Review: Etihad First Class Apartment A380 Abu Dhabi to Sydney

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A few months ago, I managed to snag an award seat using my American Aadvantage miles to fly on Etihad’s First Class Apartment product from Abu Dhabi to Sydney. For many, the product itself is arguably the most luxurious first class product currently out on the market. With a total flight time of slightly more than 14 hours, I had a lot of time to savor the experience. The experience itself however, started long before the flight. Here’s how my trip went:

Flight Stats:

Carrier: Etihad 454
Route: Abu Dhabi, UAE to Sydney, AU
Flight Time: 14 hours, 10 minutes
Seat: 4A

Departure Time: 10:05pm
Arrival Time: 7:15pm
Aircraft: Airbus A380-800

On-Ground Experience:

My experience with Etihad began way before the flight itself. Anyone that travels first class with Etihad is automatically eligible for a personal chauffeur pick up both to your origin airport and on arrival at your destination airport. I had currently been on a one day layover in Dubai, and even though Dubai is nearly 150km from Abu Dhabi, Etihad’s chauffeur service still picked me up from Dubai. I thought this service was amazing, but learned that this is pretty common as many passengers that fly out of Abu Dhabi stay in Dubai.

My very own chauffeur to Abu Dhabi airport!

My very own chauffeur to Abu Dhabi airport!

Other than the horrible traffic between the two cities, the journey to Abu Dhabi International Airport was fairly uneventful.

At the Airport

After arriving at the airport, as a first class passenger you’ll be able to skip the lines at the airport and proceed to the first class counter, which at Abu Dhabi airport is in a completely separate space with a private entrance. Both check-in and passing through security and immigration was a breeze at the airport.

First Class Check In

First Class Check In

Due to traffic, I only had about 45 minutes to spare at the airport before my flight began to board. After clearing immigration I made my way to Etihad’s Premium Class lounge. Simply show your ticket and you’re in. The lounge itself was by far the largest premium class lounge I’ve ever been to. Unlike some other lounges I’ve been to, the Etihad Premium Class lounge had two buffet areas, a bartender working a real bar, a spa, private showers, and ample seating throughout the lounge. Although the lounge itself felt very spacious. I grabbed a quick bite to eat then headed to my gate.

Etihad Premium Lounge

Etihad Premium Lounge

The Lounge Directory

The Lounge Directory

The Spa at the Lounge

The Spa at the Lounge

The Bar at the Lounge

The Bar at the Lounge

The buffett at the lounge

The buffet at the lounge

Pro-tip: If I could have done this trip over again, I would have requested the chauffeur to pick me up much earlier than was initially planned. My flight was scheduled to depart at 10:15pm, but we left Dubai around 6:30 p.m., which didn’t leave me much time to enjoy the first class experience at the airport.

Finally, it was time to board the flight!

In-Flight Experience:

There are a total of 9 first class apartments on-board Etihad’s A380 routes. Apartments 4A and 4k are the only apartments where your seat is adjacent to the window and is faced forward, the other apartments either have a seat that faces backward, or is situated next to the aisle. I was lucky enough to snag Apartment 4A.

My address for the flight: Apartment 4A

My address for the flight: Apartment 4A

A look into my apartment: Etihad First Class A380 Apartment 4A

A look into my apartment: Etihad First Class A380 Apartment 4A

Etihad First Class A380 Apartment 4A couch

Etihad First Class A380 Apartment 4A couch. The couch itself is a staggering 6 feet 10 inches long, and converts to a bed during turn-down service. It’s by far the longest bed I’ve ever slept on in a plane!

Etihad First Class A380 Apartment 4A seat

Etihad First Class A380 Apartment 4A seat

Etihad First Class A380 Apartment 4A windows

Etihad First Class A380 Apartment 4A windows

A glass of wine before the flight!

A glass of wine before the flight!

 

Etihad First Class Dining

The dining experience was beyond I’ve ever had. Given the 14 hour flight, both a dinner and a breakfast was planned for the route. In addition to the planned meal service, passengers also had full access to order a la carte off the menu throughout the flight.

Lamb biryani for dinner!

Lamb biryani for dinner!

