The English translation of Abu Dhabi is ‘Land of the Gazelle’. According to legend, the city was founded when a young antelope led a nomadic tribe to fresh water. My route takes me in the opposite direction, away from the city and ocean, deep into the expanses of the Liwa desert. On both sides of the road, thousands of hand-planted palm trees and shrubs announce my destination, which appears as a green oasis like a mirage. All around, the sand dunes glow like molten gold. At the sight of this marvellous spectacle, I come to realise the predominance of nature and the transience of time. And how important it is to fill your life with lasting experiences.
‘Anantara’ is derived from an ancient Sanskrit word and means ‘infinite’. A more appropriate name could not have been given to the Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort. The luxury complex is nestled amongst natural terrain, its almost surreal beauty created by the interplay of different buildings with battlements and walls, arches, patios and pool area. Thoroughly well-maintained gardens surround the rooms, suites and villas, where special touches have been added with a sense of elegance. But I want to experience even more of this place: one kilometre further along, the Royal Pavilion Villas take the desire for luxury to a new dimension.
Heading through an imposing gateway, I enter the royal hideaway with the Royal Pavilion Villas. The secluded location, simplicity and luxurious sophistication, which dispense here with the usual extravagant opulence, create a special ambience. I am personally greeted by my personal villa host with a majestic hawk on his arm. After enjoying a traditional Arabian tea ceremony, I am directed to my villa. But now I have the feeling that I have arrived in a unique location in the midst of an impressive desert landscape, which is being continually reshaped by the wind and which the light reflects in every colour. Each of the 10 villas are unique in their own way and offer the ultimate in peace and privacy, along with select furnishings. The interior and sophisticated comfort in the living area with dining area and kitchenette, the bedroom and bathroom leave nothing to be desired. A covered terrace and private pool are accessible via the living and sleeping areas. Despite the 39 degree outside temperature, I find the water pleasantly cool and the dry climate easy to cope with. Among the amenities that I am able to enjoy here are a wide range of inclusive services: the main villa houses the lounge, restaurant, spa area and fitness room. Meals are served either in the villa or restaurant. There is no set menu as the menu is newly created by the head chef every day using fresh ingredients. After a superb dinner, I see out the evening with a digestif on the Bedouin terrace – with the desert above me and the starry sky above.
I never switch on a TV or DVD player during my time in the desert. I only make use of the Bose sound system in my Royal Pavilion Villa to enjoy some occasional music. Otherwise, I have given myself entirely over to the nature and tranquillity. I reflect upon the last few days which have shown that a great variety of different activities are on offer here. The walk along the sand dunes is a special experience. Despite being somewhat strenuous, the climb rewards you with a great feeling. Those who want to expand the scope of their visit to the desert even further can go on a camel trek. After some time spent on one of these ships of the desert, you come to understand how much sense of feeling and direction is required in this endless dune landscape. A desert safari in a jeep provides pure action. Cultural highlights of the Liwa Oasis include the Liwa Fortress, the Mureeb Dunes, a camel farm and camel racetrack. After gaining so many impressions of the desert sands, I am happy to place myself in the experienced hands of a female treatment specialist in the spa centre. The treatment, which was booked for several hours and takes place in the sophisticated surroundings of a private spa villa, is pure joy. There is an extensive range of treatments and programmes; specialist staff have been recruited from Bali for some of them. In a nutshell, I can highly recommend this destination. For its overall concept, the Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara is one of the world’s most exceptional hotels in my view.
