First Visit to Mandarin Oriental Abu Dhabi

This was our first stay at the Mandarin Oriental hotel in Abu Dhabi, and I must say—it was absolutely impressive. After a long 10-hour flight, we reached the hotel early in the morning, feeling rather exhausted. Concierge team member Joseph immediately noticed how tired we were and graciously helped with our luggage. During check-in, Sofia was incredibly helpful. She checked room availability so we could rest soon and also introduced us to in-house activities while serving us welcome tea and dates. Her warm reception set a wonderful tone for our stay. Our room was spacious and elegantly designed, featuring a lovely balcony overlooking the sunny garden. Joseph also mentioned the camel riding experience offered by the hotel, which was truly memorable, particularly at sunset. We enjoyed most of our meals at the hotel, and they consistently impressed us. The breakfast buffet had plenty of options. Episodes’ signature golden cappuccino was Instagram-worthy, and I appreciated the latte art with the palace theme. Poolside treats like churros and calamari at ALMA were delightful. Our dinner at Broadway was a standout experience, thanks to the warm hospitality from Kyra and the skilled culinary team. Special thanks to Nikel from Alma and Nam from Vedome for taking great care of us during our stay. Upon checkout, we met Joseph again and shared how much we enjoyed our visit. When he found out we were heading to Dubai afterward, he thoughtfully arranged extra bottles of water for our journey. That small gesture was meaningful—it’s the kind of genuine care that turns guests into lifelong fans of MO. Thank you to the entire team for making our stay so remarkable. We’ll surely be back!