The Ritz-Carlton Ras Al Khaimah, Al Wadi Desert

Why book?

To be surrounded by serene desert just an hour’s drive from maximalist Dubai, where gazelles and oryxes wander the dunes, tented suites offer a sense of romance, and sleek new villas welcome with minimalist design that lets the terracotta-hued dunes and piercing blue skies shine.

Set the scene

Ras Al Khaimah, the northernmost of the seven emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates, is pumping plenty of money into developing itself as an alternative tourist destination to Dubai. The coastline bristles with cranes and on-the-up developments, but a 20-minute drive inland, surrounded by a 1,235-acre gated private nature reserve, the Ritz-Carlton Ras Al Khaimah, Al Wadi Desert resort is a peaceful, relaxed retreat where the sound of jackhammers is replaced by the twittering of sparrows and the cooing of laughing doves. Sprawling over sands punctuated by date palms, ghaf trees and watering holes, this a place to watch gazelles from your pool, to hike or bike through the dunes, to embrace your inner ornithologist and spot some of the 120 species of bird that make their home here, or to retreat to the spa for a massage on a bed made of warm quartz sand.

The backstory

Originally opened as a Banyan Tree resort back in 2010, the resort became a Ritz-Carlton property in 2017. It sits in the Al Wadi Nature Reserve, established in 2010 and today home to gazelles and Arabian Oryxes, once extinct in the wild and brought back to life through captive breeding programmes.

The rooms

The resort’s accommodations are spread over 109 villas, all with a private pool. Long a favourite of staycationing residents of the UAE and visitors alike, the resort became even better – especially for families and friends travelling together – with the opening of eight new two-bedroom signature villas in 2024, each spanning 900 square metres of indoor and outdoor space with sunbeds, sofas, living and dining areas, private mini-gyms, and an infinity-edge pool that looks straight out onto the dunes. When I check in with my parents, we spend a few hours every day submerged in the cool waters of our pool, sipping cold drinks and nibbling figs from a nearby farm as we watch gazelles and oryxes amble by.

Other accommodations include the Al Rimal villas, which are really villas by name only. Part of small low-rise blocks, these are not standalone accommodations per se, but they do have their own private plunge pools. The interiors stray a little too far towards an urban aesthetic for some tastes, but once you’re in the water watching gazelles tiptoe by on their tiny hooves, you feel truly embraced by the desert. A real sense of romance is reserved for the tented villas, sprawling over 253 square metres of dark wood detailing, canopied ceilings, brass lanterns, and huge bathrooms, with properly private outdoor areas with sunbeds, sofas, and a decent-sized pool for cooling off in.

Food and drink

Modern Asian flavours, like soft shell crab nasi goreng, Omani lobster tempura maki rolls, and crunchy coconut prawns, are on the menu at just-opened Gōbi. Dishes at Farmhouse by Syrco, currently closed but set to reopen in September, incorporate as much local produce as possible, like oysters from Dibba Bay on the UAE’s east coast, local burrata, and Al Wadi desert aloe vera.

In the cooler months, Kan Zaman pops up for Arabic cuisine surrounded by the dunes, and when air-conditioning is a must, you can get your fix of Middle Eastern mezze, chicken tikka hot from the tandoor and local seafood, as well as pizza and pasta, at Kaheela.

But for us, the highlight is dining on the terrace of our villa, barefoot in bathrobes and swimwear, pretending it’s the most natural thing in the world to be surrounded by the desert as a chef driving a golf buggy delivers a breakfast of caramelised peach and butterscotch waffles. In the evening, our laziness gets the better of us (although we choose to blame the beauty of our surroundings), and we opt for a barbecue on the terrace cooked by chef Lisa, with shish taouk chicken, perfectly cooked tenderloin, and Gulf shrimps paired with salads of heirloom tomatoes, pickled turnip and smoked local cauliflower.

The spa

The resort’s spa embraces water to create an oasis-like environment that contrasts with the arid environment outside. A circuit of The Rainforest, a hydrothermal journey with all sorts of steam, bubbling pools and bracing jets, softens up muscles before the talented therapists get to work. There are the usual relaxing and deep tissue massages on the menu, but for something really different, try the Arabian Sand Tide Journey, performed on a treatment table topped by a layer of quartz sand that hugs the body as you lie on top of it. It’s both slightly weird and wonderfully soothing at the same time.

The area

You could drive 20 minutes to Ras Al Khaimah’s coast, but there’s really no need. Save that for when you’re staying at one of the UAE’s beach resorts. You come here to be immersed in the desert and to convene with the sands, whether you’re watching the early morning mist evaporate as the sun rises, riding a bike around the resort’s trails before the heat sets in, or marvelling at the slow plod of oryxes climbing the dunes.

The resort offers wildlife drives as well as archery, desert biking, falconry and stargazing. There’s an equestrian centre for experienced riders and beginners alike, and the option to do the most touristy of all activities, camel riding in the dunes. If you’re a birdwatcher, you’re in for a treat here. Melodic bulbuls and chatty mynahs are everywhere, but this is also a place where you can spot hoopoes with their signature orange-and-black mohawks, green bee-eaters nesting in burrows in the sand, and graceful herons hunting around the watering holes.

The service

Friendly and warm throughout. The wildlife guides are knowledgeable, the spa therapists excellent, and our signature villa butler was always a WhatsApp message away for anything we needed.

Eco effort

Being part of a nature reserve, the resort follows a number of practices to minimise its impact on the surrounding environment, including reuse and recycling programmes. There’s a focus on using locally sourced ingredients, and portion-conscious buffets, using surplus ingredients in new dishes, composting, and repurposing inedible leftovers to support onsite wildlife. The hotel is also involved in Community Footprints and Serve 360 initiatives supporting child well-being, hunger, and poverty relief programmes.

Accessibility

The hotel has one wheelchair-accessible Al Rimal Villa.

Family

There are loads for families to do here, and it’s a great place to introduce children to the wonders of the desert in a safe environment. Kids’ bikes with stabilisers can be arranged on request; there are opportunities to meet camels, falcons, owls and Spot and Fluff the ponies, and the desert can seem like a big sandy playground to little kids.