The Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental, Abu Dhabi is a luxury five-star hotel in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. It has been operated by Mandarin Oriental as of 1 January 2020. The hotel project was launched in December 2001 and was initially operated by Kempinski from its opening in November 2005 until 1 January 2020.
The city is located on the peninsula of Khor Al Bidiyah, with the nearest major cities being Sharjah to the southwest and Ras Al Khaimah to the northeast. There are mangroves outside the city along the coast, with the local economy being largely fishing.
In March of 2023, the Umm Al Quwain Department of Tourism and Archaeology announced the discovery of the oldest known pearling town in the Persian Gulf, on Siniyah Island.
History of Umm al-Quwain
Archaeological evidences indicate its ties with the ancient Mesopotamia and the Umm Al Nar civilisations. Alakaab island, dating back to the Neolithic period was used for slaughtering dugongs. The modern history of Umm Al Quwain began around 200 years ago when the Al Ali tribe moved from Seniah island to its present location due to scarce water resources. In 1775, Sheikh Majed Al Mualla, founder of the ruling Al Mualla lineage of the Al Ali tribe, established an independent Sheikhdom in Umm Al Quwain.