5-Star Eco Luxury In Your Own Backyard

Stephanie Rivers discovers why the Al Maha desert resort is a perfect – and indulgent – weekend getaway

Published: Fri 26 Feb 2010, 9:18 PM

Last updated: Mon 6 Apr 2015, 3:06 AM

I stood on the wooden deck of my Bedouin suite taking in the breathtaking view of the roaming hills and amber-hued sand dunes. A few minutes later, I sat with my feet dangling in the heated private pool, listening to the sounds of the desert. It was easy to see  why Al Maha is often thought to be a fitting jewel in the crown of desert resorts.

Al Maha (Arabic for the Arabian oryx) is nestled in a secluded 225 sq km nature sanctuary, approximately 45 minutes from the Dubai Airport. The land was donated by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, a strong supporter of conservation.

From the three-person greeting at the main building, and Peter, the amiable and knowledgeable guide, to the sizable villas with billowing fabric ceilings and dark-wood furnishings that are a blend of South African, Indonesian and Malaysian, to the oversized bathtub that begged to be enjoyed to the fullest, and the efficient 24-hour staff on hand, Al Maha ensures that every need is taken care of. One can even indulge their inner Pollack by taking advantage of the easel, paper, pencils and paints in every room. What better way to bring their views to life, still life, that is?

There are the early-morning dune drives for early risers seeking their morning thrill, archery, a guided nature walk, observing falcons in flight, exploration of dunes via Arabian horseback (a pass if you are not an  experienced rider), and the can’t-be-missed sunset camel ride in the desert (a personal favourite).

Having arrived late in the evening at Al Maha after a long day and drive, I was hungry but did not want to have to dress for dinner or go further than my villa’s sofa to eat it. The front desk informed me that there are three options for dining: one could have room service in their rooms set up on the living area’s main table; or you could be outside on your deck at the wooden table, eating by moonlight; or you can eat at the resort’s restaurant located in the main building of the resort which offers an amazing view. I opted for in-room service and was delighted with the plethora of choices.

Al Maha’s menu, whether in-room or at the restaurant, is a five-course tasting menu that is à la carte. The menu starts with Amuse Bouche, a single, bite-sized hors d’œuvre, designed to stimulate your palate; to appetisers (oysters, lobster salad, foie gras, winter salad, consomme); to sorbet, a palate cleanser; to main entrées (Wagyu beef fillet or ribeye, Arabic tangine, lemon poussin, roasted sea bass; linguine); to desserts (Arabian seven spice pannacotta, tempura banana, baked lemon cheesecake, warm chocolate cake,  crème brûlée).

The next morning, I met up with Al Maha’s affable guide Peter who was to take me on a guided nature drive. Peter is adept at knowing the surrounding terrain and has an eagle’s eye to spot the species that are native to it. As we went up and over several dunes and rounded a bend, we slowed to a stop as Peter pointed out an oryx — white, of medium size and with stick straight horns — in the distance. We meandered further along up a treacherous stretch of dune and spotted a family of gazelles in the distance. Though many animals could not be seen right away, there were several tracks in the dunes showing that they had recently been there. Further along, we spotted more gazelles, a few more oryx and plenty of lizard holes. I learnt that gazelles twitch their tails side-to-side at a fevered pace as a warning signal to other gazelles that danger is near. Who knew? I was under the impression it was to swat away flies  and gnats.

There were lots of greyish shrubs and trees along the dunes. Peter explained that most of the trees and some of the shrubs were brought in and have been there for five to seven years — and still require a watering system. It can take up to a decade or more for non-native trees to finally adapt and be able to have their roots grown deep enough to extract water from the dunes. However, there are some trees and shrubs (notably the low laying gnarled shrubs) that are native to the area and can live up to 50 or more years.

At 6pm that evening, I made my way over to the main building of the resort to meet up with other guests in preparation for our sunset camel ride. Mounting a camel is as awkward as it may seem to be, with lots of loud noises, grunting  and groaning, that I may point out were coming from the camels and not any of the guests (well, not that I know of).

After a clumsy start for many of the guests aboard our  animal carriers and a short, semi-comfortable journey across  the sands, a clearing came into view and so did our prize: an  amazing table set-up of juices, sparkling wines and assorted snacks in the middle of the dunes, to enjoy as we explored the dunes  and watched the mandarin-hued sun descend into  the horizon.

If one has satisfied their adventurous side but would like to pamper their more sensitive side, fear not: Al Maha is known as much for its award-winning resort as it is for its spa. Again, each guest has two choices for enjoying the spa: in-room services (a more scaled-down spa menu) and in the spa itself. The spa is a tranquil, spacious facility that has many treatment rooms and a wonderful pool with torches lighting the surrounding dunes. Book a relaxing massage, or facial, indulge in the steam room or sauna, or arrange to join the morning yoga and stretching classes by the pool.