The Southern Sun Abu Dhabi may not be quite as flashy or filled with marble and gold as some of the other hotels in the capital (which may or may not be a good thing, depending on your taste), but it’s certainly home to some top-class places to eat and drink.
As well as being home to steakhouse The Foundry (partly known for its popular Friday brunch), there’s also a rooftop bar called Hytes.
Located on the 27th floor, we find that we can either choose to sit outside by the pool, or inside in the relatively small bar area.
Sticking to our vow to spend as much time outside as possible while the weather is still so brilliant, we take a seat under one of the cabana-style beds.
From here we have a superb view of the city and the shimmering waters of the Gulf. We can see all the way from Al Mina fish market to the World Trade Center.
But despite the setting, there’s a distinctly unpretentious feel to the place. Bottles of hops start from Dhs27 and mixed drinks, including a range featuring mint and lime, are Dhs35.
The bar bites are also good value.
Huge sandwiches, such as the club house and croque monsieur, all come with a bowl of a fresh salad and fries, while the pizzas are ideal for sharing as a late-night snack.
It’s a casual setting where there’s no need to dress up. The servers clearly know the regular customers very well, and we can certainly see why those living close by would be tempted to come back again and again.
Inside, guests can relax on soft sofas and chairs and watch sports being broadcast up on the big screens. It smells a bit too much like cigarettes for our liking, but we’re happy outside by the pool so really it hardly matters.
The Friday Let’s Braai night offers a fantastic spread of South African-style grilled meats. With packages starting from Dhs169, there’s everything you need for a top night out.
This spot has more going for it than just the fabulous views.
WHAT IS IT…
A rootop bar serving a wide range of bottled hops and mixed drinks at reasonable prices
WHY GO…
To relax to top tunes while looking out over the striking skyline of Downtown Abu Dhabi
