The Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi, Grand Canal Now Open

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After much anticipation, The Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi, Grand Canal has opened its doors today. The 532-room luxury resort is the first Ritz-Carlton in Abu Dhabi and the ninth property in the Middle East for the luxury hotel operator.Inspired by 15th to early 17th century Renaissance architecture and the urban planning of the city of Venice, The Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi, Grand Canal is located at the waterfront and consists of ten stately buildings arranged in a crescent formation. Overlooking the 1,600 square meter pool, the backdrop of the hotel is the majestic Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. The property features 447 luxurious guestrooms and suites, in addition to 85 private one- and two-bedroom villas.

Beautifully manicured lawns, unique water features, and private beaches over an expansive 57-acres give an immediate sense of well-being to guests upon arrival at the Venetian-designed Ritz-Carlton. Leisure and business travellers alike will enjoy the refined elegance of the 85 one- and two-bedroom villas complete with spacious outdoor terraces, separate arrival palazzo and private butler service. The Ritz-Carlton Club Level provides a dedicated concierge, private check-in, plus five food and beverage offerings throughout the day within an exclusive lounge boasting panoramic views of the property, canal and city skyline,
The 1,550 square meter Roma Ballroom is the epitome of elegance on a grand scale. Able to accommodate up to 900 guests and divisible by three, the ballroom also provides an exclusive elevator directly from the private Bridal Suite into the venue. Two expansive marble foyers with natural daylight, 14 additional meeting rooms, and a traditional majlis (literally meaning “a place of sitting” in Arabic) ensure The Ritz-Carlton is the perfect venue for all special celebrations and events.

Renowned Ritz-Carlton chefs will please every palate in any of the ten hotel restaurants and bars including three signature restaurants created by award-winning Japanese designer Super Potato. Li Jiang, meaning “beautiful river” in Chinese, is a modern Southeast Asian restaurant with an open kitchen specializing in noodles and dim sum; Mijana, a contemporary Arabic restaurant, showcases the very best in traditional Lebanese and regional cooking; while The Forge, a signature steak house, serves specialty cuisine in a stylish setting paired with the world’s finest wines. The all-day dining restaurant, Giornotte (blending the Italian words for “day” and “night”), has an indoor seating capacity of 358 and serves light Mediterranean fare. Dolce, an Italian gelato and coffee café; Alba, the lobby lounge serving Afternoon Tea; Sorso, a traditional Ritz-Carlton lobby bar; Al Fresco, the pool restaurant; plus two pool bars round out the remaining food and beverage offerings at The Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi, Grand Canal.

A 1,600 square meter outdoor pool, one of the largest in UAE; a fully-equipped health club; and the Ritz Kids Club are just a few of the other leisure facilities available for guests to enjoy.

Daniel Fountain / 30.03.2013

Editor, Hotel Designs

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Fun fact: I’m usually the person friends rely on to organise trips, schedules, and group plans.

Workhighlights: Successfully coordinating events from planning through to delivery and seeing everything come together on the day.

Fun fact: I’m a keen cyclist and will happily bore people with copious amounts of cycling chat. My top cycling experience (so far) would have to be riding in the spectacular mountains of Crete.

Work highlights: Charles joined Forum Events in 2022. With a background in publishing, editorial media and events, Charles brings a wealth of experience to his role as Senior Production Manager. Having being involved with SPACE from the outset, he is excited to see the brand grow and develop.

Fun fact: People tell Sienna she gives off Bridget Jones vibes, and she loves to bake, always making sure there are shortbreads floating around the office

Work highlights: Sienna joined Forum Events & Media Group while studying Communications and Media, starting in the sales team where she managed and helped launch the first the PA Life Leading Venues of London SHOWCASE, where she built relationships with luxury venues across the capital. Drawn to the stories behind these spaces, she naturally transitioned into the editorial team, creating social media and editorial content. Upon graduating in June 2026, she is excited to be joining as Assistant Editor for Hotel Designs and SPACE.

Fun fact: When not working, Jess can usually be found tending to her kitchen garden in the Sussex countryside or foraging for herbs in the nearby woods. A keen grower, she recently studied a RHS Level 2 Diploma in the Principles of Horticulture during her spare time.

Work highlights: Jess joined SPACE magazine in 2022 and has since progressed from Assistant Editor to Editor. During this time, she has worked across many aspects of the publication – from shaping editorial strategy and overseeing operations to contributing to art direction and representing the brand on stage at industry events including Surface Design Show and WOW!house.

Alongside her role at SPACE, Jess has built a creative career spanning the arts, culture, design and travel sectors. Prior to joining the magazine, she spent more than a decade in the commercial art industry, in artist liaison, gallery management, and curating collections for the hospitality sector across hotels and cruise ships. During this time, she also worked on freelance projects as a writer, photographer, and creative content producer.
 
Jess studied photojournalism at London College of Communication and the Danish School of Media and Journalism and holds a first-class BA (Hons) in Culture, Criticism and Curation from Central Saint Martins.

Fun fact: Katy has spent years perfecting all kinds of accents and loves a good impersonation!

Work highlights: Katy has been with Hotel Designs since the beginning, way back in 2015 when Forum Events & Media Group acquired the brand.

During this time, she has fostered many meaningful relationships with clients from across the hospitality spectrum, as well as playing a pivotal role in the launch of The Brit List Awards, Hotel Designs MEET UPs, client-led roundtables and panel talks, brand and website redesigns, HD Wellness Sets, DESIGN POD podcast, Hotel Designs LIVE panel talk series, Accessible Design Talks and more. Katy is always on the lookout for the next opportunity to help grow the Hotel Designs brand even further.
 
Most recently Katy has stepped in to the role of Publisher at SPACE magazine, the printed bi-monthly publication focused on hotel design, architecture, and development.

Together these platforms offer a comprehensive 360-degree service encompassing digital media, print publishing, and live events – providing unparalleled value to advertisers, partners, and readers alike.