Al Maha on exclusive Conde Nast Gold list

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The 2006 listing is Al Maha's most recent appearance in the UK's most prestigious travel magazine list, described by Condé Nast as: 'The ultimate guide to the finest establishments in the world; hotels that set the gold standard for travellers.'

Al Maha - in the 2006 Gold List's Africa, Middle East and Indian Ocean Islands region Room Standards Category - scored 97.5 per cent against Condé Nast's rigorous listing criteria, which included architecture, room layout, décor, and standards of facilities and room services.

Al Maha's achievement has extra significance, as the Africa/ Middle East and Indian Ocean region is the most competitive world region, with hotels there scoring higher than any other region. The other hotels recognised in this region were North Island, Seychelles (97.62 per cent) and Phinda Game Reserve, South Africa (97.13 per cent).

Hans Haensel, Emirates Divisional Senior Vice President, Destination & Leisure Management, said: 'It's a great honour to once again be part of a prestigious list containing the crème de la crème of worldwide hospitality.'

He added: 'We're delighted that our meticulous attention to maintaining the highest possible standards of guest accommodation, comfort and personal service has again been rewarded by the readers of Condè Nast.'

Other hotels in the 2006 Gold List setting exceptional room standards include the Park Hyatt Tokyo, Huka Lodge in New Zealand, Hotel St. Barth Isle de France in the Caribbean, Charlotte Street Hotel in London, and the Hotel Imperial, Vienna.

The seven-star Al Maha resort, owned and managed by Emirates, has received numerous international awards since its opening in 1999, most recently the World Legacy Award from National Geographic and Conservation International presented by Queen Noor of Jordan in Washington DC, and the 8th Arab Cities Award for Architecture from the Arab Cities Organisation.

Set within a private 225 square kilometre desert nature reserve 45 minutes' drive from Dubai, its 40 individually-designed suites were designed to replicate the traditional styles of a Bedouin oasis encampment. Each luxury suite has its own unique artwork and antiquities, hand-crafted furniture, and rugs and carpets. Widely spaced to guarantee privacy, the suites offer panoramic views of the Hajar mountains and the surrounding nature reserve.

All suites have their own temperature-controlled swimming pools and outdoor deck with stunning views across the desert. Guests enjoy top quality personalised service, a world-class Spa increasingly recognised for its unique product and treatment ranges, and numerous desert activities that explore one of the world's most romantic and striking landscapes. The resort has a staff/guest ratio of three to one, and is responsible for the largest wildlife reserve and national park in the Gulf region, where rare local species of wildlife, including the threatened Arabian oryx, have been re-introduced.