Al Meylas: The Four Seasons “Living Room of Abu Dhabi” Built Around Majlis Hospitality
The phrase “living room of Abu Dhabi” actually fits.
Lobby lounges often promise to be gathering places, but Al Meylas has a stronger claim than most. Its name translates as “a place of gathering”, and Four Seasons has shaped the ground-floor space as a modern majlis: deep sofas and armchairs, generous spacing, a warm welcome, and an outdoor waterfront terrace. The result is polished without becoming stiff. Business meetings, family conversations, solo coffee and afternoon tea can all occupy the room at the same time without feeling out of place. On Al Maryah Island, where so much dining is driven by destination restaurants and power lunches, that flexibility is useful.
Food supports the social purpose of the room
Al Meylas is not trying to compete with Butcher & Still or Cafe Milano elsewhere in the hotel. Its menu is lighter and more fluid, moving through modern Middle Eastern small plates, pastries, coffee, tea and non-alcoholic drinks. Four Seasons also uses the lounge for a serious afternoon-tea programme, currently served daily from 3 pm to 7 pm. Seasonal editions give the pastry team room to bring local ingredients and cultural moments into the format; the Emirati Women’s Day afternoon tea in late August and early September 2026, for example, is explicitly inspired by UAE traditions and flavours.
The long opening day changes how people use it
The official Four Seasons page lists Al Meylas from 8 am to midnight Monday to Friday and 9 am to midnight at weekends. That means the venue can serve breakfast-adjacent meetings in the morning, coffee through the working day, formal tea in the afternoon and a quiet final drink or dessert at night. The waterfront terrace adds another reason to linger when the weather permits. Simply Abu Dhabi would recommend Al Meylas less as a “restaurant to tick off” and more as one of the capital’s most dependable places to meet: culturally rooted in the majlis idea, but executed with contemporary Four Seasons finesse.
Practical details
Location: Four Seasons Hotel Abu Dhabi at Al Maryah Island, UAE
Format: Lobby lounge, modern Middle Eastern light fare and afternoon tea
Telephone: +971 2 333 2444
Afternoon tea: Daily 3 pm-7 pm