The pools
2 large pools; on the Mandarin side, for families, slides and a lazy river from 9am to 11.30am and from 12.45pm to sunset.
Emirates Palace
At Emirates Palace the smallest room is 55 m²: around it are 114 domes, 85 hectares of garden and 1.3 km of beach. Mandarin Oriental has run it since 2020.
A week here, month by monthEmirates Palace suits families planning pool days and couples wanting a spa retreat, with the lowest seller on Google showing a night for 2 adults from AED 2,001 in August 2027. For a holiday spent walking between Abu Dhabi’s sights, I would choose another base.
Check rooms and rates on the official site The official offers The Kids Palace Emirates Palace restaurantsWould you go?
Keep it among your hotels and see it on the budget globe, month by month.Like a regular
A balcony facing the Gulf
For a sea outlook I would ask for the Deluxe Sea View Room: its private balcony faces the Gulf, with gardens and the pool also in view.
The less expensive week
For 16–22 August 2027, individual nights ranged from AED 1,976 to AED 2,149 in the reading of 13 October 2026. The dearest night shown, 5 December 2026, was AED 34,060.
A ride costs extra
If you choose a horse ride, allow AED 300 for 30 minutes, with a groom guiding you and a helmet provided. Rides take place on Thursdays between 6.30am and noon.
Slides pause at lunchtime
Plan lunch around the Family Aqua Adventure: the lazy river and slides run from 9am to 11.30am, then resume at 12.45pm until sunset. The Mandarin Pool stays open through that break.
What Emirates Palace is
Emirates Palace opened in November 2005 on the western tip of the Corniche, built and owned by the Abu Dhabi government. Mandarin Oriental has run it since 1 January 2020. It is a palace in the literal sense: 114 domes, 1,002 crystal chandeliers by Forbes’s count, 85 hectares of garden and 1.3 km of private beach. There are 390 rooms by the official site, 394 by MICHELIN and Wikipedia; the smallest is already 55 m².
There are 12 places to eat, and 2 hold a MICHELIN star: Talea by Antonio Guida and Hakkasan. Breakfast is at Vendôme, 7am to 11.30am. The gold-leaf cappuccino, the one in the photographs, is drunk in the lobby. The spa covers 1,500 m² in Moroccan style, with a hammam, an ice cave and heated marble, from age 16. For families there is the Kids Palace, from 10 months to 12 years, with a pool, slides and a lazy river on the Mandarin side.
Guests give it 4.8 out of 5 on Google from 32,406 reviews, 4.9 on Tripadvisor and 9.1 on Booking.com; the MICHELIN Guide awards it 2 Keys, Forbes 5 stars for 2026. The praise goes to breakfast at Vendôme, the gold-leaf cappuccino and the staff, often named one by one. On arrival there can be a wait for the room. On 1 October 2026 the Oriental Beach is temporarily closed, and guests use the Mandarin Beach and both pools.
We read the 500 most recent Google reviews with text, from 25 February to 30 September 2026, out of the listing’s 32,406; then YouTube videos, press articles, 21 room pages and the official offers, spa and dining pages, and the drives measured on the map. The gold cappuccino and the café come up in 29 of those reviews: for many, the palace is also a visit.
Two Lumi
Lumina Guide 2027
Exceptional: two of our three readings say so.
Emirates Palace is a real palace at the end of Abu Dhabi’s Corniche, with 114 domes, 85 hectares of garden and 1.3 km of private beach: its smallest room is 55 m², and Mandarin Oriental has run it since 2020.
How Lumi are awardedGuests
500 reviews read: the location pleases almost every guest who mentions it, breakfast 9 in 10.
Critics (exceptional)
Ours (exceptional)
We found 1,002 crystal chandeliers, 2 tables with a MICHELIN star, Antonio Guida’s Talea and Hakkasan, a 1,500 m² Moroccan-style spa with a hammam and an ice cave, and suites of up to 470 m².
Our reading, point by point
What we found reading the hotel’s own pages, one thing at a time.
Location
At the end of the Corniche, beside the presidential palace; the Louvre and the Grand Mosque 18 minutes away, the airport 33.
Character
114 domes, 1,002 chandeliers, 85 hectares of garden: a real palace, opened in 2005.
Rooms
390 rooms from 55 m² up, suites to 470 m², connecting rooms for families.
Food and social life
12 restaurants, 2 with a MICHELIN star, and the gold-leaf cappuccino.
Wellness
A 1,500 m² spa with a hammam, 2 pools, 1.3 km of beach and a lazy river.
