Previous Trip Notes:
A Delayed Honeymoon: Part 7 – Park Hyatt Dubai
A Delayed Honeymoon: Part 6 – Maldives to Dubai
A Delayed Honeymoon: Part 5 – Park Hyatt, Maldives
A Delayed Honeymoon: Part 4 – Getting to the Park Hyatt Maldives
A Delayed Honeymoon: Part 3 – Hyatt Capital Gate, Abu Dhabi
A Delayed Honeymoon: Part 2 – EY130 First Class
A Delayed Honeymoon: Part 1 – Baltimore > IAD, & Etihad Lounge
We took our sweet time to get to Al-Maha. After a great breakfast, round of golf, and some relaxation in our terrace suite, we decided to pack up our things – including the mini-bar, and grab a taxi to Al-Maha.
This is a Starward Luxury Collection resort outside of Dubai in a desert preserve. It took a few minutes for the taxi driver to figure out where it was, and about 10 minutes into the drive he told us he was going to transfer us to another taxi at an outlet mall on the way because he wouldn’t have time to get back before his shift ended. While a little frustrating, taxis are sooooo cheap in Dubai that it didn’t really cause any issues.
We rolled in around 2:30pm, were greeted by staff members and taken into the beautiful lobby for check-in:
Lobby Entrance
Al-Maha Lobby Area
Al-Maha Lobby Area
Al-Maha View From Lobby
At check-in, we were told that we had missed lunch – something that neither of us really cared about…this would soon change. We were also informed that as a SPG Gold Member, we could have a bottle of champagne or non-alcoholic sparkling wine. Due to NSPpeanut inside of NSPwife, we opted for the ladder, another choice I soon rued. Then we were asked if we wanted to have our dinner outside our private Bedouin Suite or if we wanted it in the restaurant – and while there is normally a $100 charge for taking dinner in the suite, they would waive it since it was our honeymoon. We decided to take dinner at our suite, and were then presented the menus:
Al-Maha Dinner Menu
Wait. Sashimi? Lobster Thermador? Let me see that lunch menu!! We had to choose our dinner choices at that time, and then were put in a buggy to our suite. As we arrived, it looked just like the photos we had seen. Wow. That’s the only way to describe this place. The suite was fantastic – it made the Park Hyatt in the Maldives look and feel like a Motel 6.
Dates, Chocolates, Nuts – Awaiting Us When We Arrived
Al-Maha Bedouin Suite
Al-Maha Bedouin Suite
Al-Maha Bedouin Suite
Al-Maha Bedouin Suite
Al-Maha Bedouin Suite
Al-Maha Bedouin Suite
Al-Maha Bedouin Suite
Whereas the Park Hyatt provided 6 Nespresso Pods, Al-Maha provided the entire flavor line-up:
Al-Maha Bedouin Suite
Not that it was a big deal (there’s no way I could have finished all 6 at the Park Hyatt that were replenished twice daily), but it was the optics of the display, and a snapshot of what Al-Maha provided.
BVLGARI products. Binoculars. An easel and flip chart to draw. There was no half-assing going on here.
Al-Maha Bedouin Suite
Al-Maha Bedouin Suite Canvas
Al-Maha Bedouin Suite – BVLGARI Products
Al-Maha Bedouin Suite
I wondered who else was staying here – this isn’t a Park Hyatt, or Ritz, or Four Seasons. This is a place that Will & Kate would stay at. This was in a league that I’m not accustomed to being in. To be fair, this place wasn’t cheap. It would cost 60,000 Starwood points – already one of the most valuable points currencies. We wound up staying with Starwood’s Cash & Points, meaning 30,000 Starwood points and $625.
Each night stay includes three activities. You can choose from:
- Wildlife Drive
- Horseriding
- Nature Walks
- Desert Safaris (i.e. Dune-Bashing in SUVs)
- Ghaf Tree Walk
- Archery
- FALCONING
- Camel Trekking
We decided to go with the sunset camel ride. NSPwife was debating between archery or falconing, and I chose to do the SUV Dune-Bashing – something NSPwife had experienced during her previous trip to Dubai, but couldn’t relive due to NSPpeanut.
The sunset camel ride was fantastic. Despite the tourist-feel of lining up dozens of camels attached to one-another, we took a 20-minute trek into the desert, were greeted with unlimited champagne and beers, and watched the sunset over a desert of endless sand. The setting truly looks like an ocean without water. It is impossible to describe.
Al-Maha Camel Ride
Al-Maha Camel Ride
Al-Maha Camel Ride Cocktails
Al-Maha Camel Ride Sunset
We arrived back at Al-Maha after dark and walked back to our suite. Wow – a white-linen table completely setup like a 5-star restaurant. We sat outside and enjoyed the environment, at which point we had an unwelcome visitor:
Al-Maha Suite-Side Dinner Setup
Al-Maha Suite-Side Dinner Setup
This Guy Hung Around All Night
The sparkling grape juice was also delivered:
Sparkling Grape Juice – SPG Gold Amenity
As I mentioned earlier, the food was fantastic. An Amuse-bouche was delivered:
Sashimi and beef tartare:
Al-Maha Dinner – Sashimi Appetizer
Al-Maha Dinner – Beef Tartare
There was a sorbet palate cleanser:
Al-Maha Dinner – Sorbet
Followed by Lobster Thermidors:
An finally, there was a cheesecake dessert:
We settled in early. We were full. Of food. Of life. This was just the most amazing experience.
The next morning, we woke up somewhat early to grab some food before I took off in an SUV. Sure, I’ll have a ribeye. For breakfast. As with every other moment in Al-Maha, the SUV dune-bashing experience was insane. We drove about 15 minutes away from the resort and headed into another gated nature preserve – apparently just for dune-bashing. After losing my breath a few times, we stopped atop a huge dune. We all got out of the SUV (there were a total of 5 SUVs on this trip), and hiked to the peak. I spent four years in Colorado, skiing Vail close to a hundred times, and the view from atop was similarly breathtaking. You could see Oman in the far distance, but otherwise just a world of sand. I was standing in the middle of an ocean, yet there was no water:
After another hour of flying up and down dunes, we headed back to Al-Maha. I met NSPwife back in the room, and we decided to spend some time in our private splash-pool:
We then packed up our things, and headed to the lobby for lunch. We arrived a few minutes before lunch service began, so we sat on the balcony on some rocking chairs, and chatted with a couple from Australia. We then made our way down to lunch. Again, wow. Filet? Yes please. So what, it’s only my second steak of the day, at noon. Home-made ice cream for dessert? Yes please. I used my free drink certificate which came from having SPG Gold Status (thanks to my AMEX Business Platinum card). We headed to the lobby, where the same taxi driver that dropped us off was waiting. Given the remoteness, if you don’t want to take a car arranged by the resort, you need to work with the taxi drivers that drop you off to pick you back up (it will save about $75).
The taxi driver took us back to Dubai, where we checked in at the Conrad Dubai. It was amazing. We spent one night at Al-Maha, sandwiched between the Park Hyatt Maldives/Park Hyatt Dubai and Conrad Dubai. And the Park Hyatts and Conrad could just as well have been Super 8’s. My advice to everyone: If you have at least one night in Dubai, Al-Maha is a must.
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