Would you like to spend your holiday immersed in the stunning dunes of Dubai? Away from the hustle and bustle of daily life, these desert hotels offer a serene retreat where you can escape the noise and stress. Moreover, if you’re seeking adventure and excitement, you can also indulge in a desert safari filled with action and fun.
Look no further, these 10 best desert hotels in Dubai are tailored to your needs!
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1. Al Maha Desert Resort & Spa
- Address: Dubai Al Ain Road, Murquab, VAE
Al Maha, A Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa is a fairy tale located 45 minutes outside of Dubai City. Upon arrival, drive through the desert on an 8 km-long dirt road. Here you may already see the first free-roaming Oryx antelopes.
The only 42 suites in the desert resort ensure ultimate privacy. They are furnished in the style of a luxurious Bedouin tent, with a private patio and a private temperature-controlled pool. Of course, the suites have a bathroom with a bathtub and a separate rain shower. The Wi-Fi is free of charge.
Two activities are complimentary with a suite booking, such as early morning falconry viewing, desert walks, or a jeep dune drive. The Al Diwaan Restaurant, which is included in the full board plan, has an à la carte breakfast, a 3-course lunch, and a 5-course dinner. All this makes Al Maha the best desert resort in Dubai.
2. Bab Al Shams Desert Resort & Spa
- Address: Next to Endurance Village, Dubai, VAE
The 5-star Bab Al Shams Desert Resort & Spa resembles an Arabian village in the desert. It is 45 minutes from Dubai city towards the Abu Dhabi border. There it is in the Al Marmoom Desert Conservation Reserve. That’s why you often see native animals around Bab Al Shams.
Overall, the resort is a fairytale-like complex, with small houses, palm gardens, and watercourses. It feels like an oasis in the desert where you want to take souvenir photos at every corner. At Bab Al Shams, you decide whether you just want to spend time in the quiet of the desert, are looking for an adventure with a desert jeep drive, or lie by the infinity pool with a view of the desert.
Book the room with a king-size bed, a terrace, and a view of the desert. Here you have your private box seat on the golden desert at sunset and with, luck you will see one of the free-roaming animals in the Al Marmoom Desert Conservation Reserve.
3. Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara
- Address: Liwa Desert, Qasr Al Sarab Road 1, Jurayrah, UAE
The 5-star desert resort is a three-hour drive from Dubai. It stands in a secluded location on a hilltop in Abu Dhabi’s Liwa Desert, surrounded by endless red sand dunes. The entire complex is reminiscent of a palace that appears like a mirage on the horizon.
From the Deluxe Garden Rooms with Veranda, you have a great view of the desert. From crossing the Rub’ al Khali on the back of a camel to a romantic desert dinner in the starlight and a hammam desert rose ritual, everything is possible at the resort. What is certain is that the resort is an excellent place if you are looking for relaxation from the hustle and bustle of the city.
The 5-star Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara is also one of the desert resorts that I recommend for a trip with children. Activities include Arabian horseback riding, archery, desert jeep safaris, mountain bike tours and there is a kids’ club. If you want to show your family the desert, there is no better place in the Emirates.
4. Meliá Desert Palm
- Address: Al Awir Road, 103635 Dubai, United Arab Emirates
The Melia Desert Palm is a mix of a spa and a desert hotel near the city. It takes only 20 minutes to drive from Dubai Mall to the hotel. It is right next to the entrance to Dubai Safari Park. Being so close to the city you have a combination of the view of the desert and the skyline of Dubai with the Burj Khalifa.
It’s important to know that the Melia isn’t just a desert resort. Here you are also surrounded by Dubai Safari Park and Dubai’s polo club with its perfectly manicured lawns. The deluxe rooms have a view of the polo club or the palm garden in the hotel. Activities include polo, jogging, cycling, tennis, horseback riding, or just relaxing days by the pool, spa, or a cocktail at the bar.
If you just want to stay outside of the city for a few days, combined with wellness, the nearby desert, and the Dubai Safari Park, the Melia Desert Palm is an option. For a real desert experience, I recommend other hotels.
