Your weekend away is under starter’s orders as Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2021 is set to tear up the tracks from December 9-12. Join the action with a super-charged staycation at W Abu Dhabi - Yas Island, the capital’s most iconic playground

Screaming cool, eclectic, high-octane vibes, W Abu Dhabi - Yas Island is one of the UAE’s most iconic properties. Not just for its palpitating race-track proximity - though nothing quite beats the exhilarating sound of a Formula One racecar screeching round corners as you drink champagne and take it all in from your private wrap-around terrace - but also for its revved-up experiences, that will take you from sun up to sun down by way of suite, spa, pool lounging, Laurent Perrier sipping, celebrating and smooth grooves under the stars.

With a newly-configured and super-charged track that guarantees more nail-biting battles, overtaking opportunities and wheel-to-wheel action than before, a new era begins at Yas Marina Circuit and the ‘meeting place of champions’, promising to make this weekend more explosive than ever.

So, as the Formula 1 2021 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix zooms into the capital, from December 9-12, here’s how to stay, play and make the most of 24 hours at W Abu Dhabi - Yas Island...

9:00 BREAKFAST WITH BITE

Whether you’re behind the wheel or spectating from the side, Formula One requires refuelling at regular intervals. Start your day off well with a hearty-cum-healthy breakfast at Garage, a multi-disciplinary culinary hub that will sate even the most curious epicureans. Having gathered innovators in gastronomy from all over the world Garage has serious globetrotting culinary credentials, meaning you can plate up, replenish and rev yourself up for race day all from the terrace that overlooks the racetrack.

11:00 LIVE IT UP

Before hitting the tarmac, hit up the SPA for a Pressure Check - a 120-minute personalised massage, facial and foot ritual that will relax, revitalise and re-energise you ready for what race day has in store.

13:00 SOAK IT IN

Fresh from the spa pop back to your Fabulous Suite to freshen up for some sun-worshipping as WET Deck awaits. Decked out in calming tones of cream, taupe and marine blue hues, the Fabulous Suite is filled with light and just enough attitude to keep things cool.

There’s a King-size bed, living room, desk area (should work come calling), walk-in closet, balcony and bathroom with shower and deep-soak tub to call your own. Unpack your suitcase, grab your swimsuit, shorts, sun hat and sunnies, and head to the pool.

The place to see and be seen, the blue skies over WET Deck jostle for attention with the aquamarine pool, while sun-loungers put lounge lizard skills to the test, as the Arabian sun dapples through the gridshell exterior, all to the rooftop backdrop of mocktails, cocktails and DJ beats.

16:00 BRUNCH IN STYLE

Back to your Fabulous Suite for a lightening quick turnaround - shower, touch-up glam and glad rags on, because it’s brunch time. Pink Party at Garage is a rather extravagant affair. Find a table on the terrace and stake your claim on the best views in the city as the Formula One cars whizz by.

With Laurent Perrier champagne on tap and food flowing from five different stations, there is plenty to keep eyes and appetites occupied. Dive into dumplings from Steam Table, where Asian street-style fare gets a flamboyant remix, with big, bold flavours and theatrically crafted steamed and stir-fried dishes; or unlock the state secrets at the vault-designed Meat Vault, where cuts and grills take centre-stage, think Vault Activated Charcoal Wagyu Burger, slow-cooked BBQ short ribs and prime Tomahawk steak.

Nikkei House is where Japanese and Peruvian cultures collide, resulting in colourful splashes of spice, texture and heritage all served up on a plate. Then tap into Tart Van to get your sweet kicks, with its designs inspired by Kufic calligraphy and its tastes centred around tarts and scoops. Here you can sip, sup, bite, taste and toast your afternoon away, feeling the thrill of race day play out right under your nose.

19:00 AND THE WINNER IS...

You’ve been, you’ve seen, you’ve conquered... As the chequered flag is waved for the final time, celebrations kick into fifth gear as the Grand Prix winner is announced. With champagne on hand for celebratory clinking of glasses, and your outfit on fleek, there’s only one truly deserving off-track style champion in our eyes.

19:15 LA DOLCE VITA

As the medal-giving dust settles, the party continues over at the Amici Terrace - the hotel’s laid-back Italian bar and eaterie. Immerse yourself in stylish Sicilian vibes as celebrations steer their way through to sundown. Naturally, Aperitivo hour is on the agenda, fuelling the evening ahead with cocktails filled with la dolce vita and Italian flair.

20:30 SIP & SAVOUR

After sun sets, move the mood inside to mix and mingle at W Lounge, the hotel’s pulsating four-bar after-dark venue, with its killer views and bold beats. The Wanderlust soirée will see you last long into the night, with gin cocktails on the menu.

The Wanderlust soirée will see you last long into the night, with gin cocktails on the menu. Drawing design inspiration from the Super Bloom, which occurs when it rains in the desert, W Lounge is an explosion of kaleidoscopic colours and textures, with dark and decadent interiors adding mystery and intrigue to the occasion, in a palette of reds, golds and shimmering greens. With DJ sounds to feed the soul, every sense will be sated. For the ultimate Insta moment, work your way round to the Flower & Feather throne. It’s the W Lounge’s secret gem but we’ll leave you to find that out in person.

21:30 SHOW TIME

Rev up your day even further with the Yasalam After-Race Concert - an experience no race weekend should be without. Taking the exhilaration from track to stage, the concert attracts some of the biggest stars around the world and promises to get your pulse racing. With Guns N Roses, Travis Scott, The Killers and Calvin Harris all previous post-race performers, you know you’re in good hands for 2021’s epic celebrations. With musical celebrations spread out over four nights, four AAA artists will light up the stage this year at Etihad Park on Yas Island, with award-winning US pop star Khalid performing on December 9 for the first time in the UAE, and two-time Brit award-winning Lewis Capaldi taking the mic on December 11, with his smash hit songs Before You Go and Hold Me While You Wait on the set list. Two more artists’ names will be dropped for the Friday and Saturday performances, so watch this space...

23:00 THE AFTER-PARTY PARTY

While the night is still young, swap the heady after-race concert vibes for the sultry after-dark beats back at WET Deck. With a resident DJ spinning tunes until the early hours, you can groove your way into the next day. It’s the place everyone wants to hang, as cocktails are shaken, stirred and sipped under a star-speckled Arabian sky, celeb-spotting stories are swapped, and friendships made over Formula One memories. While the fun may have to stop at some point, you’ll remember this evening long after the DJ decks are packed away.

00:00 SUITE DREAMS

Call it a night and retire to bed in the glam-slam luxury of your Fabulous Suite - one that boasts 110 square metres of style and sophistication. If you’re still pumped from the party, slink into your bath tub and end the evening with a different kind of bubbles to help you unwind. Either way, before you draw your curtains, head outside to your wrap-around balcony one last time to appreciate the sheer perfection of the W Abu Dhabi - Yas Island’s location. With the suite’s floor-to-ceiling windows, 180-degree views of the Formula One track and Yas Marina’s über-luxe boats bobbing around in the background, you can rest your weary head in the comfortable knowledge that you won the staycation location lottery.

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