You don’t have to go far in Abu Dhabi to find a nail salon or hairdresser: beauty salons are as ubiquitous as taxis on the streets downtown, while every hotel in the city – from guesthouses to five-star luxury resorts – has its own salon, some of which have become more famous than the hotels themselves.
Indeed, beauty salons in Abu Dhabi are about far more than getting a quick blow dry or manicure, they are genuine oases of self care where expert staff are on hand to fulfill your every wellness need.
Whether it is a manicure and facial, a hair and make-up session with friends, or a pre-wedding beauty extravaganza, Abu Dhabi’s salons offer everything you could possibly desire.
1. Tara Rose Salon
A UAE institution, the original Tara Rose salon in Khalifa City has been plying its trade in Abu Dhabi for over ten years, and has recently been joined by a sister outlet on Saadiyat Island (it also has two outlets in Dubai). As well as hair, Tara Rose offers facials, pedicures, and waxing.
Tara Rose outlets, which were founded by Tara Rose Kidd, cater to ladies only and offer both complimentary drinks and expert consultations.
2. Fanan Lebnan Salon
Located near Sheikh Zayed Mosque and close to Abu Dhabi’s airport in the city’s Howard Johnson Resort, Fanan Lebnan Salon is the place to go for hair colouring and styling, facials, make-up, manicures and pedicures. The Howard Johnson Resort also has a popular spa.
3. The EDITION Spa
More of a day spa than a beauty salon, the EDITION Spa is located inside the hotel of the same name and promises a private experience in one of its seven treatment suites. Customers rave about the bespoke facials, massages and manicures, as well as its popular Rossano Ferretti hair and makeup services.
4. Anantara Spa at Qasr Al Sarab
Deep in the desert south of Abu Dhabi, Qasr al Sarab is a destination hotel with a spa to match, offering Moroccan hammams and services that include the intriguing ‘ruby gemstone facial’ and ‘desert rose ritual’. The hotel has 140 rooms and 51 pool villas in a superlative location in the UAE’s Empty Quarter, around two hours’ drive from Abu Dhabi.
5. Emirates Palace Spa Salon
As lavish as you would expect from the absolute OG of Abu Dhabi luxury hotels, Emirates Palace, the Mandarin Oriental spa offers beauty services from hair styling and make-up to bespoke facials, as well the opportunity to potentially run into any celebs that might be passing through town. You can stop for a gold-flake dusted cappuccino on the way out.
6. The Loft Fifth Avenue
If the shopping at Yas Mall has left you a little flustered, why not pop into the Loft Fifth Avenue for a haircut or a nail treatment? Unlike many of the non-hotel beauty salons, the Loft also welcomes men, who can get a haircut or anything else that might take their fancy. Note that the men’s and women’s sections of the salon are separate.
7. Ivy Beauty & Bubbles
This popular Dubai beauty salon has now opened a branch at Saadiyat Island, offering a vast range of colouring and other hair treatments for affordable prices. It gets rave reviews from residents in Dubai and Abu Dhabi for its service and fixed prices, AED 599 for hair packages.
8. 1847 Grooming for Men at the Galleria Mall
Because why should ladies have all the fun? 1847 Grooming for Men markets itself as the best barber and men’s spa in the region, offering hair cuts, colours and shaves, massages and facials. It has won a slew of awards internationally, and claims to be in the Guiness Book of Records for the Most Beard Trims Done in Eight Hours.
9. Boho Salon
Founded by Layla Alhajjaj in 2020, Boho Salon regularly tops the rankings of hair and beauty salons in Abu Dhabi and offers the usual range of products and services with a pronounced focus on sustainability, only using vegan and cruelty-free products. Located in Khalifa City, Boho also has a popular branch in Dubai.
10. Bedashing Beauty
You don’t have to travel far to come across a branch of Bedashing Beauty, with 23 branches in the UAE and 13 in Abu Dhabi alone. As well as nails, hair and facials – Bedashing’s bread and butter – the outlet has also launched a series of lounges for a more holistic wellness experience.