5. The Ritz-Carlton Ras Al Khaimah, Al Wadi Desert
- Address: Wadi Khadeja, Ras al Khaimah,UAE
The Ritz-Carlon Al Wadi Desert is one of the world’s most luxurious desert hotels. It stands in the orange Al Wadi Desert in the Emirate of Ras al Khaimah framed by a 1,235-hectare nature reserve. Getting there from Dubai Downtown takes 45 minutes.
The sophisticated desert resort is a retreat where you will find peace, privacy, and adventure. It all depends on what you want to do. From desert safaris to days in complete privacy in a villa with its own infinity pool, anything is possible. The world-class restaurants, award-winning hydrotherapy spa, and Ritz-Carlton service ensure that you can completely unwind.
The outdoor activities are a combination of traditional Bedouin life and a luxurious touch for young and old desert explorers. The Ritz is also a family-friendly resort, with its own kids’ club. In short, the Ritz-Carlon Al Wadi Desert is a desert oasis where you can escape from the hustle and bustle of the city but be just one step away from adventure.
6. Al Wathba, a Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa
- Address: Al Wathba South, 56620 Abu Dhabi, UAE
Al Wathba, a Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa stands deep in the desert landscape of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. It is 90 minutes away from the center of Dubai. Its picturesque location, winding streets between the houses in the resort, and the small number of rooms make it an intimate retreat.
All 99 rooms and suites in the 5-star boutique resort radiate tranquillity. They have a view of the resort or the desert landscape from their windows. My tip is the villas. They have a small infinity pool overlooking the desert. There are a variety of activities at the resort, such as desert horseback riding, yoga, biking, archery, thin buggy dune bashing, and a desert camp. Lay down by the outdoor pool to sunbathe.
In the resort, you have a choice of 6 restaurants with Emirati, Italian and international food. There is of course a spa. Al Wathba is also a family-friendly resort, with a heated kids’ pool, playgrounds, and a kid-friendly buffet. A concierge service takes care of your well-being at Al Wathba, a Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa.
7. Starlight Camp
- Address: UAE DESERT, Dubai, UAE
Starlight Camp is a luxury glamping experience in the desert. It’s a pop-up desert camp around 70 minutes outside of Dubai Downtown. A 4×4 shuttle will pick you up from the city. Only guests will know the exact location to protect the privacy of you and your companion.
The heart of the camp is air-conditioned crystal tents with a see-through roof for 2 adults. They are furnished with a king-size bed, a cozy blanket, and a curtain for more privacy. The 30 m² tents include an en-suite bathroom with a sink, camp toilet, and camp shower. You also have your outdoor dining area with torches, a kitchen with a coffee maker, a fireplace with firewood, and your telescope.
Non-alcoholic drinks, coffee, and tea are included. Breakfast is included. You can cook your dishes on your BBQ grill or use the dinner service in the Starlight Camp. If you are looking for an extraordinary moment in Dubai or for a special gift, the camp is a recommendation.
8. Telal Resort Al Ain
- Address: Al Ain (Remah Area), United Arab Emirates, al-Ain, UAE
The luxurious boutique desert resort Telal stands in an oasis in the Remah Desert in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. It is a two-hour drive from central Dubai. The nearest town is Al Ain which has its own airport. The region was formerly home to nomadic Bedouin tribes.
It is a 5-star desert resort where you can get particularly close to nature in the Emirates. The desert starts right in front of your room. It’s not in a remote location compared to other resorts. The Zaman Lawal Heritage Village is in its vicinity.
Compared to other desert resorts near Dubai, the-5 star Telal Al Ain is much cheaper. This also has to do with its location and the slightly longer travel time. If you don’t mind that you drive 2 hours from Dubai instead of 45 minutes, the resort is great.
9. Overnight Bedouin Camp in Dubai
Al Khayma
For those who don’t want to book a desert resort, there are overnight desert safaris. This is a combination of a desert safari with a hotel pickup from Dubai and a night in a desert camp.
The options are many, everything is possible between an excellent safari with a night in a Bedouin tent with a double bed and a simple camping tent. My recommendation is the 2-day desert safari from Dubai with stargazing.
Everything is included from pickup and drop-off to Dubai, dune bashing in a 4×4 off-road jeep, camel rides, sand boarding, a BBQ dinner, a show, fresh Arabic breakfast, stargazing, and a comfortable double bed in a private Bedouin tent.
