Al Karamah

Al Karamah is one of the few villa neighbourhoods located close to the downtown area in Abu Dhabi. The community is bound by Al Wahdah to the right and by Al Rowdah to the left. Also, it is one of the popular areas to rent villas in the emirate.

Al Karamah is close to a few international educational institutes and it houses several well-equipped fitness centres and top-notch hospitals. These features make it one of the best residential areas in Abu Dhabi for families. Many government establishments such as the Embassy of Japan, Embassy of Poland and Embassy of Tunisia, as well as the Abu Dhabi Main Bus Terminal, are based here.

• The geographical centre of the city
• In the heart of downtown Abu Dhabi
• Features a blend of old buildings and newly constructed properties
• Offers access to public transport

Al Karamah is one of the most sought-after areas in Abu Dhabi. It is a mixed-use neighbourhood popular among both the local and expat community. The development strategically blends residential, commercial, recreational and institutional areas and also benefits from good road and public transport connectivity.

There is a combination of both old and recently constructed residential and commercial properties in Al Karamah Abu Dhabi. Many housing groups such as villa compounds occupy the area but the accommodation options are not just limited to them. Al Karamah also features buildings of varying heights. While you’ll see a lot of contemporary and modern architecture, a few old buildings in the area can still be spotted whose construction dates back to decades ago.

The apartment buildings in Al Karamah are lined up along the Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed Street. These low to mid-rise buildings range between 5 and 20-storey towers. A favourite among couples and small families, the rental apartments here are typically available in studio, 1-bedroom, 2-bedroom and 3-bedroom layouts. Those interested in moving here can check out the rents for properties in Al Karamah.

Al Karamah is divided into several sub-communities. Take a look at the most popular ones before renting or buying a property in the neighbourhood.

Hotels in Al Karamah include:

• Jannah Place Abu Dhabi
• Murjan Asfar Hotel

Jannah Place Abu Dhabi offers decently-furnished 1 and 2-bedroom apartments which come with fully-equipped kitchens, stylish bathrooms and airy living rooms. The floor-to-ceiling windows in the living rooms offer great views of the city.

Perfect for businessmen and leisure travellers looking for a short stay in Al Karamah, the Murjan Asfar Hotel Apartments feature well-furnished studios, 1-bed and 2-bed suites. It is one of the cheap hotels in Abu Dhabi. Some of the facilities of Murjan Asfar Hotel Apartments include high-speed internet, housekeeping services, on-demand laundry service and complimentary newspapers.

Transportation in Al Karamah is hassle-free. The neighbourhood has access to Hazza Bin Zayed Street, Mohammed Bin Khalifa Street, Al Karamah Street Abu Dhabi and Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed Road. Delma Street cuts almost halfway through the development. Thus, the neighbourhood is well connected to prominent areas such as Corniche Road, Capital Centre and Zayed Sports City. A 10-minute drive through Delma Street will lead one to Eastern Mangroves, Abu Dhabi’s wonderful natural reserve park. One may be able to reach the waterfront leisure developments of Al Bateen in just 10 minutes.

You’ll often find visitor parking spaces in Al Karamah near commercial areas such as hospitals and retail centres. Those living in the apartments and villas have dedicated parking spaces.

Getting around the city is not a challenge for public transport users in Karamah Abu Dhabi. The development is home to the Abu Dhabi Main Bus Terminal, from here you can catch a bus to prominent locations in the city or buses to other emirates. Moreover, there is a taxi stand situated a few steps away so hailing a cab won’t be a hassle either.

In terms of amenities, this central neighbourhood of Abu Dhabi is an all-rounder! There is an abundance of family-friendly facilities that make living in Al Karamah comfortable and convenient.

Apart from an array of amenities mentioned below, the community also features a couple of courier delivery services who have offices in the area such as DHL and UPS Express. Furthermore, there are several banks such as Al Hilal Bank, Dubai Islamic Bank and Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, as well as a car rental agency and a few gas stations present for community members.