Etihad First Class Apartment Shower

The highlight of the flight itself was getting the chance to take a shower…on a plane! The Etihad A388 is one of only two carriers (the other is Emirates) in the world that offer on-board showers to passengers. When you board the flight, your flight attendant will inquire when you’d like to use the shower. I opted to take my shower a few hours before landing in Sydney. As you can imagine, when it was my turn, I was beyond excited to try out this very novel experience.

Passengers only get 5 minutes worth of running water, though you extend your shower by pressing the stop and start button. usually like to test the temperature of the water before I getting into the shower, but unfortunately the water doesn’t begin to run unless the shower door is completely closed. Save yourself the possibility of being hit with cold water and dial up the temperature before you turn it on.

Etihad A380 First Class Bathroom

Etihad A380 First Class Bathroom

Etihad First Class A380 bathroom amenities

Etihad First Class A380 bathroom amenities

Etihad A380 First Class Shower Dial

Etihad A380 First Class Shower Dial

Etihad A380 First Class Shower

Etihad A380 First Class Shower

Etihad First/Business Class On-Board Lounge

After showering a bit, I decided to check out the on-board lounge that’s shared between the first class and business class cabins.

Etihad A380 Shared On-Board Lounge

Etihad A380 Shared On-Board Lounge

Having a drink in the shared on-board lounge

Having a drink and watching CNN in the shared on-board lounge

As evident in the picture above, as soon as I got on board I changed into Etihad’s pajamas for the duration of the flight. They were really comfortable!

The rest of the flight was spent relaxing, watching movies and eating!

Breakfast

Breakfast

Pre-arrival dessert

Pre-arrival dessert

Watching a movie. Etihad's Entertainment System is excellent, and the TV even pulls out and swivels!

Watching a movie. Etihad’s Entertainment System is excellent, and the TV even pulls out and swivels!

Overall

Flying Etihad’s First Class Apartment from Abu Dhabi to Sydney was truly an unforgettable experience. With a retail price of just over $5,800, I would’ve never been able to have flown this route if it weren’t for miles. And at just 60,000 Aadvantage miles (I booked this flight prior to American Airlines 2016 devaluation), it was an incredible deal!

One Day in Dubai

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Have an upcoming layover in Dubai? First time visiting the city and you’ve only got a day to spare? I’m a big fan of beaches and architecture, and on a recent trip through Dubai, here’s how I spent my 24 hour layover in Dubai:

Walk around the Dubai Mall
(~1 hour)

Grab a taxi or uber to visit the Dubai Mall, one of the largest malls in the world. Not only is the mall a great escape from the oppressive heat (even at night!), but there’s something new and interesting. During my visit, there was a game going on in the ice rink:

Ice rink at Dubai Mall

Ice rink at Dubai Mall

Watch the Dubai Fountain Show
(~30 minutes)

The highlight of the mall in my opinion is the Dubai Fountain. Designed by the same creators of the fountain show at The Bellagio in Las Vegas, the fountain show at the Dubai Mall is the world’s largest fountain performance. I’d recommend going in the evening to take full advantage of the accompanying light show, which you obviously can’t appreciate as much during the day. Evening shows happen every 30 minutes, between 630pm – 11pm. Additional information on the Dubai Fountain

Dubai Fountain Performance

Dubai Fountain Performance

Be mesmerized by the Burj Khalifa
(~15-20 minutes)

After the fountain show, walk around the Burj Khalifa lake to get to the base of Burj Khalifa, the tallest tower in the world. One of the first things you’ll notice when standing at the foot of the tower is just the immensity of the building. I’ve visited a handful of other super-skyscrapers in the past (the Willis Tower in Chicago, the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, or Taipei 101), but none of those buildings compares to Burj Khalifa. Simply put, this building is enormous!

Burj Khalifa at Night

Burj Khalifa at Night

Indulge in high tea at the world’s highest bar: At.mosphere at the Burj Khalifa
(~1-2 hours)

I absolutely love architecture. And drinking…tea. And in a city known for towers sprouting up like weeds, there were really only two places that made my shortlist to grab high tea: the Burj Khalifa and the Burj al Arab. Both towers offer guests the option of having high tea from a prime location: at the Burj Khalifa, at highest bar in the world; at the Burj al Arab, at the world’s only 7 star hotel. I opted for the Burj Khalifa, mainly because I wanted to check out the view from the world’s tallest tower, and more importantly there weren’t any reservations available at the Skyview Bar at the Burj al Arab.

