Dubai is attracting more visitors than ever, pulling in 14.9 million in 2016 alone, but there are a growing number of reasons to venture beyond the sky-high city. A total of 59 new hotels are due to open across the UAE this year and many of them are in some of the lesser-explored emirates — so let us take a look at six stunning openings outside Dubai.
Fairmont Fujairah Beach Resort
Fujairah has a strong stable of hotels but this is the first art-inspired property to debut in the emirate. Almost all of the 180 rooms and suites boast marina or ocean views with a dramatic mountain vista at the rear, inviting guests to mix their aquatic adventures with hiking and cycling. There are plenty of floor-to-ceiling windows to shed light on the modern-bohemian and Art Deco styles and other major draws include the refined dining options, such as The Copper Lobster, a seafood restaurant with Arabic touches. Beach-lovers should note, however, that the beach will have limited access over the summer months while the hotel readies its stylish Nikki Beach-esque club.
Location: 30 minutes south of the Dibba border, Fujairah.
Best for: Five-star luxury beneath the dramatic backdrop of the Al Hajjar Mountain range.
Unique for the UAE, the Alma Retreat is an all-inclusive luxury Bedouin-style camp dedicated to health and wellbeing. The new Ras Al-Khaimah-based destination has a host of special offers throughout the summer, as well as a membership program for returning guests and an exclusive rental package that launched in the spring, allowing a total takeover of the camp’s 15 spacious tents and customized wellness programs with bespoke dining options. The annual membership (available between October-May) will give a 50 percent discount on exclusive rentals, unlimited access to digital products for meditation and hypnosis therapies, as well as a 10 percent on the products sold on site for a fee of AED1,000 (SR1021) a month. Ladies only activities are also available for those who want to stretch, sweat and center themselves in total privacy.