Arabic Adventures: 5 Luxury Hotel Experiences in the Middle East

When it comes to luxury, nobody does it quite like the Middle East. From Dubai and Abu Dhabi to Salalah and the Red Sea, Prestige rounds up five of the region’s most opulent hotel experiences.

Long gone are the days when the Middle East was merely a convenient transit destination. These days, futuristic cities such as Dubai and Abu Dhabi offer a plethora of luxurious hotels and a mind-boggling array of activities, making them go-to destinations in their own right. In fact, last year Dubai recorded a record-breaking 17.15 million overnight visitors – a 19 percent increase over 2022. According to Euromonitor, it was the second most visited city in the world in 2023, overtaking famously popular destinations like Paris, New York and Bangkok. And beyond the glittering high-rise skylines, the region offers a diversity of landscapes, ranging from dry deserts to idyllic islands – and, surprisingly, even lush greenery during the monsoon season.

Whether you’re looking for a beach getaway, a high-rise haven or even your own villa in the desert, the Middle East has you covered – with added glamour, of course.

THE LANA, DUBAI, UAE

Fancy five-star hotel launches in Dubai are hardly rare, but the city’s latest gem in its hospitality crown is definitely one to take note of. That’s because the prestigious Dorchester Collection has entered the Middle Eastern market with its opening of The Lana, a brand-new luxury hotel in Dubai with sweeping views of the city skyline. Located in Downtown Dubai, The Lana has 225 rooms and suites, eight new restaurants and bars (including a dining room by famed Basque chef Martín Berasategui Olazábal), a rooftop pool and the UAE’s first Dior Spa.

Conceptualised and managed by Dubai developers Omniyat, The Lana is only the first step in a new phase for the Downtown Dubai neighbourhood – its newly built promenade is slowly turning into a marina-style food destination with local and international restaurants. And guests eager to escape the city and get some sand under their feet can head to a private beach on Palm Jumeirah, which is accessible by boat along the canal, or simply hop in The Lana’s Rolls-Royce. For those able to stay longer, The Lana is also developing 39 private residences, each of which has its own concierge.

AL BALEED RESORT SALALAH BY ANANTARA, OMAN

Every year between June and September, a region called Salalah along the coast of Oman experiences monsoon weather, transforming its landscape into something that’s almost hard to believe. During what’s known as khareef season, when due to the dip in temperature there’s often thick fog and light rain over the mountains, the usually dry desert landscape turns into a luscious green jungle complete with waterfalls. Hiking through the dense forest you can spot camels nibbling on the foliage before they take a cooling dip in the turquoise waters. Of course, a magical destination requires an equally impressive place to stay, and it doesn’t get better than the Al Baleed Resort Salalah by Anantara.

A luxurious and tranquil retreat on the shores of the Arabian Sea, the resort features exquisite architecture inspired by the region’s traditional Dhofari design, which blends beautifully with the beauty of the surroundings. The rooms and suites include private balconies or terraces with views either of the ocean or lush gardens, while the villas have private gardens and pools, in which you can float around in peace and seclusion.

The resort also pulls out all the stops you need for luxury getaway, including a superb spa, multiple dining venues and recreational activities that include water Sports, beach yoga and desert excursions. With its pristine beaches, swaying palm trees and stunning sunsets, Anantara Salalah is the ultimate spot to start your adventures on Oman’s southern coast. Best of all? The hotel provides private tours to guide you through the khareef season’s luscious green valleys, lakes and waterfalls.

SIX SENSES SOUTHERN DUNES, THE RED SEA, SAUDI ARABIA

Saudi Arabia is a newcomer to international Travel and tourism, but it’s wasting no time in swaying visitors with its luxurious properties and remarkable experiences. And the Six Senses Southern Dunes, The Red Sea, which opened late last year, is an undoubted highlight of the kingdom’s budding hospitality scene. Located on the historic incense trade route in a remote desert landscape against the majestic backdrop of the Hijaz Mountains, the hotel’s 40 private villas and a 36-room complex offer ultimate escapism. The property’s stunning architecture is by British architects Foster + Partners, who paid homage to the Nabataean heritage of the Red Sea coast, while interiors reflect the tones and textures of the surrounding sandy dunes, with furnishings inspired by the colours and patterns of traditional Bedouin tribal dress.

Using materials appropriate for its desert location, the designers also managed to reduce the property’s dependence on artificial cooling. For those seeking to unwind, the hotel’s spa offers a quartz sand treatment bed, with which therapists work to clear and balance the connective tissue of the body. When laid upon, the sand takes your shape, which stimulates metabolism, purifies and puts you into a deep state of relaxation. You’ll leave a new person, almost literally.

THE RITZ-CARLTON RAS AL KHAIMAH, AL WADI DESERT, UAE

Just a short drive from the nearby emirate of Dubai, The Ritz-Carlton Ras Al Khaimah, Al Wadi Desert in the UAE is a luxurious resort that offers unforgettable experiences for those seeking tranquillity and indulgence. Lying among the sand dunes of Ras Al Khaimah, the resort’s elegant tented villas are inspired by Bedouin architecture, and each has a private pool and deck overlooking the mesmerising surroundings. It also offers a range of exclusive experiences that include desert safaris, falconry shows, horseback riding and astronomer-guided star-gazing sessions, while the water treatments provided at the resort’s hydrotherapy spa, The Rainforest, are complemented by traditional Arabian wellness therapies.

Given its stunning natural surroundings, it’s perhaps no surprise that The Ritz-Carlton Al Wadi Desert is also dedicated to conservation and sustainability, with plenty of initiatives aimed at preserving the natural ecosystem and wildlife, many of which guests can get involved with. Alternatively, simply relax and watch the Arabian oryxes from the comfort and luxury of your private pool.

EMIRATES PALACE MANDARIN ORIENTAL, ABU DHABI, UAE

If you’re looking to feel like Arabic royalty in the capital of the UAE, no hotel is more palatial than the lavish Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi. It’s so fancy, in fact, that the UAE created its own hospitality category, called 5-star plus hotels, for the palace and other properties considered a step above the traditional five-star rating. Already a stalwart on the city’s expanding hospitality circuit, the Emirates Palace underwent a glamorous transformation when it reopened last year under the Mandarin Oriental branding after the group acquired it from Kempinski.

Now known as Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental, Abu Dhabi, it features 394 rooms, including three palace suites, an array of award-winning restaurants, and 114 of the world’s most detailed golden domes. Various architectural elements, including tall arches, long hallways and terraces, and high ceilings decorated in gold, link the ancient Arab past with the modernity of today’s Abu Dhabi. And those seeking to soak up the sun need look no further than the hotel’s 1.3km-long beach and the turquoise waters of the Gulf.