Qasr al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara

Character and identity

Set deep in the Rub Al Khali, the world's largest uninterrupted sand desert, Qasr al Sarab is a Bedouin-village fantasy carved from rolling red and orange dunes about 75 miles from Abu Dhabi Airport. The 205 keys split across rooms, suites and 52 pool villas, with earth-toned interiors, contemporary Islamic-inspired furnishings, and bathrooms built around oversized soaking tubs. Dining ranges from Al Falaj, a desert camp where dinner happens under the stars, to rooftop Suhail and poolside Ghadeer. The Anantara Spa looks out over dunes from the treatment beds, and falcon shows, saluki encounters and night walks anchor the cultural programme.

Who's it for

Bottom line

The setting is the whole point: very few luxury resorts anywhere put you this deep inside a genuinely epic landscape, and the architecture and activities are built to make the most of it. Book a pool villa if the budget stretches, commit to at least two nights to justify the transfer, and don't skip dinner at Al Falaj or a dawn dune walk.