Combining a visit to the historic stone walls of Qasr Al Hosn with an ascent to the Observation Deck at 300 in the Etihad Towers offers the ultimate architectural journey through Abu Dhabi’s past and present. Begin in Central Abu Dhabi at Qasr Al Hosn, the city's oldest standing structure built in the 1760s as a coral-and-sea-stone watchtower to protect the island's only freshwater well. After exploring the historic fort and its House of Artisans, take a short ride to the West Corniche to ascend to Level 74 of Conrad Abu Dhabi Etihad Towers—the highest vantage point in the city at 300 meters above the ground.
What makes this pairing so rewarding is witnessing the city's astonishing transformation in a single afternoon. At Qasr Al Hosn, you walk through quiet, sun-bleached courtyards where traditional Emirati weaving (Al Sadu) and palm-frond braiding are demonstrated. An hour later, at the Observation Deck at 300, you are sipping afternoon tea while looking down from the clouds at the sprawling palaces, turquoise islands, and modern skyscrapers that grew from that single desert watchtower.
One fun fact people love:
The original 18th-century watchtower of Qasr Al Hosn was built using coral stones and sea rocks bound together with a mortar made of burnt seashells and mud, polished with lime to make it shine in the sun as a coastal beacon for sailors.
Where in Abu Dhabi is it?
Qasr Al Hosn is located in Central Abu Dhabi on Rashid Bin Saeed Al Maktoum Street, while the Observation Deck at 300 is 10 minutes west in the Etihad Towers on the West Corniche.
How to reach:
Both locations are in the heart of the main island and are easily reached within 10 minutes of each other by local taxi or the free Abu Dhabi Experience shuttle bus.
Best time to visit:
November to April so you can comfortably explore the open-air courtyards of the fort before heading indoors to the tower.
Best time of day:
Start at Qasr Al Hosn at 2:30 PM, then arrive at the Observation Deck at 300 by 5:00 PM to watch the sunset paint the Arabian Gulf in golden hues.
Entry fee:
Qasr Al Hosn entry is 30 AED; entry to the Observation Deck at 300 is approximately 95 AED per person, of which 55 AED is redeemable as a food and beverage credit at the sky lounge.
Commute difficulty:
Easy; Qasr Al Hosn features flat plazas and museum ramps, and the Observation Deck is reached via high-speed, smooth elevators.
Things nobody tells you about this place:
- Because your ticket to the Observation Deck at 300 includes a built-in food and drink voucher, do not eat a heavy meal right before going up; use the credit to order cakes, mocktails, or gourmet coffee by the window.
- Window-side tables at the Observation Deck cannot be reserved for standard ticket holders and fill up fast, so arrive 45 minutes before sunset to snag a prime spot facing Emirates Palace.
- Qasr Al Hosn hosts a daily traditional coffee ceremony (Gahwa) and live camel and horse patrols in the outer plaza during the cooler afternoon hours.
