Review: Al Maha, a Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa, Dubai [UAE]
| Positives | Negatives |
|---|---|
| Luxurious, private, tranquil sanctuary | Breakfast was less itneresting compared to lunch and dinner, but something had to be last! |
| Cute animals! | |
| Amazing food | |
| Personalized and amazing service | |
| Fun activities | |
| Spa discount for Marriott elites |
Al Maha Desert Resort is one of the most sought-after hotels within the Marriott Bonvoy portfolio. I decided to fill it in the middle of my Dubai trip after Europe before flying home in Emirates’ A380 in First Class. Part of me doubted the decision to stay it in the summer since it’ll be very hot out in the desert multiplied by two or three!
It turned out to be a really great decision, and I can confidently say that this hotel is worth going to even in the least desirable season! It truly is worth the hype and I can’t wait to share my experience of my stay in Al Maha. There’s tons to cover here!
Al Maha, a Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa- Booking
I booked a 2-night stay with points for 198,000 Marriott points total. Since I had an 85K Free Night Certificate, I was able to top it off in one of the nights to save having to use regular points! Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem to be possible to do so anymore after a slight devaluation to Marriott points that started some time after my stay even in the hottest month of the year in UAE.
Al Maha, a Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa- Location
Al Maha is located in the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve just about 1 hour away from the city of Dubai. Dubai Desert Conservation aims to protect the local flora and fauna. Some of the animals are in vulnerable state to extinction like the Arabian oryx and sand gazelle, which you’ll encounter around the Al Maha Desert Resort.
Even though the resort is in the middle of the desert, Wi-Fi is still available, though it can be spotty at times. I’ll consider that as a feature, not a bug.
Al Maha, a Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa- Transport
We decided to book the transport from Dubai to Al Maha and back to Dubai to the St. Regis Dubai, The Palm for convenience purposes, and thought the price were fair for what they were. Expect to pay around 400 AED for the cheapest transportation option.
We were picked up at the Waldorf Astoria DIFC by the transport booked through the hotel. While we booked a Hyundai Staria, a GMC Yukon arrived instead. Confused by it, I asked about it during check-in and no additional charge was added, so it was a “free upgrade of sorts.”
But to be quite honest, the Yukon is one of the more costlier option and it was less impressive than the Staria. It’s just a regular SUV while the Staria had singular seats with touch controls where you can set the seats to lie-flat which felt a lot more luxurious than the Yukon!
So if you’d book a transport through Al Maha, then I’d recommend the Staria instead of Yukon for more luxury and value for your money.
Al Maha, a Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa- Check-in
We got to the resort around 3pm just in time for check-in. The sight of the whole drive was majorly empty roads in the middle of the vast desert. Hearts were pumping when the Al Maha sign was seen.
The car went through a brief security check when approaching the sign, and after that, we were good to go to resort ground.
The front of the entrance has a small waterfall that somewhat helped cool the temperature down being near it.
The building style is quite traditional with patterned wooden door with iron door head.
Before entering, we observed some oryx just enjoying some green grass. We were warned not to get too close since they’ll headbutt you. There’s no way I’ll take chances against those horns. The name Al Maha is the Arabic word for oryx, and this resort here is their sanctuary.
The lobby area is beautiful with high ceilings and traditional Arabian design. It’s also air-conditioned which was greatly appreciated. In the center, there’s heated pot filled with karak, a strong and bitter tea.
Our check-in was in this waiting area at the west of the lobby. There’s wall-mounted weapons like swords and flintlock pistols and rifles, which were pretty cool.
We were given a nice cold plum juice for the welcome drink. Very tasty and appreciated with the simmering heat outside!
Overall check-in process was smooth, and we were able to get a 4pm checkout, which seems to be easier to get in summer. We were asked when we’d like dinner for tonight, and set it at 7pm. We were then escorted to our suite with a golf cart which only took around 1 minute.
Al Maha, a Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa- Bedouin Suite
Our Bedouin Suite was the number 21. We were told that this suite in particular has a view of the nearby watering hole, thus we’d expect to see Arabian oryx in groups at a distance, which we did!
Just around outside our suite’s front door, we tend to see these cuties just chilling around!
The key is old-school with a big Al Maha tag.
Our suite #21 is located on the farthest south with unobstructed desert view that’s simply unforgettable, and I’ll get to those down later in the post!
