Andaz Capital Gate, Abu Dhabi [In-Depth Hyatt Hotel Review]

Standing 35 stories high at an inclination of 18 degrees west, the Andaz Capital Gate, Abu Dhabi, is the holder of the Guinness World Record for the furthest-leaning building. For perspective, that’s more than 4 times the incline of the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

Set aside the novelty of the property’s fame — would this hotel and its unique location be a good fit for your next stopover in the United Arab Emirates? See how my family of 5 fared on a Guest of Honor award reservation at this special hotel.

Andaz Capital Gate, Abu Dhabi, Location

The Andaz Capital Gate, Abu Dhabi, is connected to the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) and is about 4 miles from the Sheik Zayed Grand Mosque, one of Abu Dhabi’s top attractions. Otherwise, it’s quite far from other area attractions and the airport:

• 8 miles from Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental
• 16 miles from Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH)
• 21 miles from the Yas Island attractions (like Ferarri World, Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi, Yas Waterworld, and SeaWorld Yas Island, Abu Dhabi)

An Uber from the airport to the hotel costs 85 to 102 AED ($23 to $28), though taxis may be cheaper.

While public transit via the Experience Abu Dhabi shuttle bus is possible (Route B3 stops at the hotel), traveling to points further than the Sheik Zayed Grand Mosque requires a transfer.

Bottom Line:

The hotel’s in a relatively isolated area for tourists, so you would likely need taxis, ride-shares, or a rental car to get around.

Booking Andaz Capital Gate, Abu Dhabi

After an overnight stay at Lapita, Dubai Parks and Resorts, Autograph Collection, my family of 5 traveled from Dubai to Abu Dhabi for 3 nights in mid-October 2023.

Keeping an eye on my available points, I checked the Marriott and Hyatt award possibilities in the area and was excited to see that the Andaz Capital Gate, Abu Dhabi, had rooms starting at 6,500 World of Hyatt points per night.

I knew I might be able to use the Guest of Honor benefit on this stay, and I was pleased to see open availability for the Capital Suite from 11,500 points per night and the Executive Suite from 13,000 points per night.

I find communicating with any hotel prior to arrival invaluable when traveling as a family of 5. We almost always require changes to the room configuration, confirmation that we can exceed the stated room occupancy, confirmation that breakfast will extend to the fifth guest, etc.

Before booking, I emailed the hotel to check 2 important things:

1. Could the 2 Twin Beds room accommodate a rollaway bed, and would there be an additional charge for it?
2. Did any of the rooms connect, and if so, in what room-type combinations?

The hotel promptly replied that an additional bed would fit in the room at no charge and that the 2 Twin Beds room could connect with the 1 King Bed Panoramic View room or the Executive Suite. As a Guest of Honor, I was crossing my fingers for the Executive Suite-2 Twin Beds combo!

Feeling confident that this property would work for our stay in either configuration, I moved ahead with the booking. This is where the “From 6,500” points per night on the initial booking page was a bit misleading, as the nights for my stay were a mix of Category 2 off-peak, standard, and peak dates. In reality, I paid an average of 8,000 points per night, or 48,000 points total for 3 nights in 2 rooms.

To use my Guest of Honor award, I first needed to transfer the points to my World of Hyatt Globalist hookup (in this case, Upgraded Points’ Compliance Editor and Content Contributor Stella Shon), which can take several days. Then she had to book the reservation on my behalf for me to receive her Globalist benefits. Yes, this process is a bit tedious, but it was worth it for free breakfast and the possibility of an upgrade.

The cash rates were $174 per room per night, so I received a value of 2.18 cents per point on this redemption. We value World of Hyatt points at 1.5 cents each, so I was pleased with receiving a slightly greater value.

If you want to book with cash, consider using one of our recommended credit cards for Hyatt stays to maximize your earnings.

Even though this was an award reservation, I earned 3,000 World of Hyatt points through the Bonus Journeys promotion and received credit for Andaz for the Brand Explorer award.

