The 2011 Romance List
Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort, Abu Dhabi
The Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort sneaks up on the uninitiated just like a mirage, somehow appearing between the towering golden-red sand dunes in the middle of the world’s largest stretch of uninterrupted desert. Dubbed the Mirage Palace, the Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort is the realisation of every Arabian fantasy you ever had as children; and it takes the concept of romantic isolation to a truly fantastical level. But that’s not to say it’s hard to get to, on the contrary it’s just a 90-minute drive from Abu Dhabi International Airport, but it belongs in another age. For thousands of years Bedouin tribes lived in these hot sands and its their culture and heritage that sets the tone. Designed like an ancient Emirati fort, the resort is decorated with local artefacts creating an exotic romanticism unique to Arabia. There’s jewel-embedded silver chandeliers in ultra-luxurious rooms and villas all with sweeping views of the never-ending desert. Sample fruit-soaked tajines and tender meats roasting in fragrant spices in rooftop restaurants or try a sand bath to exfoliate and refresh your skin in the resort’s day spa.
Review from Craig Tansley [Meet our Romance List Panel]
Why you'll love it
Isn’t there something ridiculously romantic about holing up in a luxurious palace surrounded by nothing but the sands of one of the world’s largest deserts, where local transport revolves around camels?