A Desert Escape
The Beach
We stayed at the Double Tree by Hilton, Marjan Island in Ras al Khaimah and had a very relaxing stay here. Marjan Island is approx. 1hour drive from Dubai Airport (depending on traffic in Dubai!) and is an interesting drive through the desert. The beach here was beautiful, the waters of the Persian Gulf felt like being in a warm bath, it was just perfect! My daughter made use of the variety of pools and the on-site water park, making many friends along the way. The buffet food was of a good quality for all-inclusive and included a large amount of locally inspired dishes. For a quieter stay, consider either the pool view rooms or the Bay Club which are located away from the main hotel building.
The Desert
The beautiful Ritz Carlton Al Wadi Desert, Ras al Khaimah, is situated on 1,235-acre nature reserve and has wild Arabian Oryx and Gazelles wondering around – they spend most of the day sheltering from the heat but during the late afternoon and evening they can be seen close by the villas. The tented villa we stayed in was incredible, I felt like a Bedouin Princess for our time here. The private pool was of a very good size and offered spectacular views across the desert. The bathroom and dressing room were of a very good size and the facilities were of a very high standard. What stood out most at this hotel was the staff; nothing was too much trouble, they genuinely cared about making our stay special. Chef offered to make my daughter, a very fussy eater (!), special dishes at each mealtime including “the best pancakes ever”! The food was of an excellent quality and we sampled room service, the Khaleela Restaurant and The Farmhouse restaurant. My daughter made use of the activities on offer including a camel ride, falcon show and pony splash morning. They also offer archery etc and each villa is provided with bicycles should one wish to explore the resort by bike. Sadly, it was a bit too hot for us so we stuck to the golf buggy!
The City
The St Regis Al Habtoor Polo Club & Resort, Dubai, was a great place to finish our stay. Situated amongst beautiful polo fields (polo is played here during the Winter months roughly Oct-Apr) the resort was peaceful and incredibly decadent. Following the theme of our UAE stay, the staff were outstanding, with the F&B Manager organising special dishes for my daughter – happy child = happy mummy! They were incredibly kind to us. The food here was amazing, we sampled the Tapas Restaurant for lunch and I was blown away by the quality of the dishes. Cooked in an open kitchen by a Spanish Chef, I felt as though I had been transported to Andalucía the food was so authentic. As we were in the UAE during Ramadan we enjoyed their Iftar buffet on our last night, and wow what an offering. The variety and quality of the dishes was fantastic, but it was the atmosphere which was most spectacular, with local residents coming together as a family to break their fast.
Travelling during Ramadan
Visiting the UAE during Ramadan did not greatly impact our stay. To my daughter, age 7, it made absolutely no impact to her stay at all. Except that we had discussed it beforehand from an educational point of view. I believe in being respectful to local cultures wherever I travel in the world, and so I did my research beforehand.
Whilst I dress quite conservatively anyway, I ensured that whilst out in public, and at the restaurants in the evenings, that my shoulders and knees were covered. Whilst relaxing by the pool/beach in resort, it’s absolutely fine to be in a bikini/swimwear but do remember to cover up when going to lunch or going inside the hotel.
In regard to food and drink, in one hotel there were no restrictions at all and they continued to serve alcohol throughout the day. In another, the only restriction was that the pool bar was not serving alcohol. Do remember that when outside the hotel one should not eat or drink whilst in public, this does include whilst in a taxi/car.
It was actually a great time to travel to the UAE, most hotels are quiet during this time and therefore prices can be lower than normal.