Check-In

We arrived at Andaz Capital Gate, Abu Dhabi, in the evening after driving from Dubai. During the day, the Capital Gate building truly stands out amid the skyline, and the night view was no exception — the building glowed blue, stood tall, and was easily recognized from a distance.

We pulled into the valet area to inquire about self-parking and were directed to a gated drive, where a gentleman had to open the gate for us. This process repeated any time we left and returned to the property — we were never able to use a key card or code to access gated parking on our own and always had to ask for assistance.

We later realized it would have been smarter to leave our bags at the valet area, as we parked directly by the only pedestrian access point back to the hotel, this double flight of stairs.

Ground Floor Lobby

Capital Gate is a mixed-use building, and like all visitors, we entered on the ground floor for access to either the office space or the hotel.

Signage at the entrance directed guests to the 18th floor for the lobby.

There was a coffee kiosk and several pieces of art throughout the 165 Gallery space.

My family loved the funky, 3-dimensional art in each elevator, a taste of what we’d experience throughout the property.

18th-Floor Lobby

The elevators opened onto a jaw-dropping lobby filled with stylish furniture, smart furnishings, and an outrageous chandelier.

The feeling of being surrounded by such unique, creative, and colorful art is indescribable. It was a very cool and inviting space.

We were greeted by a staff member at this small wooden standing desk, though other guests were being helped along a long, bar-type counter to its right.

We were offered dates and infused water or lemon mint juice, which my kids adored. The staff member also offered them a small plate of cookies while they waited, which is never to be refused!

While our passports were being processed, we were informed about the room, minibar, and breakfast and received our wooden keys (which came home as a souvenir).

The rest of the lobby was really lovely to walk through, as there were many private spaces for congregating or relaxing.

There were floor-to-ceiling panoramic windows throughout the space.

Elite Benefits

As a Guest of Honor, I was able to receive the same benefits as a World of Hyatt Globalist, including bottled water, a room upgrade (including standard suites, if available at check-in), late 4 p.m. checkout, breakfast, and free parking on free nights.

A few days before our arrival, I emailed the hotel to ask about the possibility of securing the Executive Suite-2 Twin Beds combo but was told that there were no connecting Executive Suites available. I was offered the Capital Suite with a nearby 2 Twin Beds room, but I declined this in favor of the 1 King Bed Panoramic View room that connected.

We still received a spectacular and spacious room that was a slight upgrade from the standard 1 King Bed room, and we received free breakfast daily, so the juice was worth the squeeze in booking a Guest of Honor award (thanks, Stella!).

Amenities

The Andaz Capital Gate, Abu Dhabi, was not flush with amenities beyond a standard fitness center and pool, but the spaces it did have were thoughtfully designed.

Rayana Spa Fitness

Rayana Spa Fitness was on the 19th floor. Spa treatments were available daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Guests could also access the 24-hour gym from this space.

The gym featured a variety of Technogym cardio and strength-training equipment, as well as spectacular panoramic views.

There were kettlebells, medicine balls, yoga balls, and boxing equipment.

There were higher-weight dumbbells and weight benches.

There was also a variety of circuit training equipment.

Towels were readily available.

A water cooler with cups also provided refreshment.

Game Room and Library

Also on the 19th floor was a game room and library ahead of the entry to the pool. This room had a small library, a pool table, and chilled water. For a shade or air conditioning break from the desert sun, this space was ideal.

Pool

The pool space on the 19th floor looked just spectacular, and there was various seating throughout.

The space received a lot of direct morning sun, but, fortunately, there were sun umbrellas above padded loungers.

The view was mainly southeast toward Zayed Sports City, with views across to the water channels.

The pool was the same depth throughout (just under 5 feet) with a divided, recessed area for sitting, similar to a hot tub but without any jets.

The glass tiles were just beautiful and shimmered against the morning sun.

Toward the left side of the pool was a space that looked like a bar, though it was unstaffed in the morning. The hotel website says that you can order bar bites and cocktails from the pool deck.