Inside the Bedouin Suite
After entering the suite, the foyer comes with your typical amenities like the minibar and coffee/tea machine and complimentary water bottles. There’s also a spa menu seen on the desk.
All the drinks inside the minibar are chargeable.
The bedroom area is a big space with a pair of sofas facing outside with a coffee table in-between.
The bed was huge and is definitely bigger than a typical king bed. It was also very comfortable with the right balance of firmness and plush.
By the bed are the switch controls and electrical outlets. While they do have USB-A outlets, they don’t have USB-C.
We were presented with a welcome gift of fruits, nuts, and cherry wine.
There’s another desk in the bedroom area with a phone where you can call for services or set up appointments. The answer time was very quick and it felt smooth setting everything up through here.
There’s also an easel if you’re the artistic type! There’s an oil pastel set you can play with.
Besides the easel is the closets filled with bathrobes, slippers, TV, umbrella, safe, and even bug sprays.
Moving to the bathroom area where you can access from the foyer and the bathroom, there’s a huge bathtub! It probably can fit 3 people if you really try.
Then there’s a shower room next to the tub with decent pressure. There’s also a retractable wire inside so you can hang your wet swimsuits for drying.
Next to the shower is the toilet room with a European-style bidet.
You’ll have double-vanity sink complete with amenities like dental kits, lotion, soap, and shaver. You’ll have the Luxury Collection Le Chemin toiletries by Byredo.
Pool Area
Just on the backyard of the suite is the best part of the room… your own private pool with a glorious view of the desert!
There’s lounge chairs to the right and a dining table to the left.
You’ll most likely encounter sand gazelles visiting here eating nearby leaves. They will stare at you at a distance where you can do the same to them. They’re so adorable!
The pool is simply out of this world. It’s set to the coldest temperature and it’s always tough to get out of the pool a lot of times since it was just that good, especially in the summer!
The pool uses very little amount of chlorine, just safe enough for sand gazelles to drink which they tend to do alongside with random birds.
At a far distance when we were told that our suite is near a watering hole, we can see oryx flocking to the trees for shade. There were tons of them just laying there. I spent a lot of time just emptying my mind and look at them at the edge of the pool.
The night swim was certainly a vibe! Spooky with how dark and quiet it is, but the pool lights sets up a nice contrast and provide adequate lighting. Though during these times, big black desert ants could be seen in the pool area, so be careful.
The Bedouin Suite was just too cool to be in! It’s so private, luxurious, and best of all, cute animals right in front of you that you can freely admire! Truly one-of-a-kind experience!
Al Maha, a Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa- Common Area
The common area, or the lobby, is the meeting point place with the field guide for activities. It comes with some facilities outside of that also.
On the top right corner of the common area is where the bar called Hajara is. There’s indoor seating alongside with an outside terrace with the view of the wide desert.
There’s also a gift shop just to the right of the entry filled with Al Maha-branded merchandise, desert clothing, carpet, ornaments, and even over-the-counter medicine and sunscreen.
The right wing of the common area is where the lounge area is where there are comfortable big chairs with books and massage chairs.
You can grab coffee and tea here. In the afternoon, snacks are spread out for afternoon tea special.
Al Maha, a Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa- Food
Al Maha’s sole restaurant is called Al Diwaan where breakfast, lunch, and dinner are served. It’s one level below the common area. You’ll be eating here, but you can opt for in-room dining for breakfast and lunch. Dinner has to be in the restaurant, however, and you’ll need to set up a time slot each day which you can decide during check-in or the day of.
While food in the resort are free, most drinks are chargeable like alcohol, soft drinks, and cocktails. Soft drinks fall around $5 range while cocktails can fall somewhere around $10 each in general.
In-room dining will incur an extra charge of 50 AED, and this seems to be a very recent policy change where it did not incur extra fees based on past reviews I’ve ran across. While it’s not as good as free, it’s still a very reasonable fee that’s worth paying for!
Before entering, the restaurant has a big terrace overlooking the desert. While the sandy backdrop is stunning, it was just too hot to be in, and I did not see anyone brave or foolish enough to eat outside.
Breakfast
Breakfast at the restaurant is buffet style with a la carte selections. There’s wide variety of fruits, sweets, and pastries on the buffet side. You can even try a saffron-infused camel milk here. It’s sweet with an interesting taste. It’s a night and day difference with the camel milk I tried in Kazakhstan, which was sour.
