photo contest - Yacht Essentials

nal structure is glass. This gives an incredible feeling of
space by day and by night makes the hotel “trip the light
fantastic.” Oscillating ceiling lights change the colour
and mood of the great hall, whilst the reflective pillars
and dividing walls create a dream-like environment.
Accommodation varies, but the upper floors contain exclusive
suites, sheer glass walls overlooking the gulf, and
a decorative style and design not unlike those of a New
York penthouse. The suites also enjoy an elite elevated
restaurant for breakfast or brunch.
The Fairmont has a good selection of dining establishments,
featuring Frankie Detorri’s Italian Restaurant,
a Michelin star celebrity restaurant by Marco Pierre
White, and an excellent Lebanese Restaurant with indoor
and alfresco dining options including a cool sheltered
patio where visitors can enjoy a water-pipe and
Arabic coffee.
The Fairmont also hosts a very fashionable cocktail
venue: The Chameleon Bar is small, but it is most definitely
the place to be seen — frequented by the jet set
of Abu Dhabi. There is an impressive range of cocktails
and vintage champagnes, which are only surpassed by
the outstanding beauty and dress sense of the clientele.
Chameleon is a place for the best-dressed people
of the Emirati.
Each year, Abu Dhabi hosts many prestigious events
in the motor-racing calendar, including the Formula
1 Grand Prix. The venue for this is Yas Island, which
also has a luxurious marina. Rock legends and popular
bands play gigs at the marina, and the 18-hole golf
course was recently voted the best in the UAE. Ferrari
World is right next door; the park hosts more than 20
rides and attractions for visitors of all ages and interests,
not the least of which is the world’s fastest rollercoaster,
Formula Rossa.
There are few marinas in the world that can match the
glamour of Yas, and it is the only marina where it is possible
to watch a Formula 1 race just a few metres from
the moorings. Yas is a state-of-the-art superyacht marina
with outstanding facilities that can accommodate vessels
ranging from 10 to 70 metres on an annual basis (with
prior warning the marina can handle visiting yachts of up
to 150 metres). Yas has 143 berths offering a very high
standard of service, including 24/7 security, transportation
by limousine and exclusive crew lounges.
Just outside Yas are mangrove forests and Abu Dhabi’s
complex of 200 untouched islands, which are all within
easy reach, and a wide variety of boats are available for
charter from the marina. Greater flamingos are a common
sight, as are cormorants and cranes and aquatic
life featuring the rare dugong and the hawksbill turtle.
Thirteen different species of dolphin live in the waters
here, and recently a bottlenose dolphin was sighted in
Yas Marina during the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Obviously,
Flipper was a race fan.
Abu Dhabi is a thoroughly modern city with exotic urban
architecture, lush green gardens and breathtaking
fountains. It bursts with dazzling business and leisure facilities,
including cutting-edge convention centres, luxurious
hotels, spas, designer golf courses, theatres and,
SAADIYAT ISLAND
Just 500 metres off the coast of Abu Dhabi is Saadiyat
Island, which is poised to become a truly remarkable
waterside location. Construction is fully under way,
and the impressive plans are designed to attract a
huge variety of residents and visitors.
Saadiyat Island will provide a business hub, waterfront
homes, a magnificent cultural district and a worldclass
resort area. The development boasts some
truly dazzling architectural designed by five individual
Pritzker prizewinners. Central to the development is
Saadiyat Marina, which will provide more than 1,000
berths, a boutique hotel, luxury apartments, a New
York University Campus and a maritime museum.
The Saadiyat Island visitor centre has recently opened
and is well worth a visit. “The Saadiyat Story” is on
permanent display and provides an interactive narrative
on the history and cultural vision behind the
island. Once the development is completed, the
centre will encompass four major galleries, including
the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi by Frank Gehry and The
Louvre Abu Dhabi by Jean Nouvel.
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