Pulse, Yas World Resort, Vignette Collection

Pulse, Yas World Resort, Vignette Collection is the budget-friendly way to do a Yas Island theme-park trip. The property was formerly Centro Yas Island, and it is now one of a cluster of neighbouring hotels on Yas Island that IHG and Aldar have brought together as the Yas World Resort under IHG’s Vignette Collection brand. Pulse is the compact, contemporary member of the family, with 259 rooms, an outdoor pool with loungers and a lifeguard, a spa offering massages and facials, the Grid Kitchen restaurant for breakfast, lunch, dinner and poolside meals, and a café. It is about a fifteen-minute walk from the Yas Marina Circuit and Etihad Arena and a couple of minutes by car from Ferrari World, with Warner Bros. World, Yas Waterworld, SeaWorld and Yas Mall all close. Rates are typically well below the five-star hotels on the island, and express theme park tickets can be arranged.

Location and getting around: Pulse sits in the Yas Plaza area in the middle of Yas Island, next to the Yas Links golf course and a short walk from the Formula One circuit and Etihad Arena. Ferrari World is around two minutes by car, Yas Marina around three, and Abu Dhabi International Airport about fifteen. Taxis and the free Yas Express buses connect the hotel with the parks, Yas Mall and Yas Bay; for downtown and the Grand Mosque, allow twenty-five minutes or more by taxi.

Rooms and who it suits: rooms are modern and functional rather than large, designed for people who will spend their days out at the parks. It suits families on a theme-park break who want to keep accommodation costs down, couples and friends in town for a concert or race weekend, and short stopovers near the airport. Travellers who want a beach resort or the city centre will be better served on Saadiyat or the Corniche.

Good to know: as part of the Yas World Resort, guests may be able to use shared resort facilities, including access to Cyan Beach and theme park offers promoted with stays across the resort; check exactly what your rate includes before booking. Breakfast is a buffet and usually costs extra. Valet and extended parking are offered, and an airport shuttle can be booked for a fee.