-karting, horseback riding, wake boarding and more. The property’s largest meeting space is a ballroom that can hold up to 350 people; add the attached outdoor terrace for a total of 500 seated guests. Attendees can stay at the adjacent 400-room Marriott Hotel Ali Forsan, with its own meeting space for up to 350 attendees.
  
  
• The 428-room Crown Plaza Abu Dhabi Yas Island has six meeting rooms able to accommodate a total of 840 attendees. Also on-site are a pool and a spa.
  
  
• The centrally located, five-star Dusit Thani Abu Dhabi has 402 guest rooms and a total of 35,000 square feet of event space. This opulent Thai-style property offers an array of amenities such as the Namm Spa with eight treatment rooms, an outdoor swimming pool with sun deck and pool bar, the DFIT Fitness Center and more. 
  
  
• Another five-star entry is the 43-story Grand Hyatt Abu Dhabi Hotel & Residences in the West Corniche district, with 21,500 square feet of meeting space spread among 14 meeting rooms, the largest of which is an 11,200-square-foot ballroom. The hotel’s 428 guest rooms include 36 luxury suites, and its large infinity pool overlooks the Arabian Gulf.
  
  
• Just five minutes from Abu Dhabi International Airport, the 18-hole, par-71 Abu Dhabi Golf Club offers a variety of spaces for meetings, including a boardroom seating 14, a banquet hall for up to 100 and the Falcon Terrace, able to accommodate up to 200. Most spaces have stunning views of the greens and/or the city’s skyline, and attendees can make use of a two-tiered driving range as well as an on-site pool and tennis courts.
  
  
• Set on Sri Bani Yas Island, a private wildlife reserve, the Desert Islands Conference Center includes beautiful beachfront space for an outdoor banquet or cocktail party for up to 1,000 people. Indoors, up to 360 can gather among six meeting rooms, the largest of which spans 5,381 square feet. Also on-site is exhibit space totaling 6,458 square feet.
  
  
• The 64-room Desert Islands Resort & Spa by Anantara, adjacent to the Desert Islands Conference Center on private Sri Bani Yas Island, has its own 9,633 square feet of meeting space for up to 590 attendees spread among 11 rooms.
  
  
• In the city’s busy Park Complex, the 172-room Park Arjaan by Rotana has more than 25,000 square feet of event space, including a ballroom that can host a banquet for up to 550 people, a theater that can seat 700 and a meeting room that can host 500. The hotel offers guests full access to the neighboring Rotana Hotel, with its variety of dining venues.
  
  

• The dramatically undulating glass walls of the 281-room Millennium Capital Gate Abu Dhabi makes it a standout in the emirate’s commercial district. For on-site dining, a sumptuous breakfast can be had at the all-day Oceana, while South American and Arabian cuisine are available at Noche. The hotel’s Mizan Spa features a full menu of treatments, while meetings take place in eight event rooms totaling 6,000 square feet of flexible event space for up to 700 attendees. Abu Dhabi International Airport is just a 20-minute drive away.  

Extending Your Trip in Abu Dhabi

• The National Basketball Association and the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi have announced a new multi-year partnership that will have NBA teams playing preseason games in the Etihad Arena on Yas Island beginning in October 2022 with a match between the Atlanta Hawks and the Milwaukee Bucks. Along with the games, the city will host a number of interactive fan events including appearances by current and former NBA stars. More details can be found here.
  
  
• Just south of Yas Island, the new Yas Bay Waterfront district has opened with a wide range of dining, nightlife, entertainment and leisure offerings. Among highlights at the development are 15 restaurants, the 545-room Hilton Abu Dhabi Yas Island and the Etihad Arena, which can accommodate up to 18,000 people and has hosted world swimming championships, mixed martial-arts events, top entertainers and more.
  
