Al Rawdah, Abu Dhabi

Al Rawdah is a residential community in Abu Dhabi situated between Al Khaleej Al Arabi Street and Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed Street. It is located towards the south of the inland areas of the emirate with the Khor Al Maqta waterway cutting through the neighbourhood at the eastern end. Al Rawdah is home to Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Zayed Sports City and the famous leaning tower, Capital Gate. It is a preferable area for those who enjoy the convenience of an urban lifestyle with educational facilities, retail centres and entertainment spots a short drive away. The community features mid to high-rise apartment buildings and contemporary villas that are popular among expats and locals.

• A residential district in Abu Dhabi
• Home to Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Zayed Sports City and Capital Gate
• Features studios, 1, 2 and 3-bedroom apartments and 4 to 6-bedroom villas
• Located between Al Khaleej Al Arabi Street and Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed Street

Al Rawdah is one of the most sought-after residential areas of Abu Dhabi. The upscale residences are equipped with all the essential amenities required to live a peaceful life. The neighbourhood promotes family-friendly living with schools, medical facilities, supermarkets and leisure spots in proximity. Al Rawdah is home to the famous Zayed Sports City and the largest mosque of the UAE, Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. The well-connected road system, communal parks and embassies of different estates are other features of the community.

There is a mix of apartments and villas in Al Rawdah. The neighbourhood consists of mid to high-rise apartment buildings offering studios, 1, 2 and 3-bedroom apartments while detached villas are available in 4 to 6-bedroom configuration.

The apartments in Al Rawdah are equipped with modern facilities and amenities. The bedroom in the flat has an attached en-suite bathroom and built-in wardrobe. The kitchen has wooden cabinets and quality furnishing. The marble flooring throughout the apartment adds elegance to the house. Other features include expansive living room, shared recreational facilities and allocated parking area.

For large families, the neighbourhood has spacious contemporary villas. These houses sprawl over an area ranging between 2,100 sq. ft. to 5,100 sq. ft. The living room, maid’s room, en-suite bathrooms, covered parking space and garden area are a few distinctive features of these villas.

Al Rawdah is divided into three sub-communities. These are:

• Zayed Sports City
• Diplomatic Area
• Capital Centre

Zayed Sports City is one of the most visited tourist areas of the community as it is home to one of the largest stadiums in the UAE. In terms of residential properties, it offers a wide selection of 1, 2 and 3-bedroom apartments. Rihan Heights Towers is a complex of five towers in Zayed Sports City with apartments in different configurations. The annual rent for 1-bedroom apartments is AED 85k to AED 95k while 2-bedroom apartments for rent in Rihan Heights Towers are available in AED 147k to AED 155k for a year.

Diplomatic Area in Al Rawdah is packed with embassies and consulates. It is a mixed-use community also known as Embassies District. Home to Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) and Capital Gate, Capital Centre is another sub-community of Al Rawdah. It is primarily a commercial district with hotels and resorts.

Popular hotels in Al Rawdah are:

• The Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi, Grand Canal
• Millennium Capital Gate Abu Dhabi
• Capital Centre Arjaan by Rotana
• Premier Inn Abu Dhabi Capital Centre
• Pearl Rotana Capital Centre

The Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi, Grand Canal is a 5-star hotel set against the backdrop of Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. There are 10 Venetian-inspired buildings with 447 rooms and 85 private villas, these buildings are set around one of the city’s largest outdoor pools making a crescent-like shape. It is one of the popular luxury hotels with private pools in Abu Dhabi. The hotel also features eight restaurants, a holistic spa and event space.

Millennium Capital Gate Abu Dhabi is another 5-star hotel in Al Rawdah. It features elegant rooms and suites, five restaurants, meeting rooms, a ballroom, executive lounge, spa and sauna and outdoor pool for adults and children. Capital Centre Arjaan by Rotana offers 259 fully furnished rooms. The hotel is located in proximity to Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Centre making it an ideal place for a long-term stay. It has state-of-the-art fitness facilities, restaurants and meeting rooms. Those looking for cheap hotels in Abu Dhabi can opt for Premier Inn Abu Dhabi Capital Centre. The average price per night stay in the hotel starts from AED 210k.

