Sightseeing at the western tip, training in Al Manhal
Qasr Al Watan is a presidential palace open to visitors, in Al Ras Al Akhdar at the western tip of Abu Dhabi island, and the route box above measures from Qasr Al Watan Library as mapped. This page is for people planning a sightseeing day around the palace who want to keep training while they do it.
RPM is not part of the palace district. It is one club, on Level 4 of AD HUB Sports Complex in Al Manhal, in the middle of the island, and how RPM's one club fits a day of sightseeing covers the basics. The two are a short cross-island trip apart, so give the session and the visit separate blocks.
The palace's visitor rules, read with a gym bag in hand
Qasr Al Watan publishes its visitor rules on its own website, and several of them matter more to someone carrying training kit than to an ordinary sightseer. Check the current version before you go, since rules can change.
| What the palace's pages say | What it means for your training day |
|---|---|
| No cloakroom or lockers on the grounds, so spare belongings stay at home or in the car | Your gym bag has nowhere to go at the palace. Keep it in the car, or drop it back where you are staying |
| Bags too large for the airport-style security scanners are refused | A full kit bag with shoes and a change of clothes may not pass. Carry a small bag only |
| Clothes must cover knees and shoulders, with no shorts, sleeveless tops or see-through garments | Most training clothes fall short of this, so change at RPM before you set off |
| Shoes should be comfortable, and flip-flops or overly casual footwear are not allowed | Leave sliders in the car, and ask the palace if unsure about your trainers |
| Food and drinks may not be brought in, apart from bottled water | Eat between the session and the visit, and carry a bottle of water |
| Once you leave the grounds, you cannot go back in without paying again | Slipping out mid-visit for a session does not work. Train before or after |
Taken from the palace's visitor information and FAQ pages. Tickets, tours and visiting times are on its own website.
Split the kit by where it will spend the day
With nowhere to store a bag at the palace, pack the day as four loads rather than one.
- In the car or back at your room: the gym bag itself, your trainers once you have changed, and the used kit after the session.
- At RPM while you train: whatever you carried in, in a keypad locker in the changing area.
- Through palace security: a small bag with your phone, wallet, ticket and a bottle of water.
- At home: anything bulky you will not need, since oversized bags are turned away at the scanners.
The grooming hub has a vanity area with hairdryers and products, which is where you turn back into a sightseer. Ask the team whether there are showers, and whether towels are provided, before relying on either.
One way to run the day, start to finish
A worked example for an open Saturday. Reverse it if your palace booking falls early.
- Check the club's hours below, and the palace's times for your date on its website. Club hours are shorter on Fridays and can change in Ramadan.
- Train at RPM in the morning, going lighter if the visit will keep you on your feet for hours.
- Change at the club into clothes that cover knees and shoulders, and put the training kit back in the car.
- Eat before you drive over, because food stays outside the palace.
- Spend the afternoon at Qasr Al Watan with only the small bag.
- On another day, if your access includes it, come back for the recovery suite with its Finnish sauna, aroma steam room and ice bath. If you are pregnant or have a heart condition, ask a doctor first.
| Days | Opening hours |
|---|---|
| Saturday to Thursday | 06:00–23:00 |
| Friday | 09:00–22:00 |
Hours can change, for example during Ramadan. Confirm with the team before a late or early visit.
Putting the palace first works too. The bag waits in the car during the visit, and an evening session follows, since the club opens late into the evening except on Fridays.
Crossing from the palace district, and access for visitors
King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Street carries the mapped route out of the palace district, and the route box places the trip in the short cross-island band, which busy roads stretch. Leave the car in AD HUB's free on-site parking and ride the lift to Level 4.
For a stay of a few days, ask the team whether a day pass or a weekly pass is available for your dates and what it covers. Passes change through the year, so only the team can confirm them. Women who would rather train among women can ask about the Ladies section, with its own strength and cardio floor and the Pilates studio.
Sources
Questions, answered.
Is RPM inside the Qasr Al Watan grounds?
No. RPM's only site is Level 4 of AD HUB Sports Complex in Al Manhal, and from the palace district it is a short cross-island trip, as the route box shows.
Can I leave my gym bag at the palace while I look around?
No. The palace lists no cloakroom or locker on its grounds, and oversized bags are refused at security. Keep the bag in the car. At RPM, a keypad locker holds it while you train.
Can I go to the palace straight from the training floor?
Not in most training kit. The palace asks for clothing that covers knees and shoulders and rules out shorts and sleeveless tops, so change at the club first.
Can I leave the palace for a session and come back later?
The palace's FAQ says that once you leave the grounds you cannot re-enter without paying again. Put the session before or after the whole visit.
We are visiting as a family. Can my teenager train too?
Youth fitness at RPM is coach-supervised and arranged and approved by a parent or guardian. Ask the team which ages each session accepts and what is available on your dates.