Etihad first timer- long layover Abu Dhabi
 

We will be flying ord-auh-mle ,business class next year for 1st time using American Airlines points and have a few questions please.

We have a 13 hour layover in Abu Dhabi both ways and are trying to determine if we should book an outside hotel stay for these vs lounge stay or airport hotel?

VISA?
If we do book hotel stay, since this is a transit ticket, I think we need visa's to go outside airport? US citizens What is the best way to obtain? Do we get b4 we travel? If so, do we need 2 different visas - one for departure layover and one for return trip?

Where to Stay close to airport:
Is Yas island best location to spend layover? We have hilton and priority points available to use.

Transportation:
Not sure if we get chauffair service - have read varying reports on this?

thanks for your help.

US Citizens get visa on arrival for 30 days.

Yas Island is close by but Abu Dhabi is not that far, Hyatt Capital Gate is also nearby and a fantastic hotel.

You can get chauffeur drive both ways

I would go to the city for a walk. You can take a bus for 75 cents or o, a taxi is around 20 dollars. Even when it is night, it is worth it, just to get out of the eclosed airport. Then get back to the lounge with ample time to spare, enjoy the space and then sleep on the plane.

Yas island is the best location to spend a layover. Your priority club points will be available to use at the Crowne Plaza or Staybridge. Both nice.

Personally I'd rather go into the city, and wander the streets around Electra to get a feel for the 'real city', visit the grand mosque on the way, perhaps have lunch at the Emirates Palace if you want something more 'upscale', the new Etihad towers mall if you fancy some pricey shopping/browsing.

Basically it depends what you want to do, and enjoy doing.

Arrive after 8pm/11pm both ways - anything still open at that time?

Malls tend to stay open until around 10.00pm & of course various bars/restaurants. Not worth it IMHO.

The first time I passed in AUH was at night as well. Reasons to get out of the airport:
1) Experience the heat. It is some heat I never felt before and I quite liked it.
2) Go see the skyscrapers. For somebody from Belgium like me, it was quite impressive
3) There is a nice walkway next to the sea. Just walking there is nice and there are vending machines with water everywhere so no problem with dehydration.

Parts of town are very lively until after midnight, but only parts...

...the Corniche being one of them.

True, but only the central part, the Corniche is rather long....

I'd go and grab some food at any of the great Lebanese backstreet places and just have a walk around.

You will not need to arrange a visa if you are US passport holders.

My recommendation based on the arrival and departure times of the flights is to overnight at Yas Island which is a very short ride from the airport. I would say you won't even need to pre-book your car at Abu Dhabi as they have a long line of cars waiting outside and you can just show up at the car desk with your boarding pass and they can put you in a car and book you a return for the next morning.

On the way back you will be arriving late (around midnight) and departing mid-morning so Yas Island is very convenient. Here is our report of staying at the Park Inn.

On the way in, you will arrive earlier in the evening and depart a little earlier in the morning. Personally I'd stick with Yas Island then too, but maybe you will have time to justify going into Abu Dhabi "proper" for some dinner etc. Again you will still be able to use the Etihad car transfer

I would definitely get out of the airport. Don't think trying to overnight in AUH will be much fun. You can get a room at somewhere like Crowne Plaza or Park Inn Yas Island for < $100 a night and rooms in Abu Dhabi as cheap as $60 a night and they are going to be nice, modern hotels. I'd save the points for something more expensive.

Enjoy the trip, I am sure it will be spectacular!

I remember such a Lebasne restaurant. I thought Abu Dhabi would be super expensive but I only paid 12 euro (the equivalent in Dirhams) and got a plate full of meat and sauces and a good salad. No alcohol, but half a liter of orange juice for just 1 euro.

You were robbed :p I've had a full 3 course meal at Lebanese Flower for 30Dhs (€6).

Lebanese Flower is very good, and others to consider for local type flavor are Marroush and Automatic.

You should very much consider spending some time in the city if you arrive at 8pm, will give you plenty of time. As others mentioned, it will be a lot better than killing time and boredom at the airport. Also, on the weekends most malls are open past 10pm, and tend to close around mid-night, even later during the Ramadan period.

You can also consider some of the restaurants at the Shangrila hotel and the adjoining souk Qariyat al-beri (sp?) which can give you nice views of the grand mosque lit up at night...