A few retail stores for basic home needs and groceries include Granite Supermarket and Fathima Supermarket. Providing delivery services as well, Al Hanaa Land Grocery Store is one of the central supermarkets in Al Karamah. Other supermarkets near Al Karamah include Spar Express, Lulu Hypermarket and Millennium Supermarket in the neighbouring Al Wahda.

There are also a few florists such as Vogue Flowers, Antheia Flowers, Al Karama Flower Grocery and dried flower specialists Julia Flowers. There are many laundromats and dry cleaners in Al Karamah and nearby areas as well.

Some of the notable mosques in Al Karamah are Mosque Mus’ab Bin Umair near the football pitches and Omar Bin Khattab Mosque next to Abu Dhabi Police Sports Education Centre.

Al Karamah is a religiously diverse community and neighbours with a faith-friendly development, Al Mushrif. Churches near Al Karamah in Al Mushrif include St. George’s Orthodox Cathedral, St. Joseph’s Cathedral, Evangelical Community Church, Abu Dhabi Apostolic Tamil Church and Philadelphia Church of God.

Hindu residents will have to travel to Dubai to visit the Shiva and Krishna temples. Sikh residents can visit the New Gurudwara Abu Dhabi in Musaffah, roughly 25 minutes away.

Facilities providing early years education in and around Al Karamah are numerous. Some of these include Future Nursery, Smart Al Sanafer Nursery, Bedayati Nursery and My Nursery.

There are many schools near Al Karamah such as Sheikh Zayed Private Academy, it has separate campuses for girls and boys. The International School of Choueifat is situated just off Mohammed Bin Khalifa Street in Al Mushrif and Abu Dhabi International School is in Al Rowda, easily accessible from the area.

Further, offering a number of business and engineering programs, Al Hosn University is a notable institute for higher education, situated within the neighbourhood.

Some of the language learning facilities include California Learning Centre and Iqraa Arab Language Teaching Centre. Other training schools in Al Karamah include Arthur Murray for dance classes and Elite Music Institute which offer violin, cello, piano and drum lessons.

Al Karamah is a self-contained neighbourhood in terms of providing medical facilities to its residents. You will find everything from primary and preventive healthcare to rehabilitative support programs and aesthetic clinics.

Staffed with skilled surgeons, aestheticians and dieticians, CosmeSurge is one of the top-notch clinics in Al Karamah. It is one of the best skin clinics in Abu Dhabi. It offers over 60 different medical treatments focused on beauty and wellness. One of their clinic with state-of-the-art facilities is located in Al Karamah, off Delma Street.

Ranging from general healthcare to nursing services and dentistry to rehabilitative therapies, the Canadian Medical Centre offers myriad medical treatments and procedures. The twin-tower Universal Hospital in Al Karamah is another well-known hospital in the area.

Other medical facilities in this neighbourhood include the American Centre for Special Abilities, American European Medical Center, Obagi Dermatology and Cosmetic Centre, Beverly Hills Medical Centre, Ultra Care Medical Center and a few pharmacies.

Al Wahdah is Al Karamah’s eastern neighbour popular for recreational and commercial amenities. Whether it’s because of the Al Nahyan Stadium that is popular for hosting Al Wahda Football Club’s home games, or the incredible shopping destination of Al Wahda Mall, the community of Al Wahdah is truly lively. It is also studded with sleek hotel buildings such as Grand Millennium, Al Rawda Arjaan Rotana, Phoenix Plaza Hotel Apartments and Centro Al Manhal.

To the south of Al Karamah lies the expansive community of Al Mushrif. It is where you can spot the unique blue-green tiled villas and a few landmarks such as Al Mushrif Palace and Abu Dhabi Country Club. It is also where many of the cities churches are located.

The neighbourhood’s central location lets shoppers access some of the best shopping malls in the city. Located within walking distance, residents can indulge in frequent shopping sprees at Al Wahda Mall – one of the oldest malls in Abu Dhabi located on Hazza Bin Zayed Street. Apart from some 50 food and beverage outlets and a few anchor stores, this award-winning mall near Al Karamah features high-street brands such as Bershka, Mango, Vincci, Giordano, Banana Republic and Victoria’s Secret. On the opposite end, the massive Mushrif Mall is 10 minutes away. It features many retail, dining and entertainment options.

