Just transiting through Abu Dhabi for a nice 14 hours, thought I'd post this up here instead of making a new thread.
Arrived just a hair after midnight. I had a 6 hour booking at the AUHotel, so went there straight away. Don't make the mistake of lining on on the ground level, take the escalator up to the actual check-in desk which is much bigger.
The AUHotel was perfect in all aspects for a quick sleep in transit. It's nothing fancy for sure - but it has enough space, and all the facilities you could want inside the room. Had a great shower, the room aircon goes down to an amazing 5 degrees which I have never even seen before (perfect if you're always hot like me). It has a very comfy bed, very nice pillows - basically perfect for a sleep when you're tired.
6 hours is all I needed to feel very refreshed, they do a call about 5-10 minutes after your checkout time to see if you want to extend or otherwise remind you to vamoose, which I promptly did.
Went to the first class lounge (VA plat, otherwise flying in J), no issue at all getting in as they promptly checked my ticket and no questions asked. After taking the elevator up, reception staff member gives me a brief tour and explanation. I immediately feel under-dressed compared to the few, but very clearly wealthy people there, but no matter - you won't get any funny looks from other patrons nor comments from staff, who are all very professional and very nice indeed.
The lounge has very few people at all times for it's size - by design I am sure. Indeed, it feels roomy and spacious, really quite nice. The service is great, and there are plenty of staff members to bring you anything you want, in any part of the lounge, at any time. There is a restaurant section, and also a relatively quick rotating selection of plate dishes you can take as well at anytime, but there seems to also be a much larger selection of alacarte menu items than is printed on the menu - just be sure to ask for what you like, and they will promptly make it.
At the very end of the lounge is the quiet sleep pod area. You will want to have eyeshades if you utilise these (I guess they are likely to also have them to give out), but otherwise they are semi-private and at the quietest end of the lounge.
Most of the toilets have showers in them as well - so you don't have to queue for the business lounge showers (assuming there is a queue, at the time I was here, there wasn't - but I have seen it in the past). I don't think I ever encountered a single person in the toilets the entire time I was here as well - just again, to drive the point home that this is a very uncrowded experience.
Of course the first lounge is also connected to the business lounge, so you can just walk over if you want to go to the bar to check out the whisky selection for example. I walked between them many times without issue, even as reception staff rotated.
Make no mistake, this is not the giant fancy first class lounge Emirates has as a contrary example.
However I have to say, this is a truely pleasant, elevated lounge experience - if you're after a definitely not crowded, relaxing, quiet and elegant experience with stellar service, amenities and food, then this is definitely it. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Flying internationally, I think this is a truly out of this world benefit of VA plat - especially if you fly to Europe a lot like myself, and if you take long transits. I could very happily work here for a whole day.
. Food and beverage (esp the champagne) is really good and puts Qantas Sydney lounge to shame. Decor and interior was a bit old school I thought and they could have done it better. Overall the new terminal is a massive improvement other the old one and I would consider transiting through AUH again. Without access to a lounge there is a substantial number of F&B options.