The stay as a whole
For consecutive nights, from AED 2,001 in the 15–19 August 2027 run, read on Google on 13 October 2026.
What makes it rare
A badge is an experience travellers look for, that is really here and that few hotels in the guide have.
Up for breakfast
Here: at Vendôme, from 7am to 11.30am: eggs to order, fresh pastries and honey from the hotel’s own hives, served with gold flakes.
43 of the 47 guests who write about breakfast are pleased. 15 hotels of 335 hold it.
Every hotel with this badgeA table worth the trip
Here: 12 restaurants, 2 with a MICHELIN star, and the gold-leaf cappuccino.
From the hotel’s restaurant pages. 30 hotels of 335 hold it.
Every hotel with this badge
The 5 things that matter, as guests tell them
What do Emirates Palace’s guests say? They write it in their reviews, even those who only came for a drink or dinner: we read every one and tell the 5 things that matter, from the location to the bill.
Location
Nearly every guest who mentions it is happy with it. Guests describe the palace at the end of the Corniche, with its gardens, marina and private beach; many come back just for a coffee.
Room
9 in 10 guests who mention it are happy with it. Guests write of large, immaculate rooms with a garden or sea view; many recall being walked to the door and finding a welcome waiting inside.
Staff and service
9 in 10 guests who mention it are happy with it. Guests name the people who welcome them at the valet and the front desk, the waiters at Vendôme and the lifeguards, and tell of the cake and balloons found in the room for a birthday.
Breakfast
9 in 10 guests who mention it are happy with it. Breakfast is at Vendôme, from 7am to 11.30am: guests describe a buffet with a wide choice, eggs cooked to order and the waiters, often named.
Price
6 in 10 guests who mention the price find it fair. Rooms start at AED 1,758 a night in summer, before service and taxes; without staying, afternoon tea is AED 245 and the day pass for beach and pools starts at AED 450.
The numbers, and how we count them
| What | Score out of 10 | Guests who mention it | Happy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Location | 8.6 | 60 | 97% |
| Room | 8.0 | 49 | 90% |
| Staff and service | 8.7 | 362 | 90% |
| Breakfast | 8.6 | 47 | 91% |
| Price | – | 25 | 60% |
The scores come from 500 Google reviews with text, left from 25 February 2026 to 30 September 2026. The other hotels are the ones weighed for a stay in Abu Dhabi: for each we read its latest 500 Google reviews with text, or all of them where there are fewer, as of 1 October 2026. The score is the average of what they say, from 0 if they speak of it very badly to 10 if they speak of it very well. Where only a few mention something, the score stays close to the guide’s average: a handful of voices does not make a reputation.
The hotels we weigh it against in Abu Dhabi:
- Conrad Abu Dhabi Etihad Towers
- The St. Regis Abu Dhabi
- The St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort
- Four Seasons Hotel Abu Dhabi at Al Maryah Island
Price: for two on the night of 17 August 2027, from AED 2,001 (seen on Google Hotels on 13 October 2026).
What a night costs, season by season
From 10 May to 8 September 2027, Google showed individual nights for 2 adults from AED 1,717 to AED 2,910. I would compare several summer dates before booking: the lowest consecutive run shown, 15–19 August, ranged from AED 2,001 to AED 2,090.
| Period | AED a night |
|---|---|
| 14 October to 30 November 2026 | 2,147–4,975 |
| 1 December to 11 December 2026 | 2,595–34,060 |
| 12 December 2026 to 9 May 2027 | 2,196–7,243 |
| 10 May to 8 September 2027 | 1,717–2,910 |
The lowest price any seller showed on Google Hotels for each night searched alone for 2 adults, read on 13 October 2026. The calendar stops on 8 September 2027; 23 August alone was AED 1,717. No price was shown for 7–10 December or 30–31 December 2026. Booked as 7 nights from 16 November 2026, the lowest seller Google listed that day asked AED 2,935 a night; the hotel’s own listing, AED 2,945.
The palace steps, the domed atrium, the gold cappuccino, a room over the bay, the beach, the slides and Talea
The pink steps and the arched entrance, the blue and gold dome crowning the atrium’s galleries, the cappuccino topped with gold leaf, a room whose balcony looks over the garden and the bay, the beach with its rows of loungers, the lagoon with its slides and the lazy river, Talea’s lawn terrace in the evening and the children’s playroom.
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What to expect
2 pools and a lazy river, 1.3 km of beach, a spa with a hammam, a children’s club and rooms from 55 m² up.
