Jebel Akhdar
This is one gorgeous hotel. Overlooking a dramatic rift in the mountain floor, the 86 luxury rooms of this refined hotel command views of the 2000m desert…
Must-see hotels in Arabian Peninsula
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Muscat
Set in a desert oasis on a secluded bay ringed by rugged mountains, this sumptuous hotel was built as a venue for the Gulf Cooperation Council summit in…
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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…
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Nizwa
Comprising four, newly converted old townhouses, this characterful hotel (booked by email) is located immediately behind the souq and is helping to save…
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Salalah
Wedged between beach and bird-filled lagoon, this beautiful spa resort is a study in refined elegance and landscaped luxury. A series of arches leads to a…
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Oman
Many residents of Muscat are unaware that there are sand dunes just 45 minutes west of the capital, and this luxury camp has made the best of their hidden…
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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…
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Doha
Choose from a number of uber-luxury rooms at this excellent private island retreat, including sea-view rooms, junior suites or private villas on stilts…
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Doha
The Mondrian, clad in thick metal mesh, is meant to evoke the image of an eagle's nest, and the radical design continues on the inside. With a black…
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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…
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Oman
This low-rise surfers lodge looks like a government school from a distance, but don't be put off: it's in a superb location at the top of the high-tide…
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Al Hamra
This resort lives up to its name with panoramic views over Al Hamra basin, a dizzying 1400m below. Don't be put off by the cabins cantilevered over the…
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Hajar Mountains
This tiny guesthouse – the first to bring tourism income to the village – is set within a beautiful plantation. It's housed in two old buildings, family…
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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…
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Jebel Shams
This delightful camp, attractively landscaped in sympathy with the wilderness setting, is thriving under new ownership. A range of accommodation is on…
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Doha
With its heritage architecture, exquisite desert landscaping and beach location, this is one superb hotel. The intimate, super-luxurious rooms with four…
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Salalah
This welcoming family-style hotel, run by an amiable Tunisian manager who speaks English, Italian and French, has lovely views: the sea is so close you…
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Sharqiya Sands
This magical camp is a haven of Bedouin-style tents, breezy Arabian-style seating areas and a swimming pool. This is one camp where you are genuinely in…
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Al Ula
Although it's more desert glamping than camping, this new resort close to Al Ula and Madain Saleh is all about the location. It's hidden away inside the…
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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…
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Oman
This lovely little camp, located away from other camps and yet accessible by saloon car (except after rains), is on the fringe of a unique hem of desert,…
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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…
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Doha
Coloured lanterns adorn the lobby of this hotel, with its attractive floral water features and spiral staircase to the mezzanine level. Furniture…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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Khasab
Perched on a headland just outside Khasab on the Khasab–Tibat road, this old favourite is surrounded on three sides by water and makes the most of the…
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Riyadh
This hotel sums up Riyadh 'luxury'. A Hollywood-like driveway greets you at the entrance to grounds that boast 210,000 sq metres of pristine, landscaped…
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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,…
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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…
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Bahrain
When the sun sets on the cascading pools of the inner courtyards, a wonderful calm descends on this slice of luxury in Bahrain's southern desert, where…
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Doha
Occupying a prime position at the edge of the Corniche overlooking the Gulf, the Four Seasons has a regal feel. Rooms are classic (and slightly chintzy)…
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Oman
The small but modern and stylish rooms of this low-key hotel are arranged in two tiers down a hillside, with views of the sea from each veranda. Deluxe…
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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…
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Saudi Arabia
The pick of the hotels near the Prophet's Mosque, Dar Al Taqwa is highly sought after during peak periods, when prices can double, so book well in advance…
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Hajar Mountains
This attractive marble-clad hotel once hosted members of the royal family. Now it has a grand foyer decorated with enormous lanterns, Arabian Nights–style…
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Nizwa
This ever-friendly hotel, 4km east of the town centre, is wrapped around two swimming pools and a bar. With a vista of serrated mountains looming beyond,…
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Sur
Excellent value for money, this new hotel in the middle of town has been boldly designed, with primary-coloured seating, abstract artwork and giant vases…
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Dhofar
Run by an Egyptian family, this beachside lodge is tastefully decked in natural materials and comprises upmarket cabins with minibar and outside bathrooms…
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Al Hamra
This atmospheric lodging, located in old Al Hamra, offers a chance to experience the usually hidden interior of Al Hamra's famous tall buildings. Saved…
