United Arab Emirates
Offering laid-back luxury with gazelles and peacocks grazing on the lawn out front, Al Sahel resort sits on the island's west, surrounded by the scrubland…
Must-see hotels in United Arab Emirates
Dubai
It may only be 65km southeast of Dubai, but Al Maha feels like an entirely different universe. Gone are the skyscrapers, traffic and go-go attitude. At…
Ritz Carlton Abu Dhabi Grand Canal
Sheikh Zayed Mosque Area
This mammoth hotel, with one of the biggest pools we've seen in the UAE, a slice of private beach and rooms which come with big balconies and marble-clad…
Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi Hotel & Villas
Abu Dhabi
From the expansive bronze-toned foyer with its silver sand-rose sculptures to the 50-sq-metre rooms with daybed-strewn balconies and bathtubs made for…
United Arab Emirates
It's the only hotel option in town, and it's a goodie. The stone-walled, red-tile-roofed chalets are surrounded by manicured lawns sprinkled with palm…
Al Zahiyah & Al Maryah Island
This shiny high-rise packs in the flair of a hotel twice the price from the moment you walk into the triple-height lobby hung with swooping contemporary…
Bur Dubai
As the name suggests, the rooms are smaller here than at the adjacent Zabeel House, 23 sq metres to be exact. That said, they seriously pack a punch with…
Dubai
If cookie-cutter hotels don’t cut it, try this polished pad styled after a Middle Eastern summer palace. Details are extraordinary, from the lobby’s…
Downtown Dubai
Tailor-made for wallet-watching globetrotters, Rove is a hip launch pad with sassy, contemporary decor and such millennial must-haves as an outdoor pool…
United Arab Emirates
The Intercontinental swaggered onto the Al Aqah scene in 2017 and has been wowing beachgoers ever since. Fujairah hasn't seen sophistication like this…
Downtown Dubai
This is a hotel that truly evokes its surroundings with its black-and-gold colour scheme and a dramatic bronze lobby sculpture reminiscent of undulating…
United Arab Emirates
This is easygoing luxury, from the soaring foyer, with a striking net-sculpture (nodding to Ajman's fishing heritage) hung from the dome, to the rooms,…
Marina Breakwater
Now, that's a view. The Grand Hyatt swaggered onto the Abu Dhabi hotel scene in 2018, and its rooms, all with floor-to-ceiling glass doors and wrap-around…
Deira
The mile-long driveway through a lush date-palm grove is the first hint that the Park Hyatt is no ordinary hotel – an impression quickly confirmed the…
Bur Dubai
This riad-style boutique hotel occupies a century-old wind-tower house smack dab in the Al Fahidi Historic District, off Al Fahidi St. Its 15 compact…
Al Zahiyah & Al Maryah Island
From Glo, its rooftop pool-bar, at the tip to snug wine-haunt La Cava secreted in its toe, the Rosewood is one sophisticated customer. Rooms exude…
Downtown Dubai
City explorers with a romantic streak will be utterly enchanted by this low-lying, luxe lakefront contender with its winning alchemy of old-world class…
Al Bateen & Al Mushrif
Stepping into the lobby with its mashrabiyya patterns and oud (lute-like traditional stringed instrument) player beside the infinity pool, it's clear that…
Bur Dubai
Built in the shape of a pyramid, Raffles is a stylish hotspot with magnificent oversized rooms (with balconies) blending Asian and Middle Eastern design…
Deira
This fast-growing budget chain offers superb value for money with a great Old Dubai location close to the souqs, Dubai Creek, great ethnic eats, public…
Ras Al Khaimah
Like a mirage of a Mediterranean village, this mega-resort's rooms and villas cascade down to a lagoon and a 600m stretch of white sand. Rooms, with brick…
Sharjah
Shaking up the Sharjah accommodation scene, The Act is all sleek modern minimalism with huge rooms in mauve and grey, floor-to-ceiling windows, strip…
Sharjah
You definitely can't miss this purple building. Rooms may be smallish, but they're bright and modern with stencil drawings of Sharjah's cityscape on the…
Al Zahiyah & Al Maryah Island
From the wavy articulated lobby wall hat-tipping Abu Dhabi's pearling heritage to the oblong banquettes layering the facade, which look like desert…
Bab Al Shams Desert Resort & Spa
Dubai
Resembling a fort and blending into the desertscape, Bab Al Shams is a tonic for escapists seeking to indulge their Arabian Nights fantasies. Its…
Liwa Oasis
This discreet retreat captures the desert vibe and blends seamlessly into its surroundings. Earth-toned rooms are decorated with original Bedouin…
United Arab Emirates
The manicured strip of white-sand beach framed by palms and the big pool area make the Saray a sand-in-the-toes getaway. Rooms, all with balconies, exude…
Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah
One of Dubai’s most iconic hotels, this pink-hued resort commands attention, sitting atop the Palm Jumeirah looking every bit like a Disney princess…
Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah
One of Dubai's latest top-end hotels. The architecture is pure grandeur, with an entrance flanked by luminous glass cubes opening up to a sublime view of…
Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah
Not the newest resort but still a class act all around, the Royal Mirage consists of the Moorish-style Palace, the romantic Arabian Court and the ultra…
Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah
The stunning Dubai skyline looms across the Gulf, yet this romantic and megaposh gem offers a complete retreat from the city. Exuding the feel of an…
Le Meridien Mina Seyahi Beach Resort & Marina
Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah
This beachfront hotel is a sentimental favourite and nirvana for active types with water sports, tennis courts and an enormous state-of-the-art gym. The…
Bur Dubai
Located in the heart of Al Seef's meandering walkways, this gracious spot opened its first phase in September 2018 with 39 rooms; there will eventually be…
Dubai
The striking lobby is an overture to the full symphony of relaxed luxury awaiting in huge, amenity-laden rooms with arabesque design flourishes and a…
Dubai
Shaped like a giant wave, this family-oriented resort on a 1km-long private beach is tailor-made for active types, with four pools, plenty of water sports…
Bur Dubai
This romantic B&B in a former private home beautifully captures the feeling of Old Dubai. The 11 smallish rooms are entered via heavy wooden doors and…
United Arab Emirates
With barasti (palm-leaf) detailing and private terraces opening onto the sand (many with private plunge-pool), this cluster of villas overlooking the sea…
Bur Dubai
Opposite the Dubai Museum, this hotel is an excellent hub for city explorers. The Arabian theme extends from the turbaned lobby staff to the design…
Downtown Dubai
Middle Eastern meets mid-century modern at this lifestyle hotel that draws global hipsters with high-tech touches, design cachet and thoughtful services…
Marina Breakwater
The lobby's show-stopping glass wall ushers you into this exclusive cocoon where guests float from spa treatment to private beach before choosing between…
