Whenever people travel out of town or overseas, hotels serve as their second home. This is the primary reason hoteliers make it a point to help their guests feel as cosy as possible during their stay.
When travelling to Abu Dhabi, you don’t have to look far to get high-quality hospitality service. From the Crowne Plaza in Yas Island to the InterContinental Hotel, there’s no shortage of these establishments that offer stellar accommodation and experiences in the UAE capital.
Of course, that’s not to say that you can’t do anything to make the whole experience even better. With some tips and tricks from travellers around the globe, you can make the most of your hotel stay in Abu Dhabi.

1.    Choose a hotel close to your route or itinerary.
Before booking a hotel, make sure you already have a good idea of where you’ll be going and what you’ll be doing in Abu Dhabi. If you do, you can save on transportation money by choosing a hotel that is only a walking distance away from most of your destinations.
Besides keeping your budget in check, doing this will also save precious time, which you could spend on doing other things, like bonding with your family or getting enough sleep.

2.    Request a corner room.
When you have the chance, you should get a corner room in your chosen hotel. According to seasoned travellers and hotel enthusiasts, this usually is the nicest room on the floor.
Although this isn’t a sure-fire fact, many travellers vouch for the pleasantness of corner rooms, calling it “the next best thing” to a hotel room upgrade because they are usually:

• ●    Larger in terms of floor area
  ●    Located where the better views are
  ●    Come with bigger bathrooms

3.    Be early for your arrival, but a bit late for your departure.
This trick is probably the oldest one in the book. After all, what better way is there to make the most out of your hotel stay than to extend it for free?
Almost every hotel has specific check-in and check-out times. And while some of them may implement this strictly, some are willing to go the extra mile by allowing guests to check-in early or check-out late, provided it doesn’t overlap with other people’s reservations.
This works exceptionally well for overnight stays, like when you’re spending a weekend in Abu Dhabi. It could also do you good when you’re hopping in between inns or hotels to spend your two or three nights in different parts of the country.
Hotels you have a loyalty membership with will usually be obliged, depending on the availability of the room. Even if you’re a first-time guest, you should remember that these are not odd requests.
You can give the front desk a heads-up. Though the hotel staff will say that they cannot guarantee accommodating such requests in advance, most will take note of it in their system and try to give you as much time as they can. Whether it’s an hour or three, you’ll already be getting more than what you pay for.

4.    Keep the hotel staff in the loop about your celebration.
Many nicer hotels know that they can offer more to their guests than just a place to stay. They are also in the business of delight, after all.
Knowing that, make sure you inform them about what you're celebrating during your stay at their hotel. This can be a:

• ●    Birthday
  ●    Anniversary
  ●    Honeymoon
  ●    Date night
  ●    Baby shower
  ●    Graduation

Knowing this will give them the reason and opportunity to prepare additional perks that they can offer upon your arrival. This can be complimentary chocolate-covered strawberries, a bottle of champagne, a cheese plate and wine, early check-in or late check-out, or your dream hotel room upgrade.
If you don’t hear them mentioning it during your check-in, you can casually mention how happy you are to be celebrating the occasion to the front desk personnel. Who knows, they might just take the hint.

5.    Learn about the hotel features in advance.
You can’t possibly make the most out of the hotel features and amenities if you don’t know what those are.
Learning about these details earlier is much better as it will give you time to plan your trip around them. Plus, knowing which features are included in your hotel room rate and which ones are extra should help you avoid any surprise charges upon check-out.

6.    Take advantage of adventure packages.
Staying at a hotel in Abu Dhabi can also come with non-hotel related perks.
For example, in Yas Island’s Stay and Play package, you can have the ultimate time with your family and enjoy days of fun and excitement in some of the island’s award-winning theme parks.
This adventure package comes with three different options:

• ●    One night and one park – Book a single-night stay and a trip to one theme park of your choice.
  ●    Two nights and two parks – Enjoy two days worth of rest and adventure with a pair of Yas Island theme parks of your choice.
  ●    Three nights and three parks – Make the most out of your visit to Yas Island with three full days of hotel stays and a trip to all three world-famous parks.
  Yas Island’s Stay and Play package include famous parks such as:
  ●    Ferrari World Abu Dhabi
  ●    Yas Waterworld Abu Dhabi
  ●    Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi

In addition, guests can also add more excitement to their adventure with a skydiving session and indoor wall climbing at CLYMB Abu Dhabi.

7.    Don’t miss out on concierge services.
The hotel concierge can be like your personal magician, as they can make things that will enrich your stay happen.
Many savvy concierges can help you get tickets to limited shows and reservations at some of the most famous restaurants in town. They can even get you to a fancy hairdresser or a last-minute babysitter – anything to make your trip more enjoyable and unforgettable.

8.    Bring scented candles or pillow spray for the ultimate relaxing experience.
Not all hotel rooms have that soothing clean smell. Even if they do, it may not be the scent that you feel comfortable with.
Whether you’ve just eaten inside your room or don’t care for the scent the housekeeping staff uses, you can still get the most relaxing hotel experience by bringing your own scented candles or pillow sprays. These can make any room seem more calming and soothing for better sleep.
The familiar scents can also make snoozing easier for people who find it hard to fall asleep in a bed that’s not their own.

Maximise Your Stay
Hotel stays can be much more relaxing and enjoyable if you know how to plan them well. 
Besides choosing the right establishment, you must also pick the best room and stay informed of everything you can do to make the most of your stay in Abu Dhabi.