The Restaurant at Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental, Abu Dhabi

"Non-hotel guests may visit if they have a reservation at one of the restaurants or bars"

"The sheer size of the property—it's just over 3,000 feet, wing to wing—will have you wishing you left a trail of breadcrumbs to find your way back to your room (one of 394) as you explore the palace's 14 restaurants, private cinema, and more than 9,000,000 square feet of manicured gardens"

"Abu Dhabi’s landmark hotel (see opposite) is the favoured residence of visiting heads of state and assorted celebrities, with every luxury you could think of, including many of the city’s top restaurants and a vast swathe of beach"

"The beach and pool areas are outstanding, but room service can be slow and not all the in-house restaurants are worth the price"

"There is a spa, eleven restaurants and a number of high-end boutiques on-site"