  
• Conveniently close to the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, the new Al Qana development is now welcoming guests to its 1.5 miles of attractions along the Khor Al Malta river. The complex includes a variety of dining experiences; a marina offering water sports and sunset sail excursions; the massive National Aquarium with 10 themed zones sustaining more than 330 species; winding waterfront walking paths, and more.
  
  
• The largest indoor aquarium in the Middle East has opened in the emirate. The National Aquarium comprises 10 themed zones that include in-depth explorations of environments such as ocean, rain forest and Arctic, with an emphasis on sustaining native wildlife and preserving the planet. On display are more than 330 species contributing to an on-site population of more than 46,000 animals.
  
  
• For a truly immersive experience, consider a stay at Arabian Nights Village in the heart of the Abu Dhabi desert, a melange of accommodations ranging from air-conditioned tents to opulent suites in private detached houses. Activities include a safari over stunning sand dunes, swimming in the Oasis Pool with its panoramic desert views, camel trekking and “fat biking." The on-site Al Maqam restaurant serves a mix of Arabic and international cuisine.
  
  
• Home to more than 200 species, the Al Ain Zoo claims title as the largest such repository in the Middle East, devoted to educating visitors about protecting endangered species and sustaining the earth’s environment. Here you’ll find rare examples of the dada gazelle, the brown capuchin, the Arabian sand cat and many others. The on-site Sheikh Zayed Desert Learning Center presents a variety of exhibits spread among five interactive galleries taking visitors on a journey through the past, present and future of the UAE’s ecology. The building itself has been certified LEED Platinum, and the venue’s SZDLC Theatre can be booked for intimate corporate events or small meetings. 
  
  
• Opened in 1999, the Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital is devoted to providing veterinary health-care services to the graceful birds, who were used by Bedouin hunters to catch prey for hundreds of years and now are raised for the sport of falconry. The facility, open to visitors on select days, is well worth a visit for an up-close look at the “patients” as well as a peaceful garden area complete with falcon statues and fountains, and an on-site museum of Arab falconry.
  
  
• A unique nature-oriented experience can be had at Jubail Mangrove Park, where visitors will find a series of boardwalks meandering through a carefully cultivated ecosystem that’s home to all manner of herons, flamingos, myriad fish and copious crustaceans. Opened in January 2020, the park features rangers on hand to answer questions, a floating platform outfitted with a net through which one can glimpse the denizens below, a viewing tower affording panoramic views and more.
  
  
• Also on Saadiyat Island, the Manarat Al Saadiyat, an arts complex with three galleries, an arts studio, a 250-seat auditorium and a roster of offerings ranging from comedy nights to theater workshops, yoga classes and film screenings. 
  
  
• For golfers, the city has six courses to satisfy duffers and experts alike. For example, Yas Links, nestled on the western shores of Yas Island, offers a challenging 18-hole, par-72, 7,450-yard championship course as well as a nine-hole, par-3 academy course, all complemented by a fine-dining restaurant, views of Abu Dhabi’s striking skyline and a private lawn for events and croquet. 
  
  
• Release your group’s inner speed demons at Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, a theme park on Yas Island that celebrates all things vroom with more than 37 high-octane rides and attractions. Have fun on the Formula Rosa, said to be the world’s fasted roller coaster, soaring to over 170 feet high (and dropping just as much); the Bell’ Italia, where you ride in a small-scale 1958 Ferrari 250 California through a mini-Italian landscape; and the Fiorano GT Challenge, which lets teams compete on twisting parallel tracks riding Ferrari F430 Spiders. 
  
  
• Abu Dhabi Desert Morning Safari lets participants ply the dunes via three modes of travel: 4x4 (a four-wheel-drive vehicle), camel and sandboard (think snowboard on the sand).
  
  

Top Restaurants in Abu Dhabi

Among top spots to grab a bite in Abu Dhabi are:

• Amerigos Bar & Restaurant, Mexican
• Mezlai, Middle Eastern
• Mekong, Thai
• Le Petite Maison, Mediterranean 
• Tamba, Indian 
• Zuma, Japanese