Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara

Qasr Al Sarab is one of those places that is genuinely difficult to describe until you’ve experienced it. The scenery, architecture and sheer scale of the desert make you feel as though you’ve stepped into another world. At times, I genuinely felt like we were staying in Aladdin’s castle. The desert here is actually the desert, and the setting is unlike anywhere I’ve stayed before. We visited in late August, when temperatures were around 46°C, and surprisingly, the heat didn’t bother us nearly as much as we expected. It is one of the driest places on earth, so the heat feels very different to being in the cities and was far more bearable than we anticipated. The pools are also cooled to around 28°C, which makes such a difference and means they actually feel refreshing. Our villa was spacious, beautifully appointed and extremely comfortable, with excellent amenities. But honestly, it was the service that made our stay so special. Our butler, Arun, was truly outstanding. He was attentive without ever being intrusive, anticipated what we needed and nothing was ever too much trouble. I had pre-booked our activities before arriving and, incredibly, Arun had already put together an itinerary for us before we even checked in, complete with a photo of our wedding (this was our honeymoon) as a personal touch. He drove us everywhere without fuss and somehow always seemed to know what we needed before we asked. The attention to detail across the entire resort was exceptional. One of our pool lights needed fixing, and we actually told Arun not to worry about it until we had left the following day as it really wasn’t bothering us. We went to dinner and came back to find it had already been fixed. Another night, we decided to walk to the restaurant. They had seen us on the cameras and sent someone out to collect us because they were concerned about us walking in the heat. After dinner, the restaurants would also call reception ahead and arrange a buggy for us. These are small things, but they demonstrate just how organised and genuinely caring the team is. And it wasn’t just Arun. Every single person we encountered seemed to embody the same spirit, from reception and the restaurants to the activities team and buggy drivers. One evening, Mohammed picked us up after dinner and casually asked if we wanted to stargaze. He took us to one of the best spots, showed us how to use the app to identify the stars and simply went out of his way to create an experience for us. He absolutely didn’t have to do that, and yet he did. That moment really summed up Qasr Al Sarab for me. I also loved that the team builds a profile around guests and their interests. They knew I loved interiors and would point out different locations around the property where they thought I might enjoy taking photos. It felt incredibly personal without ever feeling forced. The food was another huge highlight. I’m quite hard to please when it comes to food, and I had heard wonderful things before arriving, but it genuinely lived up to the hype. Breakfast was unbelievable. The à la carte menu in particular was outstanding and I’ll be dreaming about some of those dishes for a long time. The shakshuka and Liwa French toast are absolute must-orders. Suhail was another standout. We shared the rib and it was spectacular. Everything we had was exceptional and, while it was definitely wickedly expensive, I’m more than happy to pay for an experience at that price point when the quality genuinely lives up to it. The camel experience is also absolutely worth doing. The camels were incredibly clean and clearly very well cared for, and the photos taken during the experience were fantastic. But the real highlight came at sunset, when we were taken to sit on little stools in the dunes and served fresh fruit sticks and tea while watching the sun go down. It was such a thoughtful touch and, surprisingly, not something I had seen heavily advertised as a part of the experience beforehand. We were initially worried about the heat but found the experience completely bearable. A glass of Prosecco on the dunes afterwards would have been the perfect finishing touch, particularly given the price of the experience, but that is a very minor criticism. If I had to find anything else to improve, I would say the breakfast restaurant could benefit from some ceiling fans. Sitting outside is such a big part of the experience because you want to enjoy those incredible desert views, but in summer it would have been considerably more comfortable with better airflow. Ghadeer’s interiors also felt slightly more casual than I expected given the grandeur of the property, although honestly, I’m reaching to find things to criticise. Overall, Qasr Al Sarab is about so much more than a beautiful resort. The architecture and landscape are extraordinary, the villas are beautiful, the food is exceptional, but it is the people who make this place unforgettable. Every staff member we encountered left an impression on us, and we genuinely felt cared for throughout our stay. You absolutely must do this once in your life.

An Unforgettable Desert Escape at Qasr Al Sarab Our stay at Qasr Al Sarab was truly memorable and exceeded our expectations. From the moment we arrived, the hospitality was exceptional. The welcome was beautifully thought out—ice cream for the kids, a refreshing pomegranate hibiscus drink and wine for the adults, followed by a warm face towel. A perfect start after the journey. Our room was undoubtedly the highlight. The views were breathtaking, overlooking the pool, the endless desert and a spectacular sunset. The huge balcony was fantastic, with seating for around 15 people and comfortable relaxing chairs. It was the perfect place to sit back, unwind and take in the incredible landscape. The view also gave us a sense of just how vast the entire property is, stretching nearly 2 km across the desert. Breakfast offered an excellent variety, and the staff were consistently polite, attentive and helpful. Check-out was smooth and hassle-free. We particularly appreciated the thoughtful little touches, including the good-luck band offered at checkout. But the sweetest gesture was finding two bottles of water waiting in our car for the journey home—a simple detail that showed genuine care and attention. A special mention to Abhishek, Satish and Moses, who made our stay even more enjoyable with their warm hospitality and excellent service. Qasr Al Sarab is truly a special place where luxury, nature and heartfelt hospitality come together beautifully. We would happily return! Not to forget the best driving experience in the vast desert for the last 10-15 km of the drive , unforgettable!

A wonderful stay with great hospitality! We had a really enjoyable stay. Special thanks to Sasha, who welcomed us during check-in and provided excellent service throughout. She even arranged a complimentary room upgrade for us, along with welcome drinks. She also took the time to explain all the resort facilities and activities, which was very helpful. One of the highlights of our stay was the sunset camel riding experience. A big thank you to our guide Faran, who took great care of us throughout the whole experience. He shared some interesting stories about Dubai’s history, helped us take lots of photos and videos, and made sure we were comfortable along the way. The experience lasted around 1.5 hours, with about 40 minutes of camel riding, followed by sunset drinks and fresh fruit at the end. Sitting in the desert, watching the sunset and enjoying the moment was definitely something we’ll remember. Thank you to Sasha, Faran and the entire team for making our stay so special. Highly recommended!

Fantastic hotel I have ever stayed. All members were also so kind. Thanks to Emmad and Zelda, Shane in Al Waha and Shubham at the reception especially.

From the moment we arrived, the welcome was exceptional. The management and the entire team made us feel genuinely valued, with great professionalism, kindness and attention to detail throughout our stay. The setting in the Liwa Desert is simply breathtaking, but what really stood out was the quality of the hospitality and the way the resort is managed. A wonderful experience that we would gladly repeat and highly recommend.