While some hotels in the capital try to wow you with incredible opulence and furnishings that look so expensive you don’t even want to sit down for fear of making the place look a mess, Aloft Abu Dhabi is far more cool and casual.
The hotel lobby is Insta-worthy in a different way to it’s luxurious five-star neighbours. Giant lollipops protrude from the walls, the seats are colourful and funky, and everything is very good fun.
But we’re here to relax on the 12th floor (the name makes sense now, right?) so we head straight up to the rooftop bar, which, like the rest of the hotel, is aimed at a young and very fashionable crowd.
The first thing that strikes us is the panoramic view across the city. While many of our favourite ‘bars with a view’ look over the Corniche (such as Ray’s Bar, Catch Rooftop and the like), this one lets us see the middle of the city from a different angle.It’s a lovely scene, and most of the seats and leather booths are arranged to look out over the ADNEC and beyond.
We’re a bit early for the Tuesday ladies night, and the place is still relatively quiet.
We start off with some of the mint and lime-based mixed drinks, and they’re expertly prepared and super refreshing.
This bar has a reputation as a party spot, and as it gets a bit later the tables around us fill up with groups of friends and a DJ turns up to start blasting out some tunes. It’s lively, but not so loud that you can’t hold a conversation if you want to.
When it reaches 10pm, we switch to drinking pink juniper-based beverages, as they’re complimentary for ladies up until 1am. Judging by the packed-out bar, this deal is no secret amongst those who live nearby.
We also try a platter of Asian crispy bites, and the peppery squid rings, huge prawn tempura, vegetable-packed spring rolls and spicy vegetable samosas go down a treat with our drinks. There’s also a selection of sushi and mini sliders if you fancy something more substantial.
Looking around we spot a special photo area set up with benches and flowers; just the thing if you get bored of taking snaps of the amazing backdrop.
The party is still going as we leave, and we realise that if we ever want a Tuesday night blowout (or on any day of the week), we know where to come.