I must say that the buffet spread is pretty standard, but the a la carte menu were more interesting. The menu is very international, and I got me some dim sum, steak, and Asian noodle soup. All tasted great!
In-Room Breakfast
On the final day, we tried the in-room breakfast which just sets the perfect setting to eat! Breakfast was the only time slot where eating outside is bearable during the summer.
There were around 6-7 sand gazelles on the morning we had in-room breakfast. I felt like a Disney princess with the sand gazelles in the background… staring at all the food. However, you should not feed them, and the resort discourages it so that they do not rely too much on humans for food.
Thankfully they do not approach you too closely while you’re eating. Because it was windy, we had to be mindful of food or wrappings because they will definitely chase down whatever flies their way.
It was just a surreal experience, and in-room breakfast is probably the way to go since the buffet portion were nothing special. Regardless of that, even though breakfast was good, it was the least interesting food experience in Al Maha.
If I’d go back again, I’d only have small breakfast so I can have space for lunch.
Lunch
Lunch is where food options start to get more interesting and elaborate. It starts from 12:30PM to 2:30PM, and it’s a 3-course meal of appetizer, entree, and dessert.
If you are able to get 4pm late checkout, I can recommend skipping or go light on breakfast and take advantage of lunch before checking out.
Before checking out, we had lunch at Al Diwaan. I picked the ceviche served with crackers for my appetizer, stir-fried noodles for the entree, and creme brulee ice cream for dessert. They tasted good, but the noodles could use a bit more seasoning.
In-Room Lunch
On the second day, we opted for in-room lunch in-between archery and desert drive activity. It’s an elaborate setup with Korean-styled glazed chicken, steak, and Indian butter chicken with side sweet potato fries and bread.
The mango cheesecake was a delight for the finish, and pretty to look at too.
Dinner
Dinner is arguably the best time for food at Al Maha. It’s a multi-course menu consisting of amuse bouche, appetizer, palate cleanser, entree, and dessert. Similar structure to lunch but with a bit more.
The amuse bouche changes everyday it seems, and on the first day, we got a fried shrimp with mayonnaise.
For the appetizer, I got beef tartare that was savory and felt very creamy.
After that, we were given ice cream as a palate cleanser before the main entree.
For the first night, I got the Bedouin Plate. It’s basically a surf and turf combo with grilled chicken, lamb, and lobster with a side of rice. Super filling and hearty! This is one of my favorite entrees in Al Maha.
After being full from the Bedouin Plate, finally comes dessert. Thankfully it was small and sweet.
For the drink, I paid extra for a mango lassi.
2nd Night Dinner
For the second night, the amuse bouche was some pastry with some sort of sauce. It was good, but I still liked the fried shrimp better.
The kumquat drink was refreshing for summer days!
The crudo appetizer had some spice with a sour aftertaste.
The palate cleanser the next day had a wow factor in presentation!
Then, there’s more fish. While it was good, I still liked the Bedouin platter more. In hindsight, I probably should’ve ordered something other than fish, but there was just a lot in the menu that you can’t try them all!
Then comes the chocolate dessert to balance the sourness from the fish.
The food in Al Maha are phenomenal overall. There’s a good level of care in each dish and they all tasted great! Some food are better than others, but that’s to be expected. If only my stomach was a black hole so I could sample all of them within those 2-night stay!
Al Maha, a Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa- Activities
Al Maha comes with plenty of complementary activities where you can pick up to two per day. There were a few activities where you’d have to pay extra, but we only did the ones that are complementary.
Camel Ride
Camel ride’s the first activity we did after a few hours from check-in. It was certainly one of the more, if not the most iconic activity of Al Maha since it’s the only one where we saw the largest groups of people doing it.
Alternatively, you could do the Sundowner activity which just replaces the camel ride with an air-conditioned SUV, but why would you do that when you have camels??
The camel ride itself is the first part of the activity and takes around 20 minutes or so and ends when you reach a dune with a small hut set up full of snacks and drinks where you can relax, enjoy the sunset, and talk to fellow guests.
After that, the guide will drive you back in SUV to the common area where you’ll be escorted back to your suite, or straight to dinner.
Archery
Archery was the second activity we did the next day. We booked the 11 am slot, and to no one’s surprise, we were the only ones crazy to do it. While there is a hut to shoot the arrows from for shade, the humidity was real tough to handle.
