If you've ever wondered, what on earth is that strange looking, tilted, building at the far end of Abu Dhabi? You are not alone! I thought the exact same thing a couple of years, just after it was built! Until I found out it was a hotel, and not just any hotel but a Hyatt property .... "Hyatt Capital Gate" to be precise. And ever since, I've been dying to see what it looked like on the inside.
Hyatt Capital Gate is no ordinary hotel. It holds the Guinness world record for being the furthest leaning made made tower with an inclination of 18 degrees. Just before you enter the building, you see this little board at the entrance saying just that. I felt a little proud to be staying in a building that holds a world record!
And although you enter from the ground flower, its not until the 18th floor that you'll see the lobby ... an eye catching one that too with bubble sorta things hanging from the ceiling! We were greeted by Shazia who quickly checked us in and Abhishek who escorted us to our room on the 22nd floor.
The interior of the hotel is equally impressive. After passing through a criss-cross foyer, we reached our room. I dunno about you, however for me, when I enter a hotel room I check two things - View and bathroom! And let me tell you, I was more than impressed. For the first time in my life, I saw a freestanding bathtub! Okay, I've seen it in movies and all, but now, I'd actually be able to sit in one! This one had a view too! Of course, there was a stand up shower as well. But this, this was spectacular!
The room was super spacious with a work station, safe, fully stocked mini bar and an Illy coffee machine! This coffee machine was probably what impressed Mr. D the most. He loves his fresh coffee! Everything about the room was so organized. The only issue we found here was that the AC vents faced directly on one side of the bed. Guess, who slept there ;) The internet worked a bit slow as well, even though we were just browsing. This is something the hotel could improve on.
Our room had ceiling to floor windows with a view of the city and well as the sea! And here's how we were welcomed ! Hyatt Capital Gate... you've definitely got style!
With regards to Rayana Spa, I got to try out one of their signature massages called the "Rayana Renewal Massage" ... which is a combination of Swedish and Deep Tissue Massage. If you've slept through any of your massages, you can be sure that the therapist did an excellent job! That's exactly what happened to me when Petronella gave me a massage! It super relaxing. Thankfully, I didn't snore ... or I think I didn't! I loved that I was able to choose my own oil for the massage. There were 3 oils to choose from and I went for something citrus-y and refreshing. The massage rooms and lounge area are super clean and tidy. The lounge actually looked like a little cafe with a kitchen! Steam and Sauna were also available. My massage room had its own shower and tub, although I wasn't informed about it until I entered the massage room. So, i ended up using the common one instead.
With the exception of the pool bar, I tried out two restaurants at the hotel. The first one was 18 Degrees. I had both dinner and brekkie here. 18 Degrees has a beautiful view of Abu Dhabi and I made sure I got a nice table during the day. They have an alfresco seating arrangement too, but given the current weather scene in Abu Dhabi, it was a clear NO from me! The restaurant has a Mediterranean inspired cuisine and had a open kitchen concept. You can see the chefs whip up your food. Dinner was a-la-carte which I absolutely love. Buffets confuse me whereas in a-la-carte, chefs give their undivided attention to one dish! Mr. D and I both had a pretty big dinner, and tried to get a taste of everything. What I recommend trying out is the Gambas Al Ajillo (garlic-y prawn kinda thing) and Costine de manzo (beef short rib). If you're feeling experimental, try out the chicken livers too. They are really good. The food at 18 degrees is meant for sharing, so the portions might appear a bit less. However, I think they're worth the price. I was very disappointed when carpaccio wasn't available, even though it was listed on the menu. In my opinion, if something isn't available, it shouldn't be shown on the menu!
Brekkie at 18 Degrees had a mix of items. We saw beautiful flower shaped idlis, fresh juices, an assortment of pastries and cereals, live egg station, waffle/pancake station and lots more. The salad selection was a bit less, however, it didn't affect us much.
We even got to try out the popular Afternoon Tea at Hyatt Capital Gate's other restaurant known as Lounge. The three tier afternoon tea set came with a selection of items from sandwiches to scones, cakes to macarons, and more. It was a perfect balance of sweet and savory. And nothing overly sweet. Personally, I liked the chicken-spinach bread and the macarons. We got to choose from 12 different kinds of tea. Lounge also offers alcoholic options if you're interested.
The hotel boasts of a full fledged gym as well and a pool which had sweeping views of Abu Dhabi. I visited the gym only to take pictures. Yes, I'm not ashamed to say that!
However, I did spend some time at the pool. Although it wasn't very big, I liked it for its unique design and views.
Hyatt Capital Gate is definitely not located within the city centre, and you might need atleast 20 minutes to actually reach Abu Dhabi downtown. However, I don't think this would be a problem as there as taxis readily available. Although some of Abu Dhabi's popular attractions such as the ADNEC, Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, and the Abu Dhabi airport are located not too far away.
All in all, we loved our stay at Hyatt Capital Gate. The service is top-notch just like everything else. And it has even opened our minds to the possibility of staying at Hyatt properties around the world during our travels!
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