Exclusive: Hilton’s Conrad takes over top Abu Dhabi hotel from Jumeirah

In a big boost for Hilton in the Middle East, Conrad is taking over the Jumeirah Etihad Towers hotel in Abu Dhabi on 1st October.

The new name will be Conrad Abu Dhabi Etihad Towers.  The website is here.

There have been rumours circulating for some time that the Dubai-based Jumeirah hotel group was about to lose some of its top properties.  Frankfurt was one of the names in the frame, as was Etihad Towers.

It is still surprising to see it happen, however.  Etihad Towers is the top business hotel in Abu Dhabi.  Strategically, as it already had the very well regarded Jumeirah Emirates Towers hotel in Dubai, I would have expected Jumeirah to cling on even if it was losing money.

Hilton, however, has been to secure a new hotel in Abu Dhabi after losing the Hilton Capital Grand Abu Dhabi last year.  At present it has no hotels in the Emirate.

For clarity, Jumeirah appears to be keeping control of the Jumeirah At Saadiyat Island resort in Abu Dhabi.  (UPDATE: Jumeirah has confirmed to us that it is retaining control of the Saadiyat Island resort.)

About Etihad Towers

As you can see from the photo above, Etihad Towers is a mixed use office, condominium and hotel scheme.  It includes a luxury shopping mall, should you feel the need to visit Hermes, Tom Ford or even Waitrose during your stay.  It looks a lot more ‘human’ at beach level (yes, it has a modest beach) as you can see below:

I stayed at Etihad Towers back in 2015.  The lobby is h-u-g-e, quadruple height and glass walled as you can see above.

The hotel is mouth shaped which means that the rooms are of varying sizes.  The nearer you are to the middle, the bigger your space.  I was given a room right in the middle which meant lots of space:

The room was well appointed, including a free coffee machine.  Wi-Fi was free for all guests.  There was a ludicrous amount of wardrobe space and a full set of bathroom freebies including toothbrush, razor etc.

I spent the one day I was in the hotel down by the beach and pool.  You wouldn’t want to spend a week there on holiday, especially with kids, but for a stopover it did the job.

Staff were excellent.  Whether it was setting up your chair, bringing you drinks, bringing lunch or even offering free lollypops, they were on hand.  This is one of the three pools, with a swim-up bar at the back.

How much is Conrad Etihad Towers as a Hilton Honors redemption?

It isn’t clear.  Prices in Abu Dhabi are very depressed, since it is effectively closed to business travellers, so I can’t find a date where the price is so high that it triggers the maximum points charge.

For Hilton Honors members, this represents a fantastic new option in the Middle East.

You can find full details about Conrad Abu Dhabi Etihad Towers on the Hilton website here.  Ownership switches on 1st October.

Let’s see what happens among the rest of the Jumeirah portfolio ….

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How to earn Hilton Honors points and status from UK credit cards (April 2025)

There are various ways of earning Hilton Honors points from UK credit and debit cards.  Many cards also have generous sign-up bonuses.

There are two dedicated Hilton Honors debit cards. These are especially attractive when spending abroad due to the 0% or 0.5% FX fee, depending on card.

You also receive FREE Hilton Honors status for as long as you hold the debit cards – Gold status with the Plus card and Silver status with the basic card. This is a great reason to apply even if you rarely use it.

We reviewed the Hilton Honors Plus Debit Card here and the Hilton Honors Debit Card here.

You can apply for either card here.

SPECIAL OFFER: Until 30th April 2025, the annual fee on the basic Hilton Honors debit card is halved from £60 to £30. The sign-up bonus is also easier to earn – you need to spend £1,000 either in the UK or abroad within three months. The usual bonus rule requires you to spend the full £1,000 outside the UK.

NEW: Hilton Honors Plus Debit

10,000 bonus points, Hilton Gold status and NO FX fees Read our full review

NEW: Hilton Honors Debit

2,500 bonus points, Hilton Silver status and 0.5% FX fees Read our full review

There is another way of getting Hilton Honors status, and earning Hilton Honors points, from a payment card.

Holders of The Platinum Card from American Express receive FREE Hilton Honors Gold status for as long as they hold the card.  It also comes with Marriott Bonvoy Gold, Radisson Rewards Premium and MeliaRewards Gold status.

We reviewed American Express Platinum in detail here and you can apply here.

SPECIAL OFFER: Until 27th May 2025, the sign-up bonus on American Express Platinum is increased from 50,000 Membership Rewards points to a huge 80,000 points. Points convert 1:1 into Avios (80,000 Avios!) and many other programmes. Some people may see even higher personalised offers. Click here to apply.

The Platinum Card from American Express

80,000 bonus points and great travel benefits – for a large fee Read our full review

You can also earn Hilton Honors points indirectly with:

• American Express Gold (20,000 bonus Amex points)
• American Express Rewards Credit Card (10,000 bonus Amex points)

SPECIAL OFFER: Until 27th May 2025, the sign-up bonus on the ‘free for a year’ American Express Preferred Rewards Gold card is increased from 20,000 Membership Rewards points to 30,000 points. Points convert 1:1 into Avios (30,000 Avios!) and many other programmes. Some people may see even higher personalised offers. Click here to apply.

and for small business owners:

• American Express Business Gold (20,000 bonus Amex points)
• American Express Business Platinum (50,000 bonus Amex points)

The conversion rate from American Express to Hilton Honors points is 1:2.

Click here to read our detailed summary of all UK credit cards which can be used to earn Hilton Honors points.