New hotel rises in Empty Quarter

The Qasr al Sarab Desert Resort is located in Abu Dhabi's Liwa desert at the edge of the Empty Quarter, one of the largest uninterrupted stretches of desert in the world.

The surrounding sand dunes reach heights of up to 250 metres - among the world's tallest - helping to make the environment one of the most forbidding on Earth.

The property, which opens October 25, will be managed by the Bangkok-based Anantara Hotel Group, which is expanding its offerings in the Middle East and North Africa.

The resort is the second five-star project to be opened by the group in the UAE, following the launch of its eco-friendly Desert Islands Resort and Spa on Sir Bani Yas Island off the coast of Abu Dhabi last year.

Other projects in the group's pipeline in the region include a luxury hotel in Oman and two five-star resorts in Morocco. A fourth project, which entails a hotel and serviced apartments in three buildings at Dubai's Jumeirah Lakes Towers, was supposed to open in 2009 but is at least two years behind schedule.

Logistical issues

Construction of the $176m Qasr al Sarab Desert Resort, which was built by the Al Jaber Group of Qatar, presented logistical challenges due to the hotel's remote location. 'If we forgot our mobile phones, we were at a loss as there was no telecommunications infrastructure in the area,' says Didier Tourneboeuf, the hotel's general manager.

The sense of isolation and adventure are key elements that the hotel, which is about a 90-minute drive from Abu Dhabi airport, seeks to promote. 'It is not an area that you would visit unless you were a professional hiker,' he said.

The resort, which will offer 154 rooms and 52 villas, aims to attract guests who are looking for something other than the usual shopping and beach-related activities that hotels in the region tend to focus on. 'We will provide an educational experience for people who want to learn what the desert is all about,' he said. 'We want to give them a sense of discovery.'

Regional market base

The desert experience will include camel rides, a desert safari, and traditional tents located about 2km from the hotel where guests will be able to hear stories about how Bedouins lived in the area.

The cost of staying at this remote getaway will not come cheap, however. Rooms will start at a rate of Dhs1,700 ($463) a night, while one-bedroom villas will begin at Dhs4,200.

The hotel will target Arabs from across the region, especially locals from the UAE who will be able 'to get back to their roots', Tourneboeuf said. The fact that so many other hotels are opening in Abu Dhabi, including seven this month on Yas Island, is not a concern as the Qasr al Sarab Desert Resort will offer an entirely different experience from the other properties in the emirate, he added.