Abu Dhabi was our stopover on the way home from Thailand when flying with Ethiad airways.  It turned out to be the perfect way to break the journey with the kids and finish our trip on a high. That said, it would work just as well as a standalone family holiday.  Abu Dhabi is only 7‑hour direct flight from Ireland and is very accessible to Dubai too if you wanted to create a twin-centre escape.

Hilton Abu Dhabi Yas Island was our base for a fun-filled three-night family break, and it turned out to be exactly what we needed: relaxed, easy and packed with things to keep the children happy.  Located on Yas Island, we were only around 15 minutes from the airport, which made arrival and departure wonderfully straightforward after a long-haul flight with kids in tow. From the moment we checked in, the staff were friendly, helpful and great with the children, setting the tone for a really welcoming stay.

What made Hilton Abu Dhabi Yas Island such an ideal base was how much it offers families on-site, as well as its location for exploring Abu Dhabi’s major attractions.  We split our downtime between the hotel’s outdoor pool and the private beach club. The pool area is great for families, with plenty of space for everyone to splash about or simply unwind in the sun. Having access to a private beach club was a lovely bonus: soft sand, sea views and a more laid-back feel when we wanted a change of scene from the parks.

In the evenings, we loved the convenience of having an McCafferty;s Irish bar on site. It was an easy, relaxed option for a meal after a busy day, with a friendly atmosphere that worked well for us as a family.

One of the real advantages of staying on Yas Island is how simple it is to get around. The hotel includes a free shuttle service to the Yas Island theme parks, so there was no stress about taxis or public transport with children and bags in tow.

Our stay included two days of park tickets, and we decided to spend both days at Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi because the kids loved it so much. Rather than rushing to tick everything off in different parks, revisiting the same one meant we could slow down, repeat our favourite rides and enjoy the atmosphere without feeling we were missing out.

Abu Dhabi was our stopover on the way home from Thailand when flying with Ethiad airways.  It turned out to be the perfect way to break the journey with the kids and finish our trip on a high. That said, it would work just as well as a standalone family holiday.  Abu Dhabi is only 7‑hour direct flight from Ireland and is very accessible to Dubai too if you wanted to create a twin-centre escape.

Hilton Abu Dhabi Yas Island was our base for a fun-filled three-night family break, and it turned out to be exactly what we needed: relaxed, easy and packed with things to keep the children happy.  Located on Yas Island, we were only around 15 minutes from the airport, which made arrival and departure wonderfully straightforward after a long-haul flight with kids in tow. From the moment we checked in, the staff were friendly, helpful and great with the children, setting the tone for a really welcoming stay.

What made Hilton Abu Dhabi Yas Island such an ideal base was how much it offers families on-site, as well as its location for exploring Abu Dhabi’s major attractions.  We split our downtime between the hotel’s outdoor pool and the private beach club. The pool area is great for families, with plenty of space for everyone to splash about or simply unwind in the sun. Having access to a private beach club was a lovely bonus: soft sand, sea views and a more laid-back feel when we wanted a change of scene from the parks.

In the evenings, we loved the convenience of having an McCafferty;s Irish bar on site. It was an easy, relaxed option for a meal after a busy day, with a friendly atmosphere that worked well for us as a family.

 One of the real advantages of staying on Yas Island is how simple it is to get around. The hotel includes a free shuttle service to the Yas Island theme parks, so there was no stress about taxis or public transport with children and bags in tow.

Our stay included two days of park tickets, and we decided to spend both days at Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi because the kids loved it so much. Rather than rushing to tick everything off in different parks, revisiting the same one meant we could slow down, repeat our favourite rides and enjoy the atmosphere without feeling we were missing out.

Yas Island is home to several theme parks including Ferrari World , Yas Waterpark, Warner Brothers and Seaworld Yas Island Abu Dhabi, so there is plenty of choice for families who want a mix of experiences, from thrill rides to water parks. The overall feeling is that everything is close by and very easy to navigate, which makes a huge difference when travelling with children.

Another bonus of Yas Island is the access to shopping. Yas Mall had lots of retail shops and was perfect grabbing a coffee or just having a wander when we wanted a break from the pool and parks.  Because everything is so close together on Yas Island, we never felt we were wasting time travelling.

For us, this short break in Abu Dhabi showed just how well Yas Island works for families, whether as a stopover, a standalone break or part of a twin-centre.  Get in touch to discuss your next city break or twin centre holiday. 

Yas Island is home to several theme parks including Ferrari World , Yas Waterpark, Warner Brothers and Seaworld Yas Island Abu Dhabi, so there is plenty of choice for families who want a mix of experiences, from thrill rides to water parks. The overall feeling is that everything is close by and very easy to navigate, which makes a huge difference when travelling with children.

Another bonus of Yas Island is the access to shopping. Yas Mall had lots of retail shops and was perfect grabbing a coffee or just having a wander when we wanted a break from the pool and parks.  Because everything is so close together on Yas Island, we never felt we were wasting time travelling.

For us, this short break in Abu Dhabi showed just how well Yas Island works for families, whether as a stopover, a standalone break or part of a twin-centre.  Get in touch to discuss your next city break or twin centre holiday.