Al Karamah shares the vibrant strip of Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed Street that is dotted with an incredible array of dining options. For some decent pizza and pasta, one can visit Pizzaro or the classic Pizza Hut. Some of the best ‘fried chicken’ restaurants in Al Karamah include Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen as well as SFC Plus (Southern Fried Chicken) that is just across the road on a 5-minute walk. People seeking healthier meals can opt for ELOVEM Restaurant. Arabian House Restaurant, Tribe Restaurant, Wings Universal Café and Tasty Zone Cafeteria are some of the other eateries in Al Karamah.

You can indulge in some freshly baked goodies and brewed shots of your favourite hot beverage at Costa Coffee, Monkey Cookies and Filli Café. Also, La Perle Sweets and Flower is there to satisfy your sweet-tooth cravings.

Abu Dhabi Corniche Beach is certified safe for swimming. The beach is a perfect spot to feel the ocean breeze and soft sand beneath your feet. Using Mubarak Bin Mohammed Street and you will reach this beach near Al Karamah in 10 minutes. Another peaceful yet stunning palm-tree-lined beach spot is Al Bateen Beach. it is approximately six kilometres towards the south of Al Karamah.

There is a lot this city has to offer. If you drive four kilometres up north taking the Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed Street route, you will spot the 250-year old historical building of Qasr Al Hosn, also known as Al Hosn Fort. It was recently renovated and transformed into a museum and is now the city’s most important cultural and heritage site.

Towards the other side of Al Karama is The Women’s Handicraft Centre. Visitors are welcome to have a look at the masterpieces intricately crafted by local female artisans. It has a shop on site where you can pick a souvenir as a gift for someone from the unique collection of shawls, bags, baskets and footwear, amongst other things.

Watching movies is a favourite pastime in Abu Dhabi and residents of Al Karamah can watch their favourite films at the cinema in Al Wahda Mall.

There are two stadiums or football grounds in Al Karamah that serve as the community’s sports facilities. However, the neighbouring community Al Mushrif has various landscaped areas for recreational activities such as Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club, Abu Dhabi Country Club, Police Sports and Cultural Club and Umm Al Emarat Park.

If the residents want to follow a fixed fitness regimen or need personalised physical training then Al Karamah has options such as Health Quest, RAK Gym and Effect Body Health Club. The famous chain of Gold’s Gym is also based in Al Wahda Mall.

If residents are looking for a relaxing spa day, they can go to Arvilla Spa. For beauty and styling treatments, they can opt for Rossano Ferretti Hair Spa, one of the best hair salons in Abu Dhabi. Apart from haircut, the salon also offers facial, waxing, nail spa and body massage services. Other options include Five Roses Ladies Salon, Fadia El Mendelek Salon, Carmen Ladies Salon, Five Roses Ladies Salon and more.

Abu Dhabi is known to host many cultural events and exhibitions, thanks to the presence of several art councils, theatres and cultural centres. So, a lot is going around the neighbourhood of Al Karamah throughout the year.

Offering up to 12 exhibition halls and two conference halls, Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) is a venue for various regional and international events taking place in the city. It is situated in the Capital Centre, less than 10 kilometres away. It hosts yearly events such as Abu Dhabi International Book Fair, National Service Career Fair and the International Motor Show Abu Dhabi. The Bride Show is one of the Middle East’s most awaited wedding and lifestyle event, it is perfect for brides-to-be to gather ideas for their big day.

Even if there is a long list of advantages attached to a community, there will always be some small challenge. In the case of Al Karamah, car owners have a challenging time manoeuvring their way through the narrow streets which tend to get jam-packed during peak times. Besides peak hours, the traffic is normal just like any area of the city.

• Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque – the largest mosque in the country – is approximately 15 minutes away
• In proximity to Abu Dhabi Central Bus Station
• Abu Dhabi International Airport is accessible within half an hour