Spending a night in the desert is usually synonymous with camping tents, scruffy sleeping bags, and very little amenities.
However, a night at Arabian Nights Village provides you with as much comfort as some of the best hotels in the town. From toilet and shower facilities to cosy beds and pillows, this oasis makes desert safaris luxurious.
The Arabian Nights Village is the first of its kind desert retreat, and boasts rooms and suites aptly nestled in the sand dunes of the Al Khatim desert. Located on the Abu Dhabi-Al Ain highway, the Arabian Nights Village is around two hours from the capital.
With its simplistic design and disconnect from modern-day distractions, the Arabian Nights Village aims to provide guests with a memorable experience of the traditional Emirati life and beauty of the desert.
Each room of the Arabian Nights Village is divided into a master bedroom and a bathroom, which has a walk-in shower. The room also has a mini-bar that is stocked with water bottles and fizzy drinks.
While these are the modern amenities provided to the guests, this place takes pride in not offering satellite television, wireless internet connection and in-room dining facilities.
As their website states: “Our aim is to immerse you in culture, not to provide a window to a world you have just arrived from.”
So, you know this is the ideal place to be at when you want to spend an electronics-free weekend. It is liberating!
The interior design of the rooms is inspired by Arabian culture and colours. The furnishing, for example, is predominantly brick red with a touch of green and yellow, and the rooms have large cushions instead of sofas and lanterns instead of side lamps.
But it would not be a true desert adventure if you don’t indulge in activities such as camel riding, dune bashing, and sand boarding.
For dune bashing, guests are taken in private 4x4 cars accompanied by a professional driver. Not for the faint of heart, the drive is like a long roller-coaster ride. The driver also stops in the middle of the desert to allow guests to admire the view (or may be catch their breath).
The sand dunes in the area are perfectly suited for sand boarding, and the Arabian Nights Village provides guests with boards.
After working up your appetite with these activities, head towards the dinner buffet, which offers Arabian delicacies such as vine leaves, mixed grills, mutabal (aubergine dip), fish in butter sauce, and umm ali (bread pudding), among others.
The food is absolutely scrumptious, and is guaranteed to have you going back for a seconds.
You can also enjoy live oud music during dinner, followed by a belly dancer show.
After the meal, the lights are turned off to allow guests enjoy the breathtaking view of the star-lit sky.
Don’t forget to take a stroll through the traditional Emirati souk where you can get handmade crafts and henna painting.
If you are staying overnight, you will enjoy an equally appetising breakfast buffet that includes fava beans, sausages, pastries, cheese, and waffles.
Rooms at Arabian Nights Village are priced at Dh1,150 for single occupancy, and Dh1,500 for double occupancy. For bookings call 02-6769990 or visit Arabiannightsvillage.com
Booking an overnight stay includes complimentary pickup and drop off from and to Abu Dhabi, desert safari activities, dinner buffet, breakfast buffet, and swimming pool access.
Alternatively, guests could book a day safari, and receive the same package excluding the room and breakfast, for Dh300.