The beach
1.3 km of sand, free kayaks and paddleboards; on 1 October 2026 the Oriental Beach was closed and the Mandarin Beach open.
The spa
1,500 m², a hammam, 2 Jacuzzis, an ice cave; 10am to 9pm, from 16. The 3-hour signature ritual is AED 2,250. The spa.
The Kids Palace
From 10 months to 12 years, daily 8am to 6pm, also for non-residents: AED 90 an hour, 2 hours minimum. The Kids Palace.
The rooms
The smallest is 55 m², with a balcony over the city, garden or sea; families get 110 m² connecting rooms.
Good to know before you book
The spa is for guests aged 16 and over; the Kids Palace takes children from 10 months to 12 years. Source: mandarinoriental.com
On top of the price come a 10% service charge, 5% VAT, a 4% tourism fee and a 4% municipality fee, by the official offer terms. Breakfast is extra.
On 1 October 2026 the Oriental Beach was temporarily closed; guests used the Mandarin Beach and both pools.
Anyone staying on 31 December 2026 pays for the New Year’s Eve gala dinner and concert, compulsory and charged separately.
Without staying: the beach and pool day pass from AED 450, a guided palace tour at AED 150, afternoon tea at AED 245, by reservation.
Pets are not allowed; check-in needs you to be 21 and to show ID.
Between May and August 2026, 4 Google reviews describe rooms that were not ready on arrival, in 2 cases handed over after 3pm, the check-in time.
390 rooms and suites in 20 categories
Getting there
The palace closes the Corniche to the west: for the city and the museums you need a car, and the drive alone is a journey.
| Address | West Corniche Road, Al Ras Al Akhdar, Abu Dhabi. |
|---|---|
| From the airport | Zayed International, 40 km, 33 minutes by car; the hotel says 30 to 40. Some offers include the transfer. |
| Parking | Free for guests, valet included. |
| Check-in and check-out | From 3pm, check-out at noon; you must be 21, with a passport or Emirates ID. |
Routes measured on OpenStreetMap’s roads on 1 October 2026; times and rules from the official pages, read the same day.
Beyond the hotel
The presidential palace next door, the Louvre and the Grand Mosque 18 minutes away, the Corniche starting at the gate.
Qasr Al Watan
The presidential palace open to visitors: 1.8 km, 4 minutes by car, 17 on foot.
Louvre Abu Dhabi
The museum under its latticed dome on Saadiyat Island: 14.9 km, 18 minutes by car.
Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
The great white mosque: 19.1 km, 18 minutes by car.
The Corniche
The city’s public waterfront starts where the palace ends.
From Emirates Palace to the Louvre and the Grand Mosque
The palace, Qasr Al Watan, Etihad Towers, the Louvre Abu Dhabi, the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque and the airport.
Loading map…
Recommended for you
A day at Emirates Palace
7am
Start with Vendôme breakfast
Start at Vendôme when breakfast begins, leaving the rest of the morning for the water.
The morning
Take out a kayak
At the beach club, kayaking and paddle boarding are among the complimentary water sports.
The afternoon
Leave time for hammam
For a spa treatment, the hotel recommends arriving at least 15 minutes early; the hammam, steam room or sauna can come before or afterwards.
Before sunset
Cycle through the gardens
Rent a bicycle at either wing’s beach club and follow the 6.5 km trail past gardens, beach and marina.
6pm
Sit down at Hakkasan
Hakkasan opens for the evening; make it the Cantonese dinner of the day.
Emirates Palace reviews
Platform scores, the MICHELIN Guide’s 2 Keys and what guests describe, from the palace to the service.
Scores read on 1 October 2026
Guest voices
From the hotel’s Google listing: a birthday, an upgrade, breakfast at Vendôme and the lazy river.
GoogleA child’s birthday
A child’s 4th birthday, celebrated at the palace: for this guest the best holiday ever, everything perfectly organised.
Google · May 2026Read the review
GoogleThe garden room
An upgrade to a Garden Terrace: a quiet room over the garden, and the feeling of living in a real palace.
Google · May 2026Read the review
GoogleBreakfast at Vendôme
Every morning a generous breakfast and flawless service at Vendôme.
Google · June 2026Read the review
GoogleThe lazy river and the swim-up bar
It has lost some of its old panache but is still worth it: the lazy river in the west wing, the swim-up bar in the east.
Google · June 2026Read the review
GoogleGetting the room
Arrived before 2pm, rooms ready after 4pm, and one smelt of smoke despite being non-smoking.
Google · July 2026Read the review
Questions before you go
Sources read on 1 October 2026: official pages and terms, Google Hotels and platforms.
