Travel diary · Dubai
Gold leaf cappuccinos, a desert safari at golden hour, Atlantis turndowns and a sunset hop to Abu Dhabi. Just me, my best friend Sarah King and the girls trip we're honestly still not over. Here's exactly where we went.
Okay, I need to talk about this trip because I genuinely haven't stopped thinking about it. I went with my best friend Sarah King, the kind of friend you can happily share a hotel bathroom, a dessert trolley and a 6am flight with, and together we did Dubai and Abu Dhabi properly: the glossiest cafes, the dreamiest desert and one spa day that reset both our souls. If you're planning a girls trip and you want the real hit-list, no fluff, just the spots we'd send our own best friends to, save this one. Here's every hot spot, in the order I'd happily do them again tomorrow.
In this guide
We started the way every glamorous trip should: with an actual sheet of edible gold on top of a coffee. Armani Caffe sits tucked inside the mall and it’s the kind of place you dress up for the coffee. The gold leaf cappuccino is the move: equal parts delicious and the most Dubai thing you’ll ever photograph. We may have also worked our way through the dessert trolley. No regrets.
The gold leaf cappuccino, and yes, it tastes as fancy as it looks.
If you do ONE thing, do this. Platinum Heritage picks you up in restored vintage Land Rovers (so much chicer than the usual dune-bashing buggies), and the whole thing feels like a National Geographic moment with your girls. We spotted oryx and gazelle, watched the dunes turn rose-gold, and did the obligatory arms-in-the-air-in-the-sand photoshoot, which was entirely Sarah's idea and gave us the best photos of the whole trip.
Golden hour in the dunes. Unreal.
Even if you never made it inside, you’d still want to come for the architecture: that glowing silver torus wrapped in Arabic calligraphy is iconic. Inside it’s part art, part sci-fi, fully immersive, and a really fun break from beaches and brunches. Total girls-trip content goldmine.
Catching our reflection in that mirrored shell.
Calling it a “mall” feels rude. This is a whole day out: designer everything, an aquarium, the fountains out front and more cafes than you could ever get through. We shopped, we people-watched along Fashion Avenue, and we parked ourselves at an outdoor table for coffee and pastries between hauls.
We made the drive to Abu Dhabi for this and it was so worth it. The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is breathtaking: gleaming white marble, reflective pools and a hush that makes you go quiet too. It’s also the most respectful, special part of the whole trip. Go a little before sunset and watch it light up.
Golden hour in the courtyard.
Our Abu Dhabi base. The Grand Hyatt is right on the water with that dreamy pool setup (hello, orange umbrellas), easy access to the city, and a proper lounge-all-afternoon vibe when you need a breather between adventures. The perfect reset before the next outing.
Pool views for days at the Grand Hyatt.
If Armani Caffe is the gold-and-glam coffee stop, Ralph’s is the preppy, green-and-white, Ralph-Lauren-dressed-as-a-cafe stop. It’s adorable, the kind of spot you go to as much for the aesthetic as the food. We slowed right down here for a long, chatty lunch.
This was our big-splurge home base and honestly the heart of the whole trip. The suites are stunning (we came back to rose petals on the bed more than once), the beach and pools are postcard-perfect, and the waterpark next door is genuinely so much fun. You forget you’re grown adults the second you hit the slides.
And then there was the spa. Sarah and I booked in for a massage and a facial at the Atlantis day spa and came out absolute new women, and the salt-stone room alone was worth it. Sweet touch: they sent up Atlantis strawberries to the room. It’s the little things.
Slow mornings by the water at Atlantis.
For our last big Abu Dhabi night we went to Mika for sunset drinks and it delivered exactly the vibe you want: palm trees, golden light, a good cocktail and the kind of long, laughing dinner that ends a trip perfectly. Come for the sunset, stay for the buzz.
And into the evening it goes.
I didn’t expect a museum to be a trip highlight, but here we are. The Louvre Abu Dhabi’s domed roof creates this dappled “rain of light” effect that’s mesmerising, and the art runs from ancient statues to modern pieces. It’s cool, calm, gorgeous, and the perfect cultured contrast to all the glam.
And that’s the trip: gold leaf coffees, desert sunsets, spa days and a little culture to balance out the glam. Dubai and Abu Dhabi together make the perfect girls trip: equal parts indulgent and unforgettable. Steal our hit-list, tag your travel bestie, and go. You’ll be planning round two before you’ve even unpacked. ✨
The “rain of light” under that incredible dome.
Planning your own trip? Save this guide, and tell me which stop you'd add.
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