Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
AROUND DUBAI
If you're tired of big-city mayhem and crave a little peace and quiet, these luxe desert re-
sorts will show you a calmer, unhurried side of the emirate.
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Al Maha Desert
Resort & Spa
It may only be 65km southeast of Dubai (on the Dubai to Al Ain Rd), but
Al Maha
(
832
9900;
www.al-maha.com
;
ste from Dh2900; )
feels like an entirely different universe. Gone
is the traffic, the skyscrapers and the go-go attitude. At this remote desert eco-resort it's all
about getting back to some elemental discoveries about yourself and where you fit into
nature's grand design.
Part of the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve (DDCR), Al Maha is one of the most ex-
clusive hotels in the Emirates and named for the endangered Arabian oryx, which are bred
as part of DDCR's conservation program. The resort's 42 luxurious suites are all stan-
dalone, canvas-roofed bungalows with private plunge pools. Each one has its own patio
with stunning vistas of the beautiful desert landscape and peach-coloured dunes, punctu-
ated by mountains and grazing white oryx and gazelles.
Rates include two daily activities such as a desert wildlife drive or a camel trek. Private
vehicles, visitors and children under 12 years of age are not allowed, and taking meals at
your suite rather than in the dining room is a popular choice. Save 30% by reserving a
month or more in advance.
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Bab Al Shams Desert Resort & Spa
Resembling an Arabian fort and effortlessly blending into the desertscape,
Bab Al Shams
(
381 3231;
www.meydanhotels.com
; r incl breakfast from Dh1150; )
is a tonic for tourists seeking
to indulge their
The Thousand and One Nights
fantasies. Its labyrinthine layout displays
both Arabic and Moorish influences; rooms are gorgeous, spacious and evocatively earthy,
with pillars, lanterns, paintings of desert landscapes and prettily patterned Bedouin-style
pillows.
