Terrific twins

Built ten minutes away from the Abu Dhabi International Airport and 20 minutes from the capital city centre, Yas Island is an ideal destination for those seeking a gateway from the city without travelling great distances. Driving from Dubai, I reached the island in about an hour as part of an organised trip to visit two of the seven hotels presently open on the island — Radisson Blu Hotel, Abu Dhabi, and Park Inn Abu Dhabi.

Architecturally similar on the outside, the four- and three-star hotels belong to the Rezidor Hotel Group. Both hotels are located along the shores of the Arabian Gulf and set beside the Links Golf Course (opening soon), and overlook mangroves. Guests who check-in to one hotel can easily access the other and enjoy the various restaurants and bars available. The hotels' interior design indicates a desire to bring nature inside with lots of open spaces and natural light. The vast lobby of Radisson Blu suggests a sleek and elegant hotel featuring earthy-coloured furniture and fine dining options. I found it rather original that all the decorative vases around the hotel were filled with red apples. The hotel's 397 guestrooms, including 30 suites, are designed for comfort with an elegant, stylish decor.

Don't miss the brunch at Assymetri, the all-day dining restaurant offering an impressive array of seafood, fish, meat and poultry kebabs, wok-prepared noodles and freshly made crepes and waffles, along with a beautiful cheese and desserts. The spa is lined up with a row of walk-in showers before the relaxation area and a Jacuzzi. In association with Aromatherapy Associates, the spa offers special therapies to soothe the mind and body. Other facilities include a health club and meeting rooms. Park Inn Abu Dhabi is a bit more affordable, featuring a funky interior design with contemporary geometric furniture in bright colours. Park Inn has rooms with the closest views over the Yas Marina Circuit — beside the Yas Hotel — among the other hotels at Golf Plaza. The 204 trendy rooms (standard, business-friendly, suite and deluxe suite) feature blue or red walls with abstract paintings, walk-in showers and free wireless internet access. The pool is next to the Sands Pool Bar, where guests can enjoy refreshing beverages, besides a children's play area and tennis court.

For more information about the Radisson Blu Hotel, Abu Dhabi and Park Inn Abu Dhabi, visit www.radissonblu.com/hotel-abudhabi.com and www.parkinn-abudhabi.com

A taste of Yas Island

A progressive dinner at Radisson Blu Hotel and Park Inn turned out to be a delectable experience. Starting with aperitif bites at Park Inn's Sands Pool Bar, we then had starters at Amerigos, a Mexican restaurant that prides itself for serving true Mexican food, not Tex-Mex. Being familiar with this type of food, I was pleasantly surprised to eat some really nice guacamole, prepared the way it should be, with white onions, lime, coriander, tomato and green chilli.

Filini, Italian restaurant, Radisson Blu Hotel (for main course)

Shams, Radisson Blu Hotel (for desserts)

What's New

Yas Island is a 25-square-kilometre island located between the coast and city of Abu Dhabi and Dubai, with a range of world-class racing circuits, signature hotels, theme parks, golf courses, marinas and more.

Several high-scale developments are scheduled to open soon, some in time for the next Formula 1 Grand Prix.

Ferrari World Abu Dhabi

The world's first Ferrari theme park and largest indoor park, featuring the world's fastest roller coaster and covering an area of 200,000 square metres.

Links Golf Course

Presently being developed on the western shores of the island and including a 4000-square-metre luxurious clubhouse and floodlit practice ranges and an academy of golf.

Warner Bros Theme Park

Bringing the characters from Looney Tunes, Hanna-Barbera and DC Comics to Yas Island with a collection of amusement rides, gaming arcades and multiplex cinemas.

Yas Water Park

Featuring cable water skiing and scuba diving and an activity pool with a giant rain fortress, wave pool and lazy river.

Yas Mall

Housing famous retail brands from around the world in over 500 stores and four floors.

Yas Island is also just 15 minutes from the Saadiyat Island Cultural District, where art and entertainment lovers will be able to discover artworks from all over the world at the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, Louvre Abu Dhabi, Zayed National Museum and Performing Arts Centre.

Round-up of Yas MarinaCircuit's events

Yas DragRacing Festival

When: March 19-20

The festival features the world's fastest accelerating car (8000 horsepower) — the top fuel dragsters go from 0 to 160km per hour in less than one second.

FIA World GT1 Championship

When: April 16-17

Six renowned sports car brands (Lamborghini, Aston Martin, Maserati, Ford, Corvette and Nissan), making 24 cars, will compete in this inaugural championship. The weekend will comprise two one-hour races.

Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

When: November 12-14

This will be the second Formula 1 race on the 5.55km-long Yas Marina Circuit, with international drivers racing over 305km.

For more information: www.yasmarinacircuit.ae

Two-hour guided tours are available from Tuesday to Saturday at 10am and 4pm. I was lucky enough to get a private tour of the truly beautiful circuit led by Salua Daghay, tour coordinator for Abu Dhabi Motorsports Management, who drove me around in a buggy cart.

We first stopped at the North Grandstand, and I must say, I was breathless when I saw the perfectly-traced grey tracks bordered by red and white, and turquoise track markings. The circuit is really a sporty piece of art. Standing at the steepest turn of the circuit overlooking the longest Formula 1 straight line in the world at 1.2km, I imagined the adrenalin rush race drivers must experience behind the wheel of a Formula 1 car.

Back to reality. From outside the Grandstand, we had a captivating view over the Ferrari Theme Park, which should open on time for the November Grand Prix. Back in the buggy, we drove past the Driving Academy and Drag Centre where the world's fastest accelerating cars accelerate to 160 kilometres per hour in less than one second on a 400-metre drag strip.

The entire racetrack is 5.54km but can be configured in different ways. There are two pits so two races can take place simultaneously, Daghay said.

Tours include a visit to the state-of-the-art Race Control Tower and photo opportunities of the starting grid, finishing line and podium. Daghay then passed by the Pit Garages, where teams get ready before the races, and the fancy Media Centre. We were then next to the Yas Hotel, set half on land and half on water, overlooking the Marina and positioned on the circuit. The Yas Hotel is clearly a distinctive piece of architecture, designed as a gridshell on the outside and mimicking the throw of a local fishing net.

Yas Marina Circuit tours cost Dh120 per adult and Dh60 per child (below 15). For tours, book online at www.yasmarinacircuit.ae.

Speedy tour of the Yas Marina Circuit