RITZ CARLTON AL WADI: ARABIAN AFFLUENCE

Set against the grand Hajar mountains, the Ritz Carlton Al Wadi exudes luxury, romance, and adventure.

Yachts

There’s a luxury, and then there’s Ritz Carlton Al Wadi. Located in the middle of Ras Al Khaimah’s serene desert landscape, the resort offers the ultimate escape with an oasis of Arabic-inspired tent villas.

Uniquely designed across rolling dunes, the resort houses an Asian-inspired hydrotherapy spa facility, first-class restaurants, and a nature reserve – in short, everything you’d need from a luxurious holiday can be found on the doorstep of your private villa.

Spanning more than 500 hectares (1,235 acres) the protected Nature Reserve, homes more than 50 different species of birds, falcons, and, Arabian Oryx, beautiful sand gazelles, and blackbucks, and offers activities from safaris and camel riding to deep-sea fishing. You can take a horseback ride through the mountains, while intrepid eco-explorers can seek adventure with falconry, archery, desert drives, and bike rides.

If you just want to relax, head to Oasis Pool and Bar, or the resort’s exclusive beach club, just 20 minutes away, or unwind on-site by your private pool. One of the many wonderful things about Ritz Carlton is your hosts have thought of everything, including keeping your little ones entertained while highlighting the importance of preserving the environment. Whether it’s planting trees, feeding Oryx and gazelles and learning about wildlife on the reserve, or kid’s catch and release fishing – children learn how to cast a line and other tricks of the trade. It’s perfect for beginners too.

Choose between three types of accommodation, each luxurious and offering its own secluded pool and garden. Each villa offers a contemporary adaptation of traditional Arabic architecture, finished with polished wood, high ceilings, and elaborate Arabic touches of lattice woodwork and stylised motifs.

The resort’s Experience Concierge can arrange a desert trek on camel or horseback, a private archery lesson, or even an evening of stargazing.

Making sure to cater to all senses, the resort also offers a variety of dining options, from Farmhouse, a restaurant focusing on wild meats and homegrown vegetables, and Moorish, which offers a variety of Moroccan favourites with a Mediterranean twist; to Oasis Pool and Bar and all-day dining at Kaheela Restaurant serves international fare and local Arabic specialties while Moon Bar, the exquisite roof terrace lounge serves shisha and cocktails, offers night time entertainment if you decide to venture from your idyllic villa.

The resort is a 50-minute drive from Dubai International Airport and a 20-minute drive from the centre of Ras Al Khaimah where, amid the vast stretches of sand in the tranquil Wadi Khadeja, Ritz Carlton Al Wadi has everything you’d need for a relaxing weekend away: solitude, luxury, romance and bags of fun.

For reservations call 800-47-89 or visit www.ritzcarlton.com/en/hotels/uae/al-wadi-desert