The Luxury Collection, part of Marriott International, announced the opening of Al Wathba Desert Resort & Spa, marking the debut of the portfolio in the United Arab Emirates capital.
Inspired by native architecture and the destination’s history, the resort’s 103 guestrooms and villas have mashrabiya detailing and Bedouin accessories. The villas come with private plunge pools and a patio with views of the surrounding Arabian Desert.
Six dining venues and bars lend themselves to a range of experiences. Bait Al Hanine offers a menu with a wide selection of Lebanese classics for all-day dining. Al Mabeet has authentic Emirati cuisine in a desert setting. Hayaakom, a Bedouin-inspired lounge, serves afternoon tea and sandwiches. Terra Secca is a trattoria-style Italian restaurant that offers guests a view of the kitchen. There’s also Al Mesayan, an intimate rooftop bar, and Panache, available poolside.
Located within a garden, the hotel’s spa is a highlight. With 11 treatment rooms, the spa also has relaxation areas, including a healing crystal salt sauna, traditional Turkish hammam, a cryo experience, an open-air yoga pavilion and ice shower, as well as steam rooms, plunge pools and snow caves.
Al Wathba Desert Resort & Spa offers cultural immersion opportunities to discover the heritage and history of the region. Guests can discover Fossil Dunes or tour the surrounding desert on horseback for an understanding of the Emirati passion for all things equine. The Al Wathba camel race track educates guests about the U.A.E’s 7th-century tradition and skilled falconers offer private shows of the U.A.E.’s national bird. Al Wathba is also home to diverse flora and fauna, including 4,000 greater flamingos that call the Al Wathba Wetlands home. Guests can take a guided tour of the sabkhas, or sand flats, and dunes, for an insight into their inhabitants and bird migration patterns as well as discover the medicinal uses of local plants by Bedouin tribes.
Al Wathba Desert Resort & Spa joins The Luxury Collection brand’s growing portfolio in the U.A.E., which includes Al Maha, a Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa, Dubai; Grosvenor House, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Dubai; and Ajman Saray, a Luxury Collection Resort, Ajman.
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