Waiting for high tea at the Armani Residences at Burj Khalifa

Waiting for high tea reservation at the Armani Residences at Burj Khalifa

The At.mosphere is located at Floor 124. I’ve never been at a floor so high in my life! At AED580 for a window seat, the experience indeed was definitely a treat. was definitely one of the highlights of my layover. Although it’s not the highest floor in the tower (there’s an observation deck on the 148th floor), it was certainly an experience to remember.

Window table at At.moshpere at Burj Khalifa

Window table at At.moshpere at Burj Khalifa

High tea starters

At.mosphere at Burj Khalifa high tea starters

High Tea Shrimp Course

At.mosphere at Burj Khalifa high tea shrimp dish

High tea desserts

At.mosphere at Burj Khalifa high tea desserts

At the At.mosphere!

Me at the At.mosphere!

Make sure to book your reservation by either filling out this form, sending an email to reservations@atmosphereburjkhalifa.com, or calling them at +971 4 888 3828.

Check out JBR Beach
(1-2 hours)

After high tea, I was keen to check out Dubai’s beaches. While there are a lot of beaches in the emirate, JBR (short for Jumeirah Beach Residence) beach, located about 20 minutes away from the Burj Khalifa, is one of Dubai’s more renowned beach areas. A quick uber ride later, I had my feet in the warm waters of the Persian Gulf!

JBR Beach

Muslim women at JBR Beach

Sun shining down on JBR Beach

Sun shining down on JBR Beach

Soaking in the warm waters of the Persian Gulf

Soaking in the warm waters of the Persian Gulf

Go on a sunset cruise around the Dubai Marina
(1 hour)

After hanging out and people watching, walk over to the Dubai Marina and grab a ticket for a ferry ride on the Dubai Ferry. I caught the 5pm ferry ride, which lined up perfectly right around sunset. The ferry is a great way to see a lot of Dubai’s architecture from the water in a relatively short period of time (the ferry tour lasts about 60 minutes). Tickets for the ferry ride cost AED 50.

After the ferry ride, I grabbed a cab at the Dubai Marina (it’s pretty easy to find cabs and ubers in this part of town), picked up my stuff from my hotel, and headed off to Dubai airport for my connecting flight later that evening.

Dubai Marina

Dubai Marina

Yacht at Dubai Marina

Yacht at Dubai Marina

Sunset in the Persian Gulf

Sunset in the Persian Gulf

Getting Around:
If you’re strapped for time, and want to make the most of your short stay in Dubai, I’d highly recommend using a taxi or uber to get around. While I did take the Dubai Metro from the airport to my hotel, walking from the metro station to your final destination in the oppressively hot Middle East heat is no joke. Do yourself a favor and just take a cab or uber!

 

Things to Do Around DC

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Downtown DC from above.

Downtown DC from above.

This week marks my sixth year anniversary as a resident of the DC area! As much as I love to travel, I truly believe that you can experience that feeling of adventure and discovery right in your own backyard. I put together a list of over 50+ different and off-beat activities that, despite this being my 8th summer in DC, I (mostly) have yet to experience. Moreover, I’m a fan of art, history and being outdoors, so a lot of these activities are geared towards those types of activities.

Whether you’re new to DC, been here for years, or just looking for something new to do. Here’s my list of 100+ mini-adventures around the DC area that you can start doing today!

Northwest DC

  • Adams Morgan
    • Participate in the Sunday Drum Circle at Meridian Hill Park
  • Columbia Heights
    • Monday Night Trivia at Wonderland
  • Farragut Square
    • Visit the White House. Request a tour through your state representative or senator.
    • White House Garden Tour
  • Federal Triangle
    • Visit the FBI Education Center
  • Georgetown
    • Twilight Tour of Potomac or Stand Up Paddleboarding at Key Bridge Boathouse
    • Check out the Soundscape at Dumbarton Oaks Garden
  • Logan Circle
  • Shaw / U Street
    • Thursday Night Trivia at Nellies
  • Woodley Park
    • Go on an Elephant Trails Tour at the National Zoo

Southwest DC

  • Waterfront / Navy Yard

Southeast DC

  • Anacostia
    • Kayak on the Anacostia River at Ballpark Boathouse
    • Visit the Frederick Douglass House and admire the views of the DC skyline
    • Visit Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens
    • Check out the Anacostia Community Museum