We appreciated that there was a lifeguard on duty during our family’s trip to the pool, but we did notice opportunities for improvement:

1. The pool deck was very hot from the sun, and so was the ladder to get out of the pool. This could have been made more comfortable with a railing cover that didn’t absorb so much of the heat.
2. Many of the exposed tiles were in various stages of disrepair. It’s a shame that such lovely tiles were patched up in such an unattractive way.

The pool was open daily from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi speeds in our room and throughout the hotel were more than adequate at 82 Mbps or more.

Room

Arriving at our rooms for the first time was a bit of a thrill. We were reminded of the property’s Guinness World Record as we traveled up the elevators to the 31st floor.

The view of the atrium from nearly the top of the hotel was hypnotic, with skylights above and a tornado of structural supports and floors down to the bottom of the hotel. My oldest son couldn’t handle this view initially and walked with his back against the wall until we passed it.

Each floor had art in the common areas, and our floor had this custom Sharpie-on-canvas piece:

Our rooms, 3113 and 3114, were in a corner together.

1 King Bed Panoramic View

The 1 King Bed Panoramic View room, 3114, was huge at 516 square feet, and like in the rest of the property, I had to get my jaw off the floor when entering. It looked like such a treat.

The door opened onto a tiled area with the bathroom to the left and the main bedroom straight ahead.

The closet on the right had 4 styles of hangers, a luggage shelf, an ironing board and iron, slippers, and a scale.

Farther into the room, past the connecting door, was another closet with a full-length mirror, safe, and hair dryer amid the shelving.

I’ve never seen this feature before, but I was impressed with the outlet in the safe that allowed you to charge devices while they were stored.

I enjoyed working at this desk, which had a lamp, several outlets, media connections, a kettle, a phone, and a notepad. I did find it a bit bizarre to have an office-style chair without casters.

Though I did not attempt to use the media connections, there were outlets for audio/video, audio, a PC monitor, and HDMI and USB cords.

Past the 55-inch TV was the coffee and tea service and the minibar. The sodas, tonic water, chips, and chocolate-covered dates were complimentary. Beer and liquor were priced at 50 AED (about $14), and white wine was 60 AED (about $16).

There was a capsule coffee maker with 100% biodegradable and compostable coffee capsules from UAE-based Coffee Planet, shelf-stable milk, La Provence en France teabags, and sweeteners.

Below the coffee and tea offerings was a ceramic set for espresso. Larger mugs and glasses could be found in the drawer below this.

The room had 2 side chairs flanking a circular table; their orange design worked well with the various colors in the room. The floor-to-ceiling view was expansive and looked out across the various channels and northwest toward downtown.

The king-size bed was incredibly comfortable. The right nightstand had a tray with bottles of water and glasses. The left nightstand had a phone and the TV remote. Both sides of the bed had light switches and outlets.

Bathroom

The bathroom was separated from the bedroom by a semi-frosted glass window. For those not keen on sharing their bathroom activities with their partner, a roll-down shade behind the tub provided privacy.

The tub was slightly raised off of the floor and had adjacent shelving and robes with a towel rack nearby.

My kids were thrilled to see bath salts and camel milk soap.

The vanity had plenty of counter space and was well-lit. The water closet was on the right, and the shower was on the left.

There was a full-size body lotion, 2 glasses, and an additional soap on the counter, along with plenty of space for our belongings.

On the shelf below the vanity were bath amenities such as cotton pads, cotton swabs, and washcloths.

The water closet was spacious and featured a bidet, spray wand, and toilet. Again, the privacy was very limited here, so we were more comfortable keeping the roller shade down for our whole stay.

The shower had a handheld wand and rainfall showerhead. No complaints about temperature or pressure.

The in-shower amenities were Andaz-labeled full-size shampoo, conditioner, and shower gel. The shampoo and conditioner featured date extract (and had the appearance of liquid Tootsie Rolls), and the shower gel was made with saffron extract.

I also appreciated the third bar of soap here, as most hotels seem to offer just 1 bar for you to move constantly between the shower and sink.

2 Twin Beds

The 2 Twin Beds room had a similar setup to the 1 King Bed Panoramic View room, though the window space was considerably narrower. This room was 430 square feet, compared to the 1 King Bed Panoramic View’s 516 square feet.