Finding a parking spot in Al Rawdah isn’t a hassle. Residents are offered a minimum one car parking space in an apartment building while the houses have a parking area for one or two vehicles. The street parking facilities are available for visitors and residents with more than one vehicle.

Those depending on public transportation in Al Rawdah will find several bus stations a short drive away. Al Khaleej Al Arabi bus station is the nearest one located at a walking distance of 10-minutes. Bus 11 and Bus 40 also have stations nearby the community.

Al Rawdah has a well-connected transport system making commuting easy for those with vehicles. The major highways of the emirate, E20 and E22 start from either side of the iconic Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. E20 connects the internal areas of the emirate intersecting E11, E16 and E65 whereas E22 runs through Al Wathba and Al Mafraq area of Abu Dhabi. E22 is also known as Abu Dhabi-Al Ain Road as it ends close to the Al Ain International Airport.

From local stores to large hypermarkets, residents will find a number of supermarkets in Al Rawdah for daily grocery shopping. There is a Carrefour Hypermarket, SPAR Supermarket, ZOOM, Spinneys and Granite Supermarket located within the community.

Part of Abu Dhabi Co-operative Society, SPAR Supermarket in Al Rawdah is known for its discounted rates. Carrefour has a wide range of imported and local products while Spinneys is preferred by residents for fresh imported bakery items. Other grocery stores nearby include Lulu Hypermarket in Mushrif Mall and Abu Dhabi Co-Op Society Muroor branch. For online grocery shopping in Abu Dhabi, there are several online stores from where you can order your favourite food products.

Muslim community members have the opportunity to perform their daily and congregational prayers in one of the most iconic mosques in Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. Located on the eastern end of the community, the mosque can accommodate 40,000 worshippers. Other mosques in Al Rawdah are Ibn Taymiyyah Mosque, Hasan Bin Thabit Mosque, Abu Hanifa Mosque and Jibril Mosque.

One will have to drive for 12 to 15-minutes towards the west to visit temples near Al Rawdah. Most of the churches in Abu Dhabi are concentrated in the Al Mushrif area of the emirate. St. Andrew’s Church, St. George’s Orthodox Cathedral and Evangelical Community Church are a few of them. The first phase of the upcoming Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi – BAPS Hindu Mandir, will be completed and open to the public in 2020. For now, residents can visit temples near Al Rawdah after driving for around 15-minutes. New Gurdwara Abu Dhabi in Mussafah is the closest Gurdwara for tenants.

For preschoolers, Falcon British Nursery and Kids Academy Nursery are popular nurseries in Al Rawdah. Falcon British Nursery is a UK accredited nursery school in Abu Dhabi offering easy access to quality British childcare at reasonable prices. Kids Academy Nursery is another nursery following the British Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum for children from the ages of 45 days up to 4-years old.

Parents with school-going children can opt from a list of best schools in Abu Dhabi located in the neighbouring areas of the community. The British School Al Khubairat, Brighton College Abu Dhabi and Raha International School Abu Dhabi are a few schools near Al Rawdah. All these schools are located within a 10 to 15-minute drive.

The neighbouring communities Khalifa City A and Mohammed Bin Zayed City have a few of the best universities in Abu Dhabi. These include Masdar Institute of Science and Technology (MIT), Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi University and Zayed University. These universities offer graduate and postgraduate degrees in different programs.

There is no shortage of hospitals in Al Rawdah for residents in need of medical attention. Zayed Military Hospital, Specialized Rehabilitation Hospital, Imperial College London Diabetes Centre Abu Dhabi (ICLDC) and Healthpoint are a few healthcare and wellness destinations in the area.

Other speciality clinics near Al Rawdah are Dr Muna Al Murrawi Medical Centre, Al Taie Center for Laparoscopic & Obesity Surgery and Marigold Dental and Orthodontic Clinic L.L.C.