Northeast DC

  • H Street
    • See a demonstration of Ethiopian coffee making at sidamo coffee Ethiopian 2pm Sunday

In Maryland

  • Annapolis Area
    • Have a dinner al fresco on Wednesdays during Dinner Under the Stars
    • Go sailing around Annapolis
    • All You Can Eat Crabs at Harris Crab House on Kent Island (M-F)

In Northern Virginia

  • Arlington
    • Friday evening concert at the Air Force memorial
    • Walk around Roosevelt Island
    • Watch planes at Gravelly Point
    • Night time at the pentagon 9/11 memorial
    • Arlington House at Arlington Cemetary
    • Visit the DEA Museum
  • Fairfax County
    • Lunch buffet at Woodlands
    • Rent a canoe at Burke Lake Park
    • Peking Duck at Peking Gourmet Inn
    • Bull Run – Picnic at The Winery

 

2016 EU Embassy Day – Where to Eat and Drink

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Eat your way across Europe during EU Embassy Open House Day!

Feeling overwhelmed with which embassies to visit during this Saturday’s 2016 EU Embassy Open House Day?

Included on this list are countries whose websites have additional information on what they’re planning for this Saturday’s open house. I’ve listed below what you can expect to eat and drink at each embassy. Here’s what I found:

Austria – Bratwurst, Eggenberg Pils and Stiegl Radler will be served (bring cash). Wine tasting seminars available throughout the day for $12. 3 sessions available. RSVP on Eventbrite.

Belgium – Free Belgian chocolates and cookies. Belgian fries and waffles for sale.

Czech Republic – Food and music also available, no specifics mentioned on the website. Sports themed day.

Denmark – No specifics on food or drink, though you can get a free tour of the ambassador’s residence. Tickets are available on a first come first serve basis and are available at the embassy.

Finland – Free food, no specifics mentioned on the website. Fun fact: this is the greenest embassy in the US.

Germany and France – German Biergarten and French Cafe in the Ambassador Gardens. No specifics on whether food and drink are free. Like the Czech Republic, the Germany and France embassy day will be sports themed, specifically on soccer. Julian Buscher from DC United will also be at the event.

Greece – Food will be served, but no specifics mentioned on the website. Flavors of Greece, music, dance and special exhibition from the National Geographic Museum.

Hungary – Hungarian goulash, sausages, stew and other foods made by the embassy chef available. Froccs, a popular summertime drink, and Hungarian Brandy will also be served. Hungarian Viszla’s will also be at the embassy!

Italy – Neopolitan pizza, ice cream and espresso from Lavazza and desserts from Ferrrero. From what I recall, you had to pay for the pizza last year.

Netherlands – Poffertjes (dutch mini pancakes), stroopwafels and kaas (cheese) will be served, not sure if it’ll be for free.

Poland – Food available, though no specifics mentioned. Interestingly, the embassy this year will have a video game theme showcasing Poland’s budding video game industry scene.

Slovakia – Taste Slovak drinks and foods, no specifics mentioned.

Slovenia – Slovenian beer and wine, prekmurska gibanica (layered cake), Slovenian sausages, potica (walnut-roll cake).

Spain – Live paella cooking class and free tasting. Sangria, Spanish wine and beer, and food from participating restaurants.

London March 2016. The UK doesn't make my list of embassies to visit during the 2016 EU Embassy Day.

London March 2016. The UK doesn’t make my list of embassies to visit during the 2016 EU Embassy Day.

Recommendations:
So where will I be attempting to hit up this Saturday? And why?
Belgium – for the Belgian waffles and chocolates
Hungary – for the goulash and stew
Slovenia – for the interesting sounding desserts
Spain – for the Sangria and other Spanish wines
Austria – for the wine tasting seminar

Conclusion
28 embassies, six hours, and endless lines of people! EU Embassy Day is truly a day when DC itself becomes an amusement park. You might not be able to skip the lines with a fast pass like at Disneyland, but with some planning, you’ll know where it’s worth waiting and where it’s worth skipping. Have a great EU Embassy Day!

Additional Resources:
Shortcut to Europe: EU Embassy Open House 2016
EU Embassy Map