Sometimes, the anonymity of living in a place like Dubai has its disadvantages. And I’m not talking about the people, but rather the hotels.
It’s not uncommon for us to step foot in at least one 5* hotel a week, whether it’s for a brunch or an event. They all kind of roll into one, and you never truly appreciate the story behind each building. I honestly thought it would be a similar case when checking in to the Waldorf Astoria Ras Al Khaimah, but, thanks to the amazing PR manager Katie, on arrival we were treated to a tour of the entire hotel and I absolutely fell in love with everything from the building to the hotel grounds to its rich history.
I really didn’t know much about the origin of the Waldorf, but Katie explained that the hotel first opened in New York in 1893 next to the Astoria – which was a separate hotel at the time -, and the two decided to join forces, becoming ‘Waldorf Astoria’. They then built a 300-foot marble “alley” connecting the two buildings, which they named Peacock Alley. And every Waldorf Astoria that has been built since, has their very own Peacock Alley. From the Dhs 2 million fine jewellery figures, hand crafted by Sheikha Fatima, to the ancient Islamic art hanging in the corridors, every wall in this stunning 5* building tells a story.
But don’t let its compelling background, and the fact it’s surrounded by nothing but mountains, sea and dessert, trick you into thinking this hotel isn’t decked out with the most modern facilities. With 346 spacious rooms, an 18-hole golf course on its door step, 350 metres of private beach, a spa, gym and 9 award-winning restaurants (be sure to try out Lexington Grill for the best steak of your life), there’s simply nothing this hotel won’t have that’ll take your fancy.
Last weekend Ed & I were treated to this amazing experience, thanks to the Waldorf Astoria. I highly recommend it to anyone and everyone wanting to escape city life for a long weekend.
After checking in we were shown to Camelia, where we sipped on white tea and nibbled on dates whilst we waited for our room.
Although we didn’t actually try it out, during our tour, Katie showed us around Marjan (pictured below), an Arabic restaurant overlooking the sea, which even offers a room patrician, where local women can dine in privacy and are served only by female waiters.
The spa has two products to choose from: Voya, a totally organic, sustainable seaweed, which have been produced on the shores of Ireland by the same family for over 100 years, and QMS Medicosmetics, which was created by a plastic surgeon in the hopes of speeding up the heeling process of his patients, and boasts intelligent skincare formulations.
Next stop was lunch at Azure – one of the more affordable, but equally stunning eateries on the hotel grounds. 
For dinner, how could we eat anywhere but the much talked about Lexington Grill? Inspired by the New York steak house scene, this award-winning restaurant, which houses over 350 different wine labels, is also the only restaurant in the Middle East that has a license to air-dry their beef in a unique way. Naturally we had to see what all the fuss was about, and I can say with ease it’s the best steak I’ve ever had. 
Shop my must-have summer dresses…
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