Saadiyat will become a destination
For months, it’s simply been a through-road for those heading out to the big spots on Yas Island, but this season, Saadiyat Island is finally set to come into its own. Kick-starting the crusade is Sea Lounge (02 656 3500), a swanky new venue at the ultra-plush new Monte-Carlo Beach Club, modelled on its French Riviera counterpart. True, you’ll have your work cut out directing taxi drivers to the place, but with three big nights already on the calendar, we’re expecting queues around the block before long. Audio Tonic (Thursdays) and MustHaveSoul (Fridays) have both ditched their former uptown homes, while new R&B night So.Be. (organised by the people behind pre-summer favourites Recession and Boogie Box) has just announced a Saturday night residency. And that’s not all – with Park Hyatt and St Regis set to open hotels on Saadiyat before the year’s out, you may wonder why you ever bothered going out on the mainland at all.
Ladies will have it sweeter than ever
The fairer sex have always had it pretty sweet when it comes to painting the town red, with practically every nightspot in the city offering some sort of ladies-only drinks promotion. Trouble is, they’ve always been cunningly scheduled for times when ladies don’t want to drink, like between 4am and 5am on the third Wednesday of odd-numbered months. But no more. Thanks to fierce competition between rival bars, ladies nights have slowly seen a shift into more sociable hours. Stills on Yas Island (02 656 3053) was the first to take the plunge – they’ve just announced they’ll be handing out freebies to females on Thursday nights (from 8pm till late) and Friday nights (9pm-11pm) this season. Meanwhile, over on Hamdan Street, girls can drink for free at Level Lounge, Heroes and Vincent’s (02 656 3000) between 7pm-9pm, every single day. See you at the bar, girls.
Comedy will get even bigger
This time last year, comedy nights were pretty hard to come by. Just before the summer, though, the city finally discovered its funny bone, with some sort of jape-based fun cropping up on a weekly basis. As well as regular tours with international stars organised by The Laughter Factory, local and expat comics proved they too were capable of raising the roof, with a pair of packed-out shows organised by Dubomedy Arts leaving Cooper’s breathless with laughter. And now? Even Al Ain is getting in on the act, with comedy nights taking off at Al Ain Rotana’s Moodz bar. Okay, so it’s not exactly the Edinburgh Festival, but we wouldn’t be surprised to see some pretty huge comedians hit Abu Dhabi before Christmas…
Pubs will be the new clubs
Thanks to Allure on Yas Island, last year’s party season undoubtedly belonged to the nightclub, with meticulously groomed revellers turning out in their droves to bounce along to the beats of some of the most legendary names in house music. This time round, though, we reckon lounging will take a turn for the cosier, with frothy mugs of nut-brown beverage and squashy sofas set to be the new objects of Thursday night affection. And the venues? Likely to be big are Harvesters – the recently revamped British pub at Sands Hotel (02 615 6666) – and Porterhouse (02 443 9999), a blues bar that’s due to open its doors as soon as the Grand Millennium nails down its licence. Oh, and then there’s Rugby World Cup, which ought to keep fans of burly sportsmen chained to the plasma screen at their local until October 23.
Shisha smokers will make a stand
Like it or not, new legislation coming into force towards the end of the year means days are numbered for Abu Dhabi’s smoky bars. While the particulars are still to be pinned down, the likely situation is that, from December 21, cigarettes, cigars and shisha pipes will only be permitted in outdoor areas, meaning those who enjoy a good lungful with their brew are about to have their world turned upside down. Still, there’s no point getting upset about it – rules are rules, after all. Instead, make the most of the city’s fruity smokes while you can by joining the crowds set to descend on the capital’s shisha hotspots at the deadline looms. Beachcomber at the Sheraton (02 677 3333) is a good option for those who like a drink with their smoke, or, at the other end of the Corniche, Mirage (02 635 9956) is a big hit with locals.
