Al Maha Desert Resort & Spa

Location
"...it was here that we had come to seek solace and sanctuary, the resort defied imagination and surpassed every expectation, such harmony between man and nature, between earth and sky..."

Al Maha Desert Resort & Spa is set in 225 square kilometres of pristine desert landscape just 45 minutes from the cosmopolitan city of Dubai, the thriving centre of commerce and leisure in the Gulf. It represents nearly five per cent of Dubai's land area and is the largest piece of land ever dedicated to a single project in Dubai. An oasis of luxury and enchantment, Al Maha lies within an award-winning conservation area where desert wildlife abounds. It's also the only resort within the area where visitors can experience the true beauty and majesty of the desert and observe the indigenous wildlife. 

Personalised Service
At Al Maha, guests are cared for with courtesy and discretion by dedicated Guest Relations Coordinators, Field Guides and resort staff hand-picked for their commitment, customer-focus and professionalism. This 3:1 staff to guest ratio ensures exceptional, personalised service allowing guests the freedom to choose what to do and when to do it - from fine dining to a variety of on and off-site leisure activities. Our staff have been hand-picked from 20 countries and together speak 30 languages.

Facilities
Al Maha offers comprehensive facilities for rest and relaxation, and business activities.

Presidential Suite

• 530 square metres
• Large temperature-controlled swimming pool (11 x 9 metres) surrounded by wooden deck
• Barbecue set up
• Water features in the majlis
• Handcrafted furnishings, antiques and artefacts
• Three large bedrooms, two with custom-made super king-size beds and one with twin beds
• Spacious bathrooms featuring a walk-in shower, king-size bath, a 'his and hers' vanity area
• Bvlgari amenities
• Spacious lounge with dining facilities
• Residential quarters for guests
• Private staff (housekeeper, security or chef)
• Spacious courtyard
• extensive kitchen
• Two minibars
• Complimentary water, tea and coffee making facilities
• Plasma screen in the majlis, satellite TV, DVD, wireless telephone, data ports, internet connectivity
• In-room safe
• Private parking

Emirates Suites

• Two Emirates Suites
• 375 square metres
• Large temperature-controlled swimming pool (14 x 6 metres) surrounded by a wooden deck
• Handcrafted furnishings, antiques and artefacts
• Two large bedrooms
• Custom-made super king-size beds
• Spacious bathrooms featuring a walk-in shower, king-size bath, a 'his and hers' vanity area
• Bvlgari amenities
• Spacious lounge with dining facilities
• Residential quarters for guests' private staff (housekeeper, security or chef)
• Spacious courtyard
• Roomy kitchen
• Minibar
• Complimentary water, tea and coffee making facilities
• Satellite TV, DVD, data ports
• Bluetooth
• In-room safe

Royal Suites

• Two Royal Suites
• 175 square metres
• Large temperature-controlled swimming pool (13.5 x 7 metres) surrounded by a wooden deck
• Handcrafted furnishings, antiques and artefacts
• Two large bedrooms
• Custom-made super king-size beds
• Spacious bathrooms featuring a walk-in shower, king-size bath, a 'his and hers' vanity area
• Bvlgari amenities
• Large lounge
• Minibar
• Complimentary water, tea and coffee making facilities
• Satellite TV, DVD, data ports
• Bluetooth
• In-room safe

Bedouin Suites

• 37 individual Bedouin Suites
• 75 square metres
• Private temperature-controlled pool (7.5 metres x 6.5 metres), surrounded by a wooden deck
• Handcrafted furnishings, antiques and artefacts
• Custom-made super king-size bed
• Spacious bathroom featuring a walk-in shower, king-size bath, a 'his and hers' vanity area
• Bvlgari amenities
• Minibar
• Complimentary water, tea and coffee making facilities
• Satellite TV, DVD, data ports
• Bluetooth
• In-room safe

Library
Elegant furnishings, original artworks and sepia photographs of Al Maha's library create the perfect ambience for reading or a quiet game of chess. A selection of videos is also available. Fitted with state-of-the-art audio-visual equipment, the library can be utilised by corporate guests as a unique conference facility, seating up to 20 people.

Majlis
Traditionally a gathering place for informal conversation or business discussions, the majlis is an integral part of local culture - a comfortable venue for social interaction and unhurried negotiations. Decorated with fine antiques, Al Maha's Majlis is no exception to the time-honoured tradition.

