getaway
Finding serenity at Banyan Tree Al Wadi is inevitable. But in our recent trip to this enchanting escape, we also found love.
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few weeks back, we took a side trip down Ras Al Khaimah to get first-hand experience of the muchtalked-about desert resort Banyan Tree Al Wadi. Every summer, friends have been yapping about how the resort is exceptionally marvelous that despite the weather, any one who visits would experience fabulous quietude amidst desert surroundings. Jealous that we were, we packed our trusty Keepall 50s, and travelled close to a hundred kilometres for about an hour to check out for ourselves what was being touted as an oasis of indulgence. Getting there Getting to the resort would have not been challenging if we remembered taking Exit 119 from the newly named Sheikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Road. Good thing though, this bit of misfortune was completely forgotten when the tranquil and eco-rich Wadi Khadeja welcomed us.
next and to our surprise, we were given a handy mobile phone to be able to reach our efficient and friendly dedicated villa host. After which, we were off to the buggy to take us to our villa. In this nature enclave, set against the waters of the Arabian Gulf and the magnificent Al Hajjar Mountains, is where Banyan Tree Al Wadi rests amidst 100 hectares of private nature reserve, home to indigenous plants and wildlife. A number of camels, beautiful sand dunes and distinctive desert trees beset our eyes as we came closer to the resort’s ochre-coloured exterior. On arrival Polite staff greeted us with their warm and friendly spiel, and helped us with our bags filled with carefully selected summer wardrobe. As we walked through the lobby, we could not help but notice the high ceilings, Arabesque wall patterns, darkly varnished seats and antique-looking vases and decors, giving the interior the unmistakably opulent Middle Eastern touch. Then, we did check-in while quenching ourselves with refreshing carcaday juice, a popular relaxing Middle Eastern drink. A walk-through on our itinerary happened
The villa While on the buggy ride, we marveled at the uniquely made-up Arabian-inspired watchtowers that we believed once atop would give panoramic scenery that is equally peaceful and romantic. We were told that Banyan Tree Al Wadi is known to be the first ever desert resort to offer an all-pool luxury villa concept. It has 70 Deluxe Pool Villas (Al Rimal) and 31 Tented Pool Villas (Al Khaimah and Al Sahari) where each villa is said to pay a tribute to the heritage of the region with its elaborate Arabic-inspired designs and architecture. Al Rimal features a picturesque garden and private sundeck, perfect for families while Al Khaimah and Al Sahari (where we stayed) offer romantic escapade. From the outside, the villa looked like a modern Bedouin-style desert dwelling; from the inside, the villa took our breaths away with the lavish and finest things a resort room could give. Spanning a vast
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