We were pleased that the rollaway bed was already set up, but we did have to call to have the connecting doors between the 2 rooms unlocked.

Food and Beverage

The Andaz Capital Gate, Abu Dhabi, has 2 main restaurants — Cyan Brasserie and 18 Degrees Bar — with additional food and beverage service available at the Andaz Lounge in the lobby, at the pool deck, and via room service.

Cyan Brasserie

Cyan Brasserie, a modern Franco-Arab restaurant on the 18th floor, was open daily from 7 to 10:30 a.m. for breakfast, 12 to 3 p.m. for lunch, and 6:30 to 11 p.m. for dinner. Cyan serves the hotel’s breakfast buffet in the morning and then transitions to a lunch and dinner menu.

We had our breakfasts here.

The restaurant really continued the “make your jaw drop” design aesthetic found throughout the hotel. Tables at the front of the restaurant were best for single diners, pairs, and small groups.

The buffet surrounded the open kitchen area. Across from this area were larger tables (our family of 5 was sat at a table for 8), as well as the patio for outdoor dining.

Toward the back of the restaurant was a more discreet dining area that was dripping with faux greenery.

My kids’ eyes were as big as these donuts when they saw the bounty of pastries. Every day, a large casserole dish of cinnamon buns received top marks.

There was a variety of juice, water, and fresh, cut fruit.

There were several types of cheese, smoked meats, smoked salmon, and various Middle Eastern cheeses, dips, and salad items.

From the hot food area, you could choose from items such as pancakes, stir-fried vegetables, chicken kibbeh, and upma (an Indian porridge). Western items included baked beans, roasted tomatoes, beef bacon, chicken sausage, and lamb sausage.

Traditional foul medames (stewed fava beans) with accompaniments were offered.

My kids enjoyed this spread of cereals, Bircher muesli, chia pudding, and yogurts, with plenty of toppings and spreads like honey and Nutella. There was also a selection of dairy and nondairy milks.

The self-service coffee maker included options such as espresso, macchiato, cappuccino, caffe latte, and more. Unfortunately for the kids, there didn’t appear to be hot chocolate.

Each seat was also set with an à la carte menu and pencil for ordering eggs and sweet items like waffles.

I ordered the avocado sourdough toast with poached eggs each morning and really enjoyed it. The eggs were cooked to perfection.

Of note, the restrooms nearest to Cyan were 1 flight up from the entrance, outside of the restaurant itself, though these were also accessible by elevator.

18 Degrees Bar

The 18 Degrees Bar was open daily from 4 p.m. to 1 a.m.

It had a lovely terrace that also had shisha and hookahs available.

Service

All of our interactions with staff members were courteous and professional. The woman who checked us in was very polite, and the added touch of bringing out cookies for our theme park-weary kids was a well-received gesture.

I only wished that I had been given a little advice about visiting the Sheik Zayed Grand Mosque. I had spoken with the front desk staff about visiting and would have appreciated it if they’d mentioned that, as a woman, I would need to be fully covered upon arrival.

In my research ahead of our visit, it sounded like abayas (long black robes) and shaylas (headscarves) were available at the mosque for women to rent for free. This policy appeared to have changed in early 2023, and you now must arrive appropriately dressed. I had to make a quick scramble back to the hotel for my sweater and then purchase a headscarf at the on-site mall underneath the mosque parking lot (Souq Al Jami) to be allowed entry. Overall, this wasn’t a big deal, but it would have been nice if the hotel staff had mentioned this information in our discussions on the topic.

Final Thoughts

I was excited that the Andaz Capital Gate, Abu Dhabi, delivered a “wow” experience for my family. From the chic design to an incredible breakfast, we thoroughly enjoyed our stay.

This Category 2 World of Hyatt property is not in the best location if you’re on a quick overnight from the airport or want to be close to the thrills at Yas Island. However, if you’re flexible with how you travel around town and want jaw-dropping views from your bathtub, the pool, the lobby … basically anywhere you turn … the Andaz Capital Gate, Abu Dhabi, delivers.