We just returned from 6 days on Shangri-La Abu Dhabi. It was extraordinarily, the place is one of the best we've been in the world (and we've been in many). Room (we had a simple one) was good for a family (with a 10 yr kid), bath is enormous and well segmented, great view to the Grand Mosque and canal, great beach, pool, incredible rich breakfast buffet, I believe they missed just caviar :-). Also dine on the Chinese restaurant and had the brunch with brazilian dancers and singers ... all great experiences. BUT the most important are people that made us felt CARED ! I wanted to put some names but they added, people from the restaurant, starting with manager to each of them, on the beach, the Concierge - so helpful to explain where to go, what to do, provide advises. Last but not least, the reception which let us to stay in the residence after checking out till our late flight. By the way, if I'll be back - I'll choose residence for a longer stay, the apartment was great, it's part of the hotel with separate beaches, pools, playgrounds but you ca also access the hotel facilities. Did I mentioned they have their own mini-mall (souk) where you find good restaurants and some nice shops, just walking 3 minutes in the hotel OR being taken by a private abra ? You feel like you have your own Venice Have to stop but I conclude by saying next trip we'll check first for Shangri-La, even if little more expensive and than other choices. So sad they do not have a Maldives hotel ...

Well, nothing is perfect in paradise. Fruits section always busy in the morning, one day really blocked for 15 minutes. We noticed the restaurant management, they took measures, reorganized the flow, explained the problem and ... offered us a small gift. It was really something understandable, a little annoying to stay around for 5-10 minutes waiting for fruits but minor compared with abundance of the breakfast. Impressive was the reaction. So, ask whatever you need, they'll try to solve or help somehow. Thank YOU ladies and gents from Shangri-La, you made a memorable experience for us!

There are many things that i enjoyed during our stay in Shangri-La. First i have to give a shoutout to Fatima who made our checkin experience amazing! She checked us in early and made us a complimentary upgrade to Horizon Room. It was really amazing and the room, balcony & views were superb! The bed was super comfortable and bathroom very spacious. The hotel wasn’t too busy in June during weekend but even if sometimes the pool got busy, the beach area was always empty and very relaxing. Sunset views are lovely looking onto the Grand Mosque. We also enjoyed the free canal boat tour and got some pretty photos.

We got the half board which contains a dinner buffet. The buffet quality of food was 3/10, very dissapointing experience. There are no labels for allergens (Dairy free, Gluten free etc), terrible selection for Vegans, and most of the staff are clueless if you ask them anything about the food. That is not a 5* service. They were clearly not trained properly and some of them don’t even know how to speak to guests. My friend who eats all kinds of meats and dairy said that the fish was dry, chicken skewers overburned and even the cheese looked expired. Service at F&B and at the pool could also definitely be improved.

Beautiful hotel and pool, we enjoyed it very much. pool service was great, very nice people. The boat trip was also fun during our spare time. I must point out our housekeeping lady Shyamali was absolutely wonderful, and her attention to detail and care was outstanding, made the trip even better.

Although we used concierge a lot and they always helped with our issues or questions, I didn’t like the fact that they were gossiping about me amongst eachother, giving judgemental looks when I had an issue with food delivery guy one evening.

Wissam the duty manager lacked professionalism and manners. The room that was allocated to us initially was of incredibly poor standards. The alternative he offered us was even worse. For regular guest of the Shangri La it was appalling. We made this booking for Eid and were extremely upset and frustrated. When we told Wissam we would not come back to the hotel his response was « I’ve done my best for you, you’re free to do whatever you want »…. If it wasn’t for Rey who sorted our issue in less than 5min, we would never have returned to the Shangri La. Please hire people like Rey whose talent, tactfulness and professionalism actually meets the high standards of this hotel.

Fantastic from start to finish. The staff were lovely, genuine and very accommodating. Siju at the Valet Desk was brilliant. The Concierges were exceptionally helpful when I ordered some items to the hotel. The waiters and waitresses in the restaurants were great with our kids and very friendly and the pool staff who made sure we were attended to every day. We really appreciate the cleaning staff who made sure our room was immaculate every day and stocked us with fresh fruit and water daily. The restaurants were lovely and the buffet selection was out of this world. The hotel was clean, spacious and located centrally. The adjoining Souk with Market was great and the nearby The Bridge cafes were very close-by.

