Rooftops in Abu Dhabi: the capital of the Emirates seen from above
An island turned capital
The capital of the emirate of the same name and of the United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi is the country's second-largest city after Dubai. Founded in the eighteenth century by the Bani Yas tribe on a T-shaped island jutting out into the Persian Gulf, it grew in the twentieth century thanks to oil. Today three bridges link it to the mainland, and the city extends over the neighbouring islands: Al Maryah, Al Reem, Saadiyat and Yas.
Skyscrapers, a mosque and a Formula 1 circuit
Along the Corniche, glass towers follow one another as far as the Etihad Towers and the Emirates Palace. On the mainland, near the bridges leading to the island, the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, completed in 2007, can hold up to 40,000 worshippers: it is the largest in the country. On Saadiyat Island, the Louvre Abu Dhabi, opened in 2017, houses its galleries beneath an immense openwork dome. Yas Island is home to the Yas Marina Formula 1 circuit and the Ferrari World park.
Where to rise above Abu Dhabi
In the heart of the island
Right in the centre, AT25 occupies the 25th floor of the Marriott Hotel Downtown, around a pool open to the sky. Not far away, Up & Below has set up its bar beside the 12th-floor pool of the Courtyard by Marriott, at the foot of the World Trade Center. Near the ADNEC exhibition centre, 18 Degrees serves its cocktails on the 18th floor of Capital Gate, a 160-metre tower leaning at 18 degrees. Right next door, on the roof of the Aloft hotel, Brick Rooftop Kitchen & Bar has turned the 12th floor into a hanging garden, with its pergolas and wood-fired ovens.
On Yas Island
The WET Deck occupies the roof of the W Abu Dhabi, the hotel that straddles the circuit, beneath its great glass-and-steel lattice: pool, daybeds and DJs facing the marina and the track. On the 7th floor of The WB Abu Dhabi, The Overlook, reserved for adults, looks out over the Yas Links golf course and the mangroves from its infinity pool. At the end of the Yas Bay pier, near the Etihad Arena, the Siddharta Lounge by Buddha-Bar occupies the top level, above the water.
Gastronomy and cocktails on high
For every budget
Expect to pay 65 to 75 dirhams for a signature cocktail at 18 Degrees, The Overlook and the Siddharta Lounge. At the WET Deck, visitors book a day pass of 150 dirhams, fully redeemable, or the Sunday package, house drinks included, at 79 dirhams. Up & Below offers a string of late-afternoon deals around sunset. On the food side, you go from Brick's wood-fired pizzas and grills to AT25's Middle Eastern bites, and from the Siddharta Lounge's sushi and sharing plates to the French and Middle Eastern cuisine of the Cyan brasserie, next door to 18 Degrees. Shisha is served at AT25 and The Overlook.
A rooftop for every occasion
As a couple or with friends
For a romantic moment for two at sunset, 18 Degrees and Brick's garden play the elegance card. With friends, Up & Below and AT25 remain laid-back, while the Siddharta Lounge livens up to the sound of DJs until late at night. For a day by the water, the WET Deck opens its rooftop pool to adults who book a day pass.
Getting around easily
Abu Dhabi has no metro: taxis, cheap and available everywhere, remain the most practical option, and bus lines link the centre and the Corniche with Yas Island. AT25 and Up & Below are in the city centre, 18 Degrees and Brick within the ADNEC grounds, on the main island. The WET Deck, The Overlook and the Siddharta Lounge are on Yas Island, near the airport, half an hour's drive from the centre.
Tips for enjoying Abu Dhabi's rooftops
Choosing your season and time
From October to April, temperatures hover around 24 °C: this is the best season for terraces. From May to September, the heat and humidity become overwhelming: Brick only operates in season, from September to May, while AT25, Up & Below and 18 Degrees are open all year round, with an indoor lounge. Alcohol is only served to over-21s, and the Siddharta Lounge, the WET Deck and The Overlook's pool require this at the entrance. Plan on smart dress in the evening, with no shorts or flip-flops at the most upmarket venues, book for sunset and check opening hours before you go.
Photo : Makalu (Pixabay) / Wikimedia Commons, CC0 1.0 (domaine public)