Al Rawdah is situated on the eastern side of the emirate offering easy access to the major districts in a short drive. Al Mushrif is located towards the west while to the east is the Al Maqtaa community. If you further head to the east, Khalifa City lies in a 15-minute drive via Abu Dhabi Al Ain Road.

Al Saggar Mall is a community mall in Al Rawdah. It is located in Zayed Sports City offering easy access to residents. Other malls near Al Rawdah include Abu Dhabi Mall, Al Mushrif Mall, The Galleria Mall and Al Raha Mall.

Abu Dhabi Mall has a variety of F&B outlets and other entertainment facilities, making it a great place for families to visit during the weekend. It is listed among one of the best malls in Abu Dhabi. Al Mushrif Mall is another mall nearby spread over an area of 56,000 sq. m. with 200 retail outlets, Lulu Hypermarket and other entertainment spots. The prominent features of the mall are its expansive food court which is one of the biggest food courts in the Middle East and The Market which is the city’s largest indoor fresh market.

Residents can try out a diverse variety of cuisines served in the restaurants in Al Rawdah and nearby communities. The casual dining restaurants include the Sportsman’s Arms, Pepper Restaurant, Mosaic and FoodShed Restaurant.

18 Degrees in Capital Centre offers Mediterranean specialities from the coastal region of Italy, France and Spain. It has three open kitchens with interactive counters providing guests with a one-of-a-kind dining experience.

One of the perks of living in Al Rawdah is its proximity to the pristine and best beaches in Abu Dhabi. Corniche Beach is one of the popular beaches located in a 15-minute drive from the neighbourhood. It has three separate gates for families with children and singletons. There are plenty of sports facilities along with an outdoor sports area for adults and children at the beach. Other beaches nearby include Al Bateen Beach and Al Qurm Beach.

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is the epitome of stunning Islamic architecture. It stands tall with the title of being the largest mosque of the region. His Highness the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan started planning for the mosque in the 1980s and it took 12 years to construct the architectural wonder by 3,000 workers. The mosque can accommodate approximately 50,000 worshippers. The design and construction of Sheikh Zayed Mosque unite the world, using workers, artisans, craftsmen and material from Turkey, Greece, New Zealand, Germany, Morocco, United Kingdom and UAE.

Zayed Sports City is a giant sports complex offering a stadium, tennis centre, and facilities for bowling, ice-skating, volleyball and much more. It also has five additional outdoor festival spaces of varying size, divided among natural grass pitches, indoor event space and tarmac areas.

There are several public parks in Al Rawdah Abu Dhabi offering recreational facilities for outdoor activities. Zayed Sports City Park, formerly known as Old Airport Garden, is one of the best public parks in Abu Dhabi. The park has facilities for adults and children. It has lush greenery, shaded sitting areas, an ice rink and bowling alley. The sports enthusiasts will also find basketball, volleyball, tennis and football facilities in the park. Other parks nearby include Al Khaleej Al Arabi Park and Khalifa Park.

Those who want to get in shape and stay active will find plenty of gyms in Al Rawdah. These include The Room Abu Dhabi, Rihan Heights Gym and Bootcamp Gym. Haddins Fitness Centre is one of the cheap gyms in Abu Dhabi with annual membership starting from AED 3,360.

Salons in the area are Estetica Beauty Salon and Emirates Prestige Salon. Rayana Spa at Andaz Capital Gate is one of the popular spas in the area. The spa offers facials, massage and other body treatments while utilizing natural elements in products.

Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) is an award-winning venue in Al Rawdah known for hosting international and national corporate events, exhibitions, conferences, weddings and other events. It features various shops, restaurants and hotels.

Those planning to move to Al Rawdah should keep in mind that there is no option for freehold properties. Moreover, relying on public transportation for commuting will be challenging. One of the best means of getting to and from Al Rawdah is to have your vehicle.

• Abu Dhabi International Airport is 16-minutes away
• 10-minutes to Al Bateen Beach
• Mangrove National Park is located a 6-minute drive away
• Mushrif Mall is 6-minutes away