Luxury Hotels Atlas / Places / United Arab Emirates / Abu Dhabi / Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental, Abu Dhabi
Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental, Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates · Mandarin Oriental · Grand Luxury
WATG and BESIX delivered Emirates Palace for about US$3 billion, opening in 2005 on Abu Dhabi's West Corniche with 114 domes and a kilometre-scale palace footprint. Kempinski ran it until Mandarin Oriental took over on 1 January 2020. The complex has hosted Justin Timberlake and Christina Aguilera and doubled as a set for The Kingdom and Furious 7.
- 394 rooms
- Opened 2005
- Neighborhood: West Corniche / Etihad Towers
- Architect: WATG
- Interiors: Depa Interiors; Champalimaud Design
About Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental, Abu Dhabi
- Among the world's most expensive hotels ever built, often ranked behind only Cosmopolitan Las Vegas and Marina Bay Sands on published cost lists.
- Penthouse Rulers' Suites are reserved for visiting dignitaries and royalty.
- A 1.3-kilometre private beach, marina, and two helipads sit on the Al Ras Al Akhdar headland.
- January 2011 grounds hosted an LV Cup rugby match between London Wasps and Harlequins, the first English domestic rugby fixture played abroad.
- Exterior color reads as Arabian desert sand; Islamic geometry organizes the dome hierarchy around a central patterned cupola.
History
Commissioned by Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan as a symbol of Arabian hospitality blending tradition and modernity on 1 million sqm along the Arabian Gulf. Construction began December 2001 by BESIX with design by WATG Architects incorporating Islamic elements like 114 domes and desert-inspired hues; opened February 2005 at ~$3 billion cost. Originally Kempinski-operated until 2020, now managed by Mandarin Oriental following renovation, set on a 1.3km private beach overlooking the pristine waters.
The setting
Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental, Abu Dhabi presides over a sweeping private bay on West Corniche Road in the Al Ras Al Akhdar headland, having opened in November 2005 as a palatial landmark commissioned for the GCC summit — an expression of the UAE's ambition to receive world leaders in unmatched grandeur. Designed by WATG across 85 hectares, the palace anchors a ceremonial coastal stretch alongside Qasr Al Watan and the UAE Presidential Palace. The Founder's Memorial is an eleven-minute walk along the Corniche, the Observation Deck at 300 reaches 300 metres 13 minutes by taxi, and Marina Mall sits 14 minutes away — all within the corridor that defines Abu Dhabi's most prestigious address.
Restaurants and bars
- Talea by Antonio Guida — Restaurant · Italian · Chef Antonio Guida · One MICHELIN Star
- Hakkasan — Restaurant · Cantonese · One MICHELIN Star
- Strawfire by Ross Shonhan — Restaurant · Japanese · Chef Ross Shonhan
- Martabaan by Hemant Oberoi — Restaurant · Indian · Chef Hemant Oberoi
- Lebanese Terrace — Restaurant · Levantine
- Vendôme — Restaurant · Multi-national all-day dining
- Broadway Brasserie & Bar — Restaurant · Elevated comfort food
- Sand & Koal — Restaurant · Open fire cooking
- ALMA — Restaurant · Mexican
- Cascades — Restaurant
- Café Fountain — Café
- Episodes — Restaurant
Experiences
- Qasr Al Watan — Presidential palace with grand halls, exhibitions and landscaped gardens celebrating Arabian heritage, next to the hotel.
- The Founder's Memorial — Immersive, reflective experience on the UAE's history, a short distance from the hotel.
- Emirates Heritage Village — Offers insight into the UAE's history and culture, a short distance from the hotel.
- IMPOSSIBLE show by DMC — Show by magician DMC, with tickets bookable through the hotel's Broadway venue.
Amenities
- private beach
- spa
- hammam
- pools
- butler service
- kids palace
- marina
- water sports
- Sauna
- Hot tub
- Fitness center
- Kids' club
- Tennis
- Yoga
Awards
- Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star (2026)
- MICHELIN Two Keys (2026)
- Abu Dhabi's Leading Luxury Resort 2025 (World Travel Awards) (2025)
- Middle East's Leading Luxury Hotel 2025 (World Travel Awards) (2025)
- Two MICHELIN Keys (2025)
- World's Leading Luxury Beach Resort (2025)
- Conde Nast Reader's Choice (2022)
Open Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental, Abu Dhabi in the atlas for live weekend rates, photos, and the full folio.
More Mandarin Oriental hotels
- Mandarin Oriental Downtown, Dubai — Dubai, United Arab Emirates · Grand Luxury
- Mandarin Oriental Jumeira, Dubai — Dubai, United Arab Emirates · Grand Luxury
- Mandarin Oriental Bosphorus, Istanbul — Istanbul, Turkey · Apex Luxury
- Mandarin Oriental Conservatorium, Amsterdam — Amsterdam, Netherlands · Apex Luxury
- Mandarin Oriental Lutetia, Paris — Paris, France · Apex Luxury
- Mandarin Oriental Qianmen, Beijing — Beijing, China · Apex Luxury
More hotels in Abu Dhabi
- Conrad Abu Dhabi Etihad Towers — Conrad · Grand Luxury
- Four Seasons Hotel Abu Dhabi at Al Maryah Island — Four Seasons · Grand Luxury
- Jumeirah Saadiyat Island — Jumeirah · Grand Luxury
- Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi Hotel and Villas — Park Hyatt · Grand Luxury
- Rosewood Abu Dhabi — Rosewood · Grand Luxury
- The Abu Dhabi EDITION — EDITION · Grand Luxury
Mandarin Oriental in The Maison: the brand's idea, history and every house on the atlas.