Up & Below: A Rooftop Pool Lounge Above Abu Dhabi’s World Trade Center
A rooftop that works because it is actually central
Abu Dhabi has no shortage of hotel rooftops, but Up & Below has a practical advantage: it sits above Courtyard by Marriott World Trade Center, right in the middle of the city rather than at the end of a resort drive. Step upstairs and the streets, towers and traffic become the scenery. Marriott currently describes it as a rooftop bar and restaurant overlooking the swimming pool and skyline, built around hand-crafted cocktails and flavourful small plates. The mood is deliberately casual, with chilled lounge music and enough space between afternoon and late night for the venue to change character as office workers give way to evening groups.
Small plates suit the room better than a formal menu
This is not a restaurant that needs a three-course structure. The food works best as accompaniment to the setting: sliders, sharable plates, bar snacks and international comfort food that can be ordered gradually while the table stays for another round. Recent guests still talk about the views, music and service as much as the cooking, which is exactly how a rooftop lounge should be judged. The pool is part of the visual identity rather than the reason to visit, and sunset is the obvious transition point when the skyline starts to do the heavy lifting.
Check the clock, then stay longer than planned
The one detail worth confirming is the opening time. Marriott’s current hotel page lists Up & Below from 5pm to 2am, while the venue’s own Courtyard dining microsite currently shows an earlier 3pm opening and service extending to around 2am or 2.30am. Both sources clearly show the venue operating, but the discrepancy is a reminder to check on the day if you are planning an early visit. For Simply Abu Dhabi, Up & Below is an easy recommendation when the brief is informal drinks, city views and food substantial enough to keep the evening going without turning it into a formal dinner.
Practical details
Location: Courtyard by Marriott World Trade Center Abu Dhabi, Hamdan Bin Mohammed Street, Abu Dhabi, UAE
Cuisine: International small plates and bar food
Telephone: +971 52 914 1207
Hours: Current Marriott sources differ between 3:00pm and 5:00pm opening; late service runs to approximately 2:00am-2:30am. Confirm day-of timing
Editorial status: Open – current first-party sources verified