Check In: Al Maha, A Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa

Waking up in the middle of the Arabian Desert always seemed like more of a scene out of Aladdin, than an real-life experience I would have myself. Flash forward to the Al Maha Resort & Spa outside Dubai, UAE.

While traveling, I do try to find hotels with incredible experiences (or stories) like the Ion Hotel in Iceland or Le Dokhan’s in Paris. 
Al Maha is the most luxurious hotel I’ve ever stayed in. In reality, villas start at around $1k a night, and just go up from there.
My husband and I made the choice to save up nearly ALL of our SPG (Starwood) points to book two villas for a night at the Al Maha for ourselves and our family.

Upon Arrival..

Don’t let me fool you, Al Maha is located a solid 30 minutes outside of downtown Dubai, in quite literally, the middle of the dessert. In fact, the last 15 minutes are spent on a private gravel road after you’ve entered the desert conservation. We used the concierge at the hotel to book a private car from our airport hotel to the resort (parking is available for guests). Upon arrival, we were welcomed at the main building with drinks as we waited for “our guide” to arrive. Each hotel room is matched with their own private “guide” who will accompany and assist them throughout the stay. He did everything from making our dinner reservations, checking our villas for animals (you are staying on a conservation, so animals roam freely — even into your villa), setting up our private dune dinner, to accompanying us on our excursions.

The Villas.

Each “room” at this resort is a full sized villa with a private “plunge pool.” The beds are THE LARGEST I’ve ever slept in. The decor feels straight out of a movie. Think dark wood, trunks, pottery, and lots of gold accents. In hindsight, I probably could have spent an entire day, lounging in our pool or reading a book on our veranda. Another perk: Meals can also be set up in room (or by your pool) for no additional cost.

The Excursions.

Hands down, THE BEST part of Al Maha. In the “all-inclusive” rate, two activities PER DAY, are included. You can bet I signed up for ALL things available to me. This included a sunset camel trek, sunrise falconry, and dune driving (for a small additional cost). We met in the main building for every event, where a guide was there to meet us. I cannot praise the Al Maha more on how organized  and worthwhile all activities were.

The Food.

As I’ve mentioned, this was my first “all-inclusive” experience, and to be honest, I was a little terrified. One of my favorite parts of traveling is trying new food or finding a killer restaurant. Not having this control, worried me a bit.  I could not have been more wrong. From what I’ve gathered from others, this is unlike your typical “all inclusive.” The food was absolutely phenomenal and all meals were set in a formal setting with a dress code.

My husband and I decided to book a private dune dining experience for our dinner. I think we can both agree that this was the most romantic, over-the-top dining experience we’ve ever, well, experienced. The Al Maha arranged a full multi-course meal for us in the middle of the desert. As the sun began to set, our guide drove us to a remote spot where we found an impeccable set up. After lighting the torches & checking for animal prints, he handed us a cell phone and told us to call him when we were ready for a pick up. Leaving us to enjoy our food & wine with each other under the Arabian night sky.

The Overall Experience.

My biggest regret with Al Maha was not staying there longer. There’s not a detail, an experience, or an interaction they overlook.  There are few hotels that I would make a conscience effort to repeat, but Al Maha is at the top of that list. When I find myself on that side of the world again, you can surely find me in my infinity pool or riding a camel & watching the sun.

Would you book a night in the middle of the desert?

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