Anantara’s two luxury resorts take visitors off the beaten track for a unique experience in the UAE desert
Luxury operator Anantara Resorts & Spas launched the first destination resort in Abu Dhabi with the opening of the Desert Islands Resort & Spa.
Set on Sir Bani Yas Island, just off the coast of Abu Dhabi, the resort fast gained popularity among GCC residents and international tourists, offering a nature-based, destination resort experience.
The second property to open its doors was the Anantara Qasr Al Sarab retreat situated in the Empty Quarter (Rub Al-Khali).
“Both properties work very well together as they offer relaxed elegance and laid-back luxury,” says Anantara’s recently-appointed area general manager Arno Nicolussi Moretto. “This is what the Anantara brand prides itself on and what today’s seasoned traveller, hungry to discover and be in direct contact with nature, is looking for. Our properties are always in perfect harmony with their surroundings and the local heritage.”
Anantara Desert Islands Resort and Spa lies on the exclusive Sir Bani Yas Island, just 150 miles southwest of Abu Dhabi. Originally the private island retreat and royal nature reserve of Sheikh Zayed, the late ruler and founder of the UAE, Sir Bani Yas is one of eight natural islands which collectively form the Desert Islands and is the first one open to the public.
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Spanning more than 87 sq km, Sir Bani Yas is one of the largest nature reserves in Arabia and, thanks to over two decades of intensive conservation work and ecological investment, now houses more than 2.5 million trees and plants. The island’s game park is home to thousands of free-roaming animals including hyena, giraffe, cheetah and Arabian oryx, which are sadly now extinct in the wild, whilst the bird sanctuary boasts everything from ostriches and emus to pink flamingos. The waters surrounding the island are equally rich and are frequented by dolphins and sea turtles. The resort offers 64 luxuriously designed bedroom suites with living quarters that are decked out with state-of-the-art amenities and are enriched by greenery and Arabian touches including marble bath fixtures.
The Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort meanwhile is an unrivalled destination experience that is an embodiment of the desert and local Emirati traditions. Situated in the Empty Quarter – a vast expanse of towering sand dunes stretching from the southern reaches of the kingdom of Saudi Arabia across into Oman and the UAE – the hotel has earned a reputation for its historic architecture reflecting truly authentic Arabian culture and heritage.
Sitting atop a crescent-shaped dune, its fort-inspired design smoothly blends into its pristine surrounding environment in a destination rich in history with settlements dating back 7,000 years. The resort offers 154 rooms, 42 villas and 10 royal villas resembling majestic palaces with spacious living and dining areas, private pools and outdoor terraces, Qasr Al Sarab is a haven of comfort and pure extravagance.
As Anantara builds awareness of the properties in the international market, traffic into the resorts during the weekdays is primarily from international visitors such as Germany and the UK, while the properties are very much in demand by UAE nationals and expats looking for a getaway over the weekends.
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Qasr Al Sarab: an embodiment of the desert and local Emirati traditions |
“We have been very fortunate to have our properties in two locations with great significance to the UAE,” says Moretto. “Hence, UAE nationals feel drawn to both locations for their beauty and their strong bonds to their heritage. At present word of mouth is one of our strongest marketing tools, as well as a number of marketing campaigns geared to increase even further the awareness of the properties amongst the Emirati population.”
Both properties opened doors at a time when the market was recovering from a global recession but according to Moretto this has had no effect on either. “The high-end traveller has continued to travel, especially for leisure,” he says. “While he might be looking for special promotions or slightly shorten his stay, he will not deprive himself from one of the little luxuries in life: a nice holiday or even just a break.”
With extensive knowledge of the Middle East, Moretto is tasked with driving strategic growth and the continued success of the properties. “Service and our people are our strengths and they are the driving factors to draw in more guests,” he adds.
With each property comes a different challenge. According the Moretto, the locations are mistakenly perceived as very remote. “Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort is a mere 90-minute drive from Abu Dhabi city and Desert Islands Resort & Spa around two-and-a-half hours which is definitely worth the effort – once one reaches the island, the sense of peace and the surrounding nature is simply spectacular,” he says.
Anantara will open its third property the Anantara Al Madina A’Zarqa Resort & Spa in the fourth quarter of 2011, situated on the beaches of Oman. The resort will be working closely with the local community to create a unique destination experience, which is not only relevant to the region.
At Anantara, the destination is always the critical ingredient in any new development. For each development, the brand looks for locations that can offer rich culture and heritage, a tradition of warm, distinctive local hospitality, breathtaking natural setting, nearby sites of historical interest as well as unique and exciting activities such as outdoor recreation and adventure activities.
“For modern luxury travellers, hotel selection often stems from which destination they choose. From it, everything else follows: architecture, design, activities and excursions, spa therapies and cuisine,” concludes Moretto.