Still, it was a ton of fun. Our guide Michael was fantastic in showing us the ropes in how to handle the bow, reload, and shoot. Not only that, he recognized our shooting tendencies and gave great tips on how to improve and hit the target.
At the end, I attempted the arrow challenge, which is a competition they have consisting of getting as high of a score you can get by shooting 10 arrows in 60 seconds. The top 10 will be displayed on the leaderboard. Unfortunately, I only scored 37 and didn’t make the cut. Still, it was a lot of fun!
Desert Drive
Hours after archery, we did the desert drive since it was the only feasible afternoon activity in summer since we’ll just be sightseeing around the desert inside an air-conditioned 4×4. During the drive, we got to learn more about the flora and fauna of Dubai Desert.
Since we encountered so many oryx, we got to learn more facts about them. The Arabian oryx in particular evolved to have white fur instead of brown so that they stay cool under the sun since the color white reflects sunlight.
The black patch they have on their face is to absorb sunlight to help them see. If it was white, then they would go blind because sunlight would reflect back to their eyes.
While I did not take pictures, the desert drive itself may include a mini dune bash that lasts for around 5 minutes if all parties agreed. Keep in mind that there is a dune-bashing activity that comes at a premium in Al Maha, so we were satisfied that we got some taste of it for free. Besides, I’ve done it already in Qatar.
Falconry
Falconry is the earliest activity available at the resort. In summer time, it starts at 5:30 am to make up for the hot weather, and when we’ve done it, it was very bearable to be out in the desert at that time. This is the last activity we did before check-out.
We were given demonstration on how the falcons hunt, and boy, do they fly really fast! I attempted to record the demonstration and I kept losing track of the falcon.
We also got to see a Eurasian-eagle owl. Not a falcon, but a very cool bird to see!
At the end of the demonstrations, there will be an opportunity for guests to take a meat bait and feed a falcon for photo opportunity.
Al Maha, a Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa- Facilities
There’s a main spa facility where you can get a massage, use the sauna, communal pool, and gym. The facility opens from 7am to 8pm.
All elite members get 15% discount on spa treatments which is great!
Spa
I got a deep tissue massage here which felt so good after traveling around Europe for a month. The prices were also cheaper than the hotel massages found in Dubai hotels of similar caliber before the discount, so I was pretty happy with the purchase overall.
Besides the massage treatment, there’s jacuzzi, cold plunge pool, and sauna rooms.
Gym
There’s also a gym in the spa facility with modern cardio and weight training machines, and a motivational quote.
The view of the gym’s windows is the communal pool. Understandably, there’s no people around most of the time since we all have our own private pool. But I did see a few people sunbathing here. The pool also closes at 6pm so you won’t be able to swim at night like you could by your private suite.
Is it Worth Going to Al Maha in the Summer?
By stating the obvious, going to Dubai in the summer months will be brutally hot. At the same time, these are the times where hotel prices will hit rock bottom in UAE. So, will it be worth the cost savings by paying for more discomfort with the heat? I say YES!!!!
I will even argue that being in Al Maha is better than the city of Dubai in the summer! In Al Maha, the resort grounds have lots of trees which provide natural cooling and shading, so they make being outside more tolerable than in the city. Outside of some of the activities, you’ll only be outside to get to a facility or the lobby area (they’re all air-conditioned) which only takes two minute tops riding a cart after waiting for it inside your air-conditioned suite.
You’ll also have your own private pool that are more accessible and convenient than any hotel pool you’d find in Dubai. Morning and night swims can feel a little chilly which are perfectly welcomed in the summer, while midday swims are very refreshing.
Some of the activities, particularly the falconry and camel ride/sundowners, are time-adjusted to account for the temperature, and as a result, we did not feel very bothered by the hot weather. Even then, there will be some activities where you’ll be able to enjoy inside the comfort of an air-conditioned SUV.
I find the minor changes and adjustments are very worth the points savings cost and I really believe that summer season shouldn’t discourage people from booking Al Maha!
Conclusion
Al Maha Desert Resort is simply a legendary property worth redeeming your Marriott Bonvoy points for! It is one-of-a-kind experience that stands out from most hotels I’ve been to. I’m grateful that I’ve experienced nice hotels in the past, but there was nothing like Al Maha that I can compare to so far!
It’s very rare to say it’s worth going to a country just for a resort, and I truly believe Al Maha is worth planning a UAE trip. I really enjoyed it far more than the city of Dubai, and that’s the greatest compliment I can give to this resort!