How much does a night at Emirates Palace cost?
In the reading of 1 October 2026, Google Hotels showed individual nights for 2 adults at AED 2,090 on 9 October, AED 2,993 on 29 November and AED 2,376 on 13 December 2026, AED 2,541 on 16 January, AED 1,848 on 2 June and AED 1,758 on 17 July 2027. For consecutive nights, the reading of 13 October 2026 showed the 15–19 August 2027 run from AED 2,001 to AED 2,090 per night. The official terms add about 23% in service and taxes, and breakfast is extra.
Can you visit the palace without staying?
Yes, by reservation: the one-hour guided tour is AED 150 and ends with the palace cappuccino; the 2-hour afternoon tea is AED 245. The beach and pool day pass is AED 450 Monday to Thursday, with 125 to spend on food, and 475 at weekends. Visitors without a booking may be stopped at the gate. The offers.
Where is the gold cappuccino, and what does it cost?
In the lobby, at Episodes, the café under the dome: its Deli Anytime menu, read on 11 October 2026, lists the Episodes Gold Cappuccino at AED 90, service charge and VAT included. It is included in the guided palace tour.
Which restaurants are there?
12. 2 hold a MICHELIN star: Talea by Antonio Guida, Italian, Tuesday to Sunday, and Hakkasan, Cantonese, in the evening and at Saturday lunch. Then Vendôme for breakfast and dinner, Martabaan, the Lebanese Terrace, Sand & Koal on the beach, Broadway and Strawfire. The restaurants.
What is the spa like, and who can use it?
1,500 m² in Moroccan style, with a hammam, 2 Jacuzzis, 2 steam rooms, heated marble and an ice cave; 10am to 9pm, from 16. Spa access is not included in the room rate: the hammam, sauna and steam room come before or after a treatment, which lasts at least 90 minutes. Outside guests can buy the fitness day pass, with sauna and steam room, at AED 200 a person; whether they can also book a treatment, the site does not say. The spa.
What are the beach and pools like?
1.3 km of private beach and 2 large pools. On the Mandarin side, for families, there are slides and a lazy river; the east-wing pool is listed as adults only by Google and a guest, not by the hotel. On 1 October 2026 the Oriental Beach was temporarily closed; kayaks and paddleboards are free.
Can you go with children?
Yes, and it is one of the best equipped: the Kids Palace takes children from 10 months to 12 years, 8am to 6pm, at AED 90 an hour; the family connecting rooms are 110 m². An extra bed is AED 650 a night from 13; up to 12 it is free, by Booking.com. Children up to 4 eat free.
Which room should you choose?
All start at 55 m². For the sea, the Deluxe Sea View or the Club Sea View, which gives access to The EP Club and its beach; to step straight into the garden, the ground-floor Garden Terrace; for a family, the 110 m² connecting rooms. Suites run from 110 to 470 m².
Is breakfast included?
No, the standard rate excludes it and its price is not published. It is included in the Stays With You and Families by M.O. offers, and for Club rooms and suites, with The EP Club’s champagne breakfast.
How do you get there from the airport?
Zayed International is 40 km away, 33 minutes by car; the hotel says 30 minutes on one page and 40 on another. From Dubai allow an hour and a half. The Luxury Breaks offers include the transfer; parking is free for guests.
What are the cancellation terms?
They depend on the rate. For a 10 November 2026 arrival, the flexible rates cancelled free until 7 November; the Plan Ahead rate, up to 20% off, is non-refundable and non-changeable. A credit card is needed to book.
What happens on New Year’s Eve?
Anyone staying on 31 December 2026 must take the New Year’s Eve gala dinner and concert, charged on top of the room. On Google the nights of 30 and 31 December showed no price.
Can you hold a wedding or an event?
Yes: the Etihad Ballroom is 2,183 m², the auditorium seats 1,100, and the Palace Terrace takes up to 3,000 for a reception. In all there are 7,000 m² and more than 40 rooms.
Is it worth booking direct?
Not on price: for 10 and 11 November 2026 Booking.com showed AED 4,189, Expedia 4,224 and the hotel 4,488 without free cancellation. The official site does carry the offers with breakfast, resort credit and transfers.
Is it open all year?
Yes; Google shows prices until August 2027, lower in summer. From 14 to 31 August 2026 Expedia listed the beach as closed, and on 1 October 2026 the Oriental Beach still was.
Do I need a car, and is parking included?
For the city and museums, plan to travel by car. Guest parking is free, with valet included.
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