Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2026 (3-6 December): A Google Review Checklist for Abu Dhabi Cafes, Restaurants and Hotels

The Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is scheduled for 3–6 December 2026 at Yas Marina Circuit, according to WAM, and closes the season. One outlet we checked listed 4–6 December, so confirm the exact programme on the official F1 and Yas Marina pages before you plan staffing. For cafes, restaurants, hotels and shops in Abu Dhabi, race weekend means visitors who do not know the city, search on their phones, and decide in seconds.

Most of those visitors will choose using Google Maps. That makes your Google profile and your recent reviews the most valuable thing you can prepare in the weeks before the race.

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix: what visitors check on Google

A person who lands in Abu Dhabi for a race weekend searches “restaurant near me” or “cafe near Yas Island”, looks at the top results, and reads the rating, the number of reviews and the latest few comments. Before 3 December, go through this list:

• Opening hours. If you will open earlier or close later that weekend, set special hours on your profile.
• Phone number and WhatsApp. Check both work. Visitors often call to ask if you have a table.
• Photos. Add a few recent, real photos of the room, the food and the entrance.
• Replies to recent reviews. Answering politely, including the negative ones, shows new visitors that someone is paying attention. Our UAE reply templates in English and Arabic can help your team.

Ask for reviews during the busy days, but ask correctly

A busy weekend produces many happy customers who never leave a review because nobody asked and the link is hard to find. A Google Review NFC Stand with QR on the counter or table lets a customer tap a phone or scan the code and land on your Google review page, without searching for your business. The Google Review NFC Plate Sticker with QR is a 12 × 12 cm self-adhesive plate for a flat surface such as a counter, door or wall.

Two rules keep you safe:

• Do not offer a discount, a free item or a prize in return for a review. Google’s policy does not allow reviews that are rewarded, and it removes them; see our explanation here.
• Ask every customer, not only the ones who look happy. Google’s guidance warns against selective requests. More on that in this post.

Plan the queue, not just the sign

On a busy night a review request must take five seconds. Give one person a script: “If you enjoyed it, you can tap your phone on this stand and leave a review. Thank you for visiting.” Place the stand where people wait: the payment point, the lobby desk or the exit. Visitors at a race weekend are in a hurry; a review needs to be easy or it will not happen.

Hotels and guesthouses

If you run a small hotel or guesthouse, guests may review you on Google, Booking.com and TripAdvisor. Use the platform that matters for your bookings and keep each one policy-safe. The Booking.com Review NFC Stand with QR and the TripAdvisor Review NFC Stand with QR are made for those listings. Check each platform’s own rules before you ask: for example, see our post on TripAdvisor and incentivised reviews.

After the race

• Reply to every new review within a few days.
• Count how many reviews you collected that weekend and compare with a normal weekend.
• Keep the stand out: reviews that arrive steadily over months look more natural than a single burst.

Sources: WAM report on the Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2026 dates; F1 calendar coverage.