Seeing this stunning hotel emerge from the shimmering, flame-coloured dunes of the majestic Empty Quarter is like witnessing an illustration from the fairytale One Thousand and One Nights come to life. Like a mirage that seemingly appears out of nowhere, the luxury Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara is a plush oasis just 200km from Abu Dhabi city. The 19,000-acre resort has 140 guest rooms, 14 suites and 42 pool villas. The standard is the Deluxe Balcony room and, like many of the others, it offers uninterrupted desert views. It’s the same size as the Deluxe Garden room but has a private balcony instead of a garden terrace.

It’s one of the only resorts in the UAE that offers horse riding, dune bashing, archery and sunset and sunrise camel rides all in one place. There is no less than six on-site helipads designed for those travelling to the resort who don’t fancy the drive from Abu Dhabi (approx 90 minutes) or Dubai (approx 3hrs 30mins). The stunning resort by Anantara was voted the Most Instagrammable Hotel in the World by Luxury Travel Advisor.