The "illusory" hotel in the Rub' al Khali desert.

A shimmering "illusion" in the desert.

The Qasr Al Sarab hotel is located on the edge of the world, or at least on the edge of Rub' al Khali – the planet's largest uninterrupted sand desert, with beautiful dunes stretching across the territory of Saudi Arabia. Stepping out of the hotel's main lobby (Royal Pavilion) and heading south, you'll see miles of sand dunes stretching as far as the eye can see, all the way to the highway and the Saudi Arabian border marker. The very name Rub' al Khali (or The Empty Quarter) means "the land of nothingness."

The very isolation, yet irresistible charm, of this sun-drenched wilderness has made Qasr Al Sarab one of the most sought-after hotels in Abu Dhabi – the largest emirate in the UAE.

A paradise of classics

Qasr Al Sarab was originally conceived as a sanctuary, a refuge from the hustle and bustle of the rapidly developing cities of the UAE. Here, visitors can leave behind the worries of city life and immerse themselves in the peaceful and secluded atmosphere of classic Arabian architecture.

Beginning in 2007, a magnificent fortress-like structure, painted in vibrant red and blue, emerged on the edge of the distant sand dunes of the Rub' al Khali desert. Qasr Al Sarab was completed with a total of 154 hotel rooms and 52 villas, spread across more than 19,000 acres (approximately 76,890,272 m²).²), towering over the desert like a shimmering mirage. It's no surprise that the name Qasr Al Sarab also means "miracle."

Unless tourists are granted helicopter access like Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan (the current President of the UAE, who owns a private villa in Qasr Al Sarab and therefore has helicopter transportation), the journey to the hotel becomes a tedious two-hour trip.

The center of the Qasr Al Sarab hotel is brilliantly illuminated at night, making it look like a magnificent palace in the middle of the desert. While the midday sun blazes down, the hotel complex offers shaded walkways surrounded by rows of trees and cool, refreshing canals. The centerpiece is the swimming pool, enclosed by lush green palm trees, creating the feeling of a true oasis.

Additionally, there is a unique restaurant designed like a Bedouin campsite, where diners can relax on sofas under a starry sky, while a traditional musician plays music on the nearby sand dunes.

Vast sandy beaches

Beyond that idyllic paradise lies a vast, ever-changing sea of ​​sand. North-south winds constantly shift, directly impacting the terrain. Several times a year, these winds accumulate into slanted sandstorms with gusts reaching 50 miles per hour, engulfing the hotel in thick clouds. This is when locating Qasr Al Sarab becomes a major challenge.

To minimize the impact of these harsh weather conditions and to make cleaning less strenuous, the Qasr Al Sarab hotel was designed using modern wind modeling techniques. However, even heavy equipment couldn't significantly help with removing sand from the main pool and the hotel's more than 60 private pools. Recruitment therefore proved challenging.

Immerse yourself in nature.

The struggle to prevent desert encroachment has not deterred efforts to protect Qasr Al Sarab, especially since the resort is located within a designated nature reserve requiring protection.

Water is recycled or pumped in to avoid burdening the area's precious aquifers. Qasr Al Sarab also runs a breeding program to return Arabian oryx to their natural habitat.

Guests are encouraged to immerse themselves in the local nature through activities such as camel riding, desert hiking, sandboarding, and birdwatching. Another equally exciting activity is the dusty excursion in the hotel's Toyota 4x4, highlighted by a tea party atop a sand dune, with the sun setting behind a horizon blurred by the sand.

The drivers know exactly how to keep these four-wheel-drive vehicles from skidding or getting stuck in the sand. They also try to follow fixed routes to avoid disturbing the wildlife.

Phuong Anh