W Abu Dhabi - Yas Island, hotel
W Abu Dhabi - Yas Island is a hotel on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, built directly over the Yas Marina Circuit race track. Two towers are connected by a curved, LED-lit shell that spans the track, giving the building a shape unlike most hotels.
Yas Island was developed in the 2000s as a leisure destination, with a Formula 1 race as its central attraction. The hotel opened in 2009 alongside the circuit, in time for the first Abu Dhabi Grand Prix held that year.
The hotel sits directly over the Yas Marina Circuit, and on race weekends the track runs right alongside and beneath parts of the building. Guests in certain rooms can watch cars pass at speed without leaving their floor.
The hotel is a short drive from Abu Dhabi International Airport, making it convenient for early arrivals or late departures. On the island, shuttle services and taxis connect the hotel to nearby theme parks, a marina, and a shopping mall.
The curved shell connecting the two towers contains more than 5,000 individual LED panels that display programmed light shows after dark. The colors and patterns change depending on what event is taking place on the island that night.
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