The Holy month is upon us. And for a city bursting with a vibrant mix of cultures, Ramadan means a colourful and cultural blend of events throughout the capital.

Al Ain Rotana
What’s on offer? A little way out of the city, the Al Ain Rotana is a real oasis this Ramadan. Haul hungry stomachs over to the Al Zaeem Village for a rewarding evening of traditional Arabic delicacies. While stomachs recover, sit back and relax with some live entertainment. The iftar is AED 109 per person, the suhour costs AED 65.
Information: 03 754 5111

Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC)
What’s on offer? ADNEC invites all to join its luxurious and colourful Ramadan proceedings in a fully air-conditioned marquee stationed outside the Capital Plaza area. Allow award-winning chefs to woo you with a wide selection of traditional Arabic delights. Private iftar functions will be held from 6.30pm until 8pm at a starting price of AED 90 per person inclusive of traditional Ramadan beverages (special rates will apply for children). The suhour will be open to the public from 8.30pm onwards with an impressive à la carte selection, flavoured shisha and much more. Cover charge is just AED 10 per person.
Information: 055 593 9220

Crowne Plaza Abu Dhabi, Hamdan Street

What’s on offer? Gather with friends and family in the Garden restaurant for an extensive menu of delightful Ramadan specialties and traditional treats, all for AED 125 per person (AED 75 for children 6-12 years), and for a good cause too: AED 5 will be donated from every diner’s bill to the Special Care Centre in aid of the building of the new school.
Celebrate into the small hours with loved ones with the unique room service suhour (AED 90 per person) – just one of many reasons to take advantage of their special Ramadan room rates starting at AED 325.
Information: 02 616 6122

Crowne Plaza Yas Island
What’s on offer? Jing Asia plans to put out a memorable iftar buffet with some delicious traditional and international bites for just AED 105 a person. And those out late shouldn’t miss the suhour at Lebanese eatery Barouk from 9pm until late. There’ll be a talented oud player there too.
Information: 02 656 3053

Fairmont Bab al Bahr
What’s on offer? The luxurious Fairmont Bab al Bahr has a lot to offer Ramadan celebrants this year, with both indoor and outdoor iftar buffets courtesy of Elements restaurant. For AED 175 you can feast on over 50 Arabic, Asian and European sweet and savoury menu items, complimented by seasonal and specialty Ramadan beverages and freshly roasted Arabic coffee.

Choose to dine outside in the air-conditioned tent – a short walk away from the restaurant – and you’ll enjoy stunning views of the sun setting and the picturesque Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque with your iftar experience ... or à la carte suhour.
Information: 02 654 3238

 

Le Royal Meridien
What’s on offer? Nurse a grumbling tummy with L’Opera restaurant’s lavish iftar buffet full of filling Arabic fare and plenty of friendly atmosphere for just  AED 145.
Then, if you still haven’t had enough, you’ll find plenty of opportunity to catch up on your food intake at a mammoth suhour tent – claiming to be one of the largest and finest in the city, with lots of late night snacks, shisha, games and family entertainment. A small entrance fee will apply.
Information: 800 101 101

ADMA-OPCO
In co-operation with Red Crescent, ADMA-OPCO hosts an annual charity over the Holy month each year. Erected just outside their headquarters, labourers are invited to break their fast each night for free with a biryani dinner, a few traditional dishes and fruits. But they won’t turn you away if you show up too.
ADMA-OPCO also organises a few other iftars around town with themed evenings, fun activities and entertainment for the whole family; they aren’t free, but they usually welcome young people from one of Abu Dhabi’s orphanages for dinner.
Information: 02 606 1603

Park Rotana
What’s on offer? Make the hotel’s sprawling Grand Park Ballroom your Ramadan rest-stop in the evenings. Guests, family and friends can enjoy authentic Arabic fare and other options at several of their live cooking stations in an exotically themed local setting. The price per person is AED 170, but group bookings can also be made, with each individual costing AED 150 (with 20 guests and above).
Park Rotana Abu Dhabi will also donate AED 5 from each iftar to the building of the Special Care Centre’s new school for children with special needs.
Information: 02 657 3333

 

Shangri-La Hotel Qaryat al Beri
What’s on offer? Sofra bld is renowned for its grand iftar buffet boasting an abundance of Middle Eastern flavours in addition to specialities from the hotel’s award-winning Shang Palace and Hoi An – open from sunset until 11pm at AED 170 including Ramadan beverages.
Fancy an alternative? Their high end French representative, Bord Eau, is doing a luxurious French iftar – five set courses of fresh French goodness courtesy Chef Jean (7-11.30pm).
The Al Khaima tent from the FIFA World Cup has been given a Ramadan re-vamp, and will now be available for private iftars. To book, call 02 509 8888.
Information: 02 509 8527

The Yas Hotel
What’s on offer? Try a classic Arabic spread and Ramadan juices at the vibrant Origins restaurant (AED 145). Or take your evening up a notch at Nautilus for an à la carte style iftar dinner, inclusive of an impressive oyster bar. The dinner costs AED 145, and will run from 6.30-8.30pm until 25th August. Atayeb will be offering a suhour from 8pm-3am, offering an à la carte plus set option menu, shisha, and games available for rent (complimentary with the set menu) – also AED 145 a head.
Information: 02 656 0000

The Village, One to One Hotel
What’s on offer? One to One has two wonderful venues ready to cater to afterhours festivities throughout the Holy month. Fill up at the beautiful outdoor Village Club Ramadan tent or get iftar indulgent indoors at their top notch Lebanese restaurant Sahriye. We can guarantee that both spreads will be equally as yummy, and they both come with excellent live oud performances.
Information: 02 495 2000

Beach Rotana
What’s on offer? If the restaurants reputations are anything to go by, then you simply must join the Beach Rotana after sunset for the hotel's grand iftar buffet. Set up with large fanoos lamps and intricate sand art, the specially appointed Diwan Ballroom will be the height of Ramadan activity with a flowing variety of traditional and international delicacies – AED 155 per person. We hear the special biryani and the slow roasted lamb are hard to beat.
Information: 02 697 9011

Emirates Palace
What’s on offer? Even if only for one evening, break your fast in sumptuous style at the world famous Emirates Palace. The hotel will be taking on a traditional Emirati concept with a host of tasty items from the UAE’s first Emirati restaurant, Mezlai. There will also be a suhour, which will be served à la carte. Timings for the tent are from 6.30pm until 2am and the iftar costs AED 215.
Information: 02 690 9000

Holiday Inn Abu Dhabi
What’s on offer? Why not try somewhere new in town? Contemporary hotel Holiday Inn invites you to join them at the chic Silk Route café for an extensive range of classic iftar fine fare. Plus, beat the city’s parking congestion with the hotel's convenient location and ample parking. The iftar buffet along with the Ramadan beverages is priced at an affordable AED 125 per adult, AED 65 for six to 12 year olds (under six free). The Al Dana ballroom is available for private group iftars or suhours too.
On top of that, the Holiday Inn has great room deals. Enjoy iftar and stay for a night inclusive of breakfast (or another iftar) all for the very reasonable price of AED 275 per person.
Information: 02 657 4888