First look at the new Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi

What are the ocean temperatures like there? Anything like the warm Florida gulf coast?

I am do to go to both Dubai and Abu Dhabi in June with my wife. I have had people tell me recently they wouldnt take a american female to either place. Any thoughts? Did you feel safe?

@ Peetyrd -- Unfortunately I didn't have a chance to check. Shoot. Let me ask what the temperatures are like and I'll let you know.

@ ryan -- I've heard the same thing about the UAE from others before I went, and I can honestly say I don't think there's a place I've ever felt safer. Admittedly this is all based on my experiences so take it for what it's worth.

But the thing about both cities is that they're filled with immigrants and ex-pats. In my whole trip I interacted with maybe a handful of people that were actually originally from the UAE. Everyone else is from the UK, Philippines, Kenya, Pakistan, etc. It's actually the first time I've been out of the country where I get in a cab and the drivers ask me if I live in Dubai. Seriously, I felt incredibly safe there because virtually nobody is a local, so there's no reason anyone would become a "target," IMO. So I've never *felt* safer...

Thanks... That is what I,ve read and seen from people who have actually been. Did you happen to notice if American women were dressed about like the states or more conservative?

What beautiful pictures. It looks like a great destination hotel. Thank you for taking the time to visit and thoroughly inspect it for your review.

@ ryan -- Well I didn't see any women dressed as if they were trying to score first place in a wet bikini contest, but there were plenty of "fashionably" dressed women like you'd see here.

Note to self.. No White t shirts for the woman. Thanks!!!

For women in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, dress a little on the conservative side, ie, best not to wear shorts or sleeveless tops during the day, unless you are going to the beach...at night, depending on where you are going, you can dress a little more relaxed.

I would like to go to the UAE sometime. I wonder at the pool, would I be able to wear a regular one-piece bathing suit? I wouldn't even want to go to the pool if I had to get one of those full body wetsuit things.

@ Lyssa -- Oh, absolutely, that should be fine, or even a bikini.

Ryan, no worries--my husband and I lived in the UAE for 3 years, along with our children, and like lucky said, there's hardly a place I've felt safer. I love Abu Dhabi and would be more than happy to move back and stay longer than 3 years!

Lyssa, you'll be fine--if you're at a hotel pool or beach you can definitely wear a regular swimsuit.

@ Peetyrd -- The answer from the hotel is as follows: "In regards to the temperatures, it really depends on the season but currently the sea temperature is around 20 - 25 degrees."

Love that you included props for Oleksandr! I hope his bosses read this 🙂

Hi, I live in Dubai and in my opinion the sea is too warm to swim in from June thru to the end of September - not refreshing at all, hence all the swimming pools. In Dec/Jan/Feb the sea is nice and fresh. It LOOKS gorgeous all year around though (we have very little rain).

Ladies, you will be perfectly safe in the UAE so long as you don't wander around the mall in hotpants and a boob tube (you would be amazed how many women do this; it's not very respectful). For reasons of air conditioning as well as modesty, it's advisable to carry a long cardigan and/or pashmina with you at all times, and then to use your discretion. You can pretty much wear what you like at the beach (the minimum being a bikini) but it's inappropriate to wander through hotel lobbies or take elevators wearing a transparent kaftan over a bikini, as this is likely to cause offence to the locals. As observed above, UAE and GCC nationals are usually in the minority in hotels; however they do travel a lot, even within their own countries or emirates, for leisure.

The beach vista on Saadiyat Island is breathtaking (much more beautiful than anything in Dubai sadly, as Dubai is now so built up) but since Saadiyat is all about new construction going on don't be surprised if your views are slightly marred by cranes!

If you visit Saadiyat Island do not miss Manarat al Saadiyat the arts centre which features an ever changing exhibition space (Abu Dhabi Art takes place here, and the Larry Gagosian collection toured here last year), a fantastically affordable and exquisitely designed cafe (Cafe Manara) which has lovely outdoor seating and serves alcohol, and The Saadiyat Story, a large scale, multi-media, interactive exhibit showing the vision for Saadiyat Island, with scale models of all the amazing new museums by Frank Gehry, Sir Norman Foster, Zaha Hadid, Jean Nouvel et al.

The UAE is a beautiful, modern country. Please visit us. I hope this helps.