Gallery
Resort-branded accessories, local antiques and Arabian artefacts are available from Al Maha's Gallery retail outlet, including bathrobes, baseball caps, Islamic art and traditional khanjars or daggers.

Business Centre
Modern communications in our state-of-the-art business facility include: 

• Bluetooth capability
• Private switchboard
• Internet access
• Scanner
• Fax

Additional multimedia presentation equipment and on-line video conferencing is available in Al Majlis Boardroom Data ports and Bluetooth capability in each guest suite.   

Meetings
The conference facility can accommodate:

• Up to 90 guests with theatre-style seating
• 60 guests in a conference-style seating plan
• 40 guests with boardroom-style seating

Al Majlis Boardroom employs

• State-of-the-art multimedia presentation equipment
• On-line video conferencing to facilitate seminars with groups or individuals worldwide
• Digital data sharing
• Touch-button voting including instant collation system
• An exclusive area within the facility for various catering options tailored to meetings, incentives, conferences and small exhibitions
• On and offsite activities, offer opportunities for corporate team building exercises  

Spa
Surrounded by indigenous flora and cascading water features, and offering panoramic views of the desert and the distant Hajar Mountains, Al Maha's Jamilah Spa & Leisure Centre boasts state-of-the-art 'LifeFitness' equipment, a sauna, steam room, interior jacuzzi and ice-cold plunge pool. Complete body massage treatments are available in a choice of single or double massage rooms that connect with hydrotherapy and Rasool therapy rooms. Relaxation can also be found outside, in our pool which overlooks the infinite desert horizon. 

Dining
The finest international chefs ensure guests enjoy the very highest culinary standards, wherever they choose to dine - from the relaxed informality of Al Diwaan restaurant and its alfresco veranda, to the intimacy of a romantic meal on the private deck of a guest suite. With a variety of options from the Middle East and Mediterranean, and with special theme menus featuring Indian, Sri Lankan and Japanese dishes, Al Maha's cuisine is exotic and enticing.

Restaurant Al Diwaan
In the informal elegance of Al Maha's main restaurant, Al Diwaan, guests can choose from a five course table d'hôte menu featuring Middle Eastern and international fare, as well as developing one's own menu with our chefs for a special occasion. The dining room opens onto a veranda, or restaurant deck, where the fine dining experience is memorably enhanced by the vastness of the surrounding landscape.

Bar
Offering spectacular views of the desert, Al Maha's bar deck is a wonderful place for sundowners. Inside, the bar is richly decorated with beautiful artwork and antiques.

Lounge
The lounge and its veranda are places for meeting, reading or simply watching the indigenous animals gather at the nearby waterhole. Should guests wish to enjoy an informal snack or meal in these relaxing surroundings, it can easily be arranged.

Suite Deck
To find the perfect location for an unhurried romantic lunch or intimate dinner, guests need look no further than the wooden, poolside deck of their own suite, where all tastes can be catered for. Guests staying in the Emirates Suite have the further option of dining in their own private courtyard or at the dining table in their suite's spacious lounge.

Dune Dinner
An authentically-styled Bedouin encampment deep in the Al Maha reserve is the venue for our Dune Dinners, which offers a feast of traditional dishes, including Middle Eastern Mezze, Saloona Samak (a traditional seafood soup) and Umm Ali dessert. Live cooking over charcoal fires offers up a host of other delectable options. Arabic music, Arabic coffee, Moroccan sweet mint tea and shisha pipes complete a truly memorable  experience.

On-Site Activities
Guests are entitled to two complimentary on-site activities per day during their stay at Al Maha, if weather conditions permit. Traditional desert pursuits, such as falconry, camel treks, horse riding and archery, recall a former way of life. For sheer excitement, an outing in a rugged four-wheel drive vehicle cannot be beaten. In contrast, guided nature walks offer a quieter and more informative way to experience the desert.

Off-Site Activities
Guests can also choose from a number of exciting off-site activities that can be arranged by Al Maha's dedicated Guest Relations Coordinators, which are managed and operated by specialist local ground operators. Among these we would like to mention mountain safari, Hatta excursions (a 200-year-old village at the foot of the Hajar range), Fossil Rock excursions, Camel Rock excursions, sand-skiing and quad bike riding. Al Ain Excursions are also highly recommended.