An excellent hotel that lived up to all my expectations (with one small caveat, which I'll get to in a moment). The staff is incredibly welcoming — attentive yet unobtrusive, always available but never in your way. The property itself is a haven of peace and comfort. Breakfasts are varied, offering something for every taste. The view from the room, with its stunning vista of the water and the mosque, is truly breathtaking, and the interior design of the rooms feels thoughtful and well-executed. I was particularly impressed by the in-room dining service — both in terms of presentation and flavor. After long days of exploring, it was a blessing to skip the hassle of going out to eat and enjoy restaurant-quality meals right in the comfort of our room. Without a doubt, I’ll recommend this hotel to my friends and would happily return on another occasion.

However, there is one significant drawback: the beds. The mattresses are uncomfortably firm — it’s like sleeping on a wooden board. After physically demanding days, we found it difficult to relax or recover overnight. While I noticed the staff trying to address this by adding thin mattress toppers, it didn’t make much of a difference. If the hotel were to upgrade to softer mattresses, it would undoubtedly be a perfect 10/10. Lastly, the location is slightly out of the way — getting to major attractions takes some time. However, taxis are readily available just outside the hotel, making transportation quick and hassle-free.

More or less a lot. The staff was nice, especially "Saju" at the entrance.

The sea was not really inviting. The worst thing was that they agreed beforehand (we had even they confirmation mail) that we could have the same room for the same price for a late checkout. Then they denied this and asked for exorbitant more money with no access anymore to the horizon club and no dinner (and we also didn't even have breakfast)! They just took advantage that there were only women travelling alone without a man, and we needed the late checkout because of our 80 years old mothers! Up from this moment, they left the permanent feeling that they wanted to trick us!! Also, not so nice was the monotone music coming from the hotel bar all the time in front of our room till late night.

Shangri- la Abu Dhabi lives up to its brand and expectations and the level of service by all colleagues was top notch. Special thanks to Nikki at reception for assisting us in every little detail regarding our special occasion, Sonam the porter who aided us in things so we didn’t have to worry such as booking the Louvre in advance and skipping the queues , and the wonderful Tea master Natasha that made us a private tea ceremony and opened up to us ( She is a gem to have at your hotel ) Also thanks to chef Samira for taking extra care of my wife’s dietary restrictions. Highly recommended , with plenty of inhouse activities for guests such as the lovely Abra boat tour, a wonderful harpist playing soothing sounds in the evening , the tea ceremony experience and 3 different pools to choose from

everything was great, room, pool, beach and food helpful staff excellent team kids friendly location superb

I booked half board through booking for my wife and my two kids as I understood from the website and from booking . com, however, they made half board only for my wife and we payed extra money for the kids, this was not clear from the start, half board for whom, one or two adults or one adult and kids, we don't mind paying if we know from the start but I think this is cheating. I was so upset, but nevertheless hotel is very nice.

This is a true 5-star Shangri-La experience! The staff are overly friendly and exceed expectations. We were offered an upgrade at a fair price and it was totally worth it! Not only did it include the buffet breakfast and access to the Horizon club lounge where you have morning & afternoon tea and happy hour offering unlimited drinks and a light buffet dinner, but we got a very early check-in and very late check-out and a magnificent view of the Grand Mosque :-) They have the best bedding ever - it's like sleeping on clouds. Still water is free in the room. Everyone was amazing - Fatima from Reception, Jane - the Manager from the Horizon lounge, Gleb who seemed to be in all restaurants, the room cleaning staff, the concierge, the guys at the pool. Can't wait to go back to see these people in this luxurious location! They truly make you feel like a star. Dubai is so over-rated - go to Abu Dhabi if you want value for money and quiet luxury.

On busy Sundays, the buffet breakfast staff at the soup & poached eggs station don't cope.