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Dubai is a city of excess, a fast-paced, futuristic city, a showcase of unimaginable wealth and nearly unrestrained development &emdash; two emblems of which are the 1,000-foot Burj al-Arab hotel, the world's first seven-star hotel, and the massive man-made Palm Island, not just named for but also in the shape of a palm tree (at least from a satellite's-eye view), home to thousands of luxury villas, including one belonging to David and Victoria Beckham. |
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Al Maha, then, is just what Dubai needs &emdash; it's the perfect antidote to the luxury overkill on the coast. The resort, some 45 kilometers inland from the city, is reachable only by hotel-arranged jeep transfer &emdash; no private vehicles (and indeed, no outside visitors) are allowed at the compound. Here it is possible to feel at one with the desert in a way that is quite unattainable from the confines of a traditional luxury hotel. |
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Fears of roughing it amidst broken-down trucks and sand-filled tents prove to be baseless; this is eco-tourism, UAE style &emdash; meaning that though Al Maha is a sanctuary for endangered wildlife, and a tented Bedouin-style encampment that heats its water with solar energy, it is still as luxurious as any big-city hotel. Service is first-rate, and guest suites come with such luxury amenities as walk-in showers, spacious baths, and king beds. |
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There are, obviously, sights to see and activities on offer that would be difficult to find in a traditional luxury hotel. Horseback riding and falconry are among the sporting options, and walking and driving tours of the desert can be arranged. |
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And the hotel's centerpiece may be its role as a sanctuary for the Arabian oryx, an endangered gazelle-like animal indigenous to the UAE. Binoculars are provided for animal-watching, and the gentle creatures prowl through the camp at night while guests sleep &emdash; an intrusion we find infinitely preferable to the sound of an ice machine, and elevator, or a hip hotel bar. |
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(Euros) Daily Rates |
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On Request |
Beantragen |
Su Richiesta |
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"Al Maha Desert Resort",
Sheikh Zayed Road - Dubai
Emirates.
