Visit these heritage homes of the UAE now converted to hotels and museums

UAE is proud of its heritage and architecture. The country’s old homes are characterized by wind towers and central courtyards. Some of these heritage homes have been transformed in to hotels for relaxation, souq and museums where you can enjoy looking at the UAE’s past . With Eid holidays coming up you can visit some of these places to explore the heritage of the country.

A stunning representation of a bygone age. Once abandoned and lost to the world outside, the Al Bait Sharjah, now the Chedi Al bait has now been beautifully restored into a boutique resort. Chedi Al Bait seamlessly blends five existing historical buildings that once used to be family homes — Bait Ibrahim Al Midfa, Bait Eissa Al Midfa, Bait Abdul Rahman Al Midfa (also known as Bait Al Tawawish), Bait Abdullah Al Mahmood and Ibrahim Al Midfa Majlis — with three new village blocks in line with the historic sensibility of the area.

The property is built on the original foundations of old 19th century coral stone houses, historical pathways to souqs and facilities, and the only round wind tower in the UAE, dating 100 years and called “Barjeel”. From cosy nooks to the celebration of space, the inner courtyard in Bait Al Sharjah is the highlight of its design. A well deserved staycation from the daily grind, as a guest of Al Bait you will be able to retrace your footprints every time they step out of their guest room blocks and into the public streets.

Built by Sheikh Saeed's father in 1896, travel back in time with the History of the Sheikh Saeed Al Maktoum House, now a museum. The house displays a fascinating collection of stamps, coins, and photographs of Dubai throughout the 20th century. Simple pleasures are also to be found at the waterfront. Sit in a café, sample traditional Emirati food and watch the dhows and abras sail by.

Built in the year 1896, and constructed in Al Shindagha area, this house was designed as a safe zone residence area of the ruler of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. Overlooking the Dubai creek, this house served as the residence of Sheikh Saeed Al Maktoum from 1912 till the year 1958, and many of his children and grandchildren were born during that period and grew up in the premises of that house.

Built around 1795, the inner fort of Qasr Al Hosn the most captivating site stands as the oldest building in Abu Dhabi. It was originally built as a watchtower to guard and protect the newly established community that had settled in the area. The Qasr Al Hosn site was later expanded to include an outer palace built in the 1940s by Shaikh Shakhbout Bin Sultan Al Nahyan.

Once a seat of power and even a community library over the centuries, Qasr Al Hosn was restored once again in 2018. Open to the public, this time as a museum, allowing them to step inside the historical fort as well as the palace, which contains the personal quarters of Shaikh Shakhbout and the rooms of other ruling family members. A historic site , uniquely renovated, each area with their own story to tell is a must visit.

Founded way back in the mid-20th century, the restored Souq Al Qattara was founded by the late Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan Al Nahyan on the palm-lined road linking Al Ain’s Al Qattara and Al Jimi oases. The historic Souq Al Qattara is a UNESCO world heritage site, renovated and reopened, where visitors can experience good old fashioned entertainment, in a traditional Arab setting. The Souq is linked to the redeveloped Al Qattara Fort, now home to a popular arts centre, featuring hundreds of modern exhibits, workshops, a cafe and a library.

Qasr al Muwaiji is an impressive structure that has watched over the oasis for around 100 years. It was built in the early years of the 20th century. The former home (and diwan or seat of governance) of Sheikh Zayed and the birthplace of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, this palace has been meticulously restored and hosts a permanent exhibition documenting the fascinating story of this cultural landmark.

Bait Al Naboodah was built in 1845 for Obaid bin Eisa bin Ali Al Shamsi, also known as "Al Naboodah", a well known pearl merchant in Sharjah. The reconstructed house has become a museum where the visitors can learn about the daily family life and routines in a bygone era. Wander through the various rooms, admiring the craftsmanship and ingenuity of traditional Gulf architecture in an age before air conditioning, and learn about the daily routines of the prominent pearling family who once lived here.

Al Ahmadiya School in Deira takes you back to the historical ambience of education in the early 20th century of Dubai's history. It is the first national semi-regular school in the Emirate of Dubai, founded and established by the late Sheikh Ahmed bin Dalmouk in 1912. In 1994, the Government of Dubai restored Al Ahmadiya School and transformed it into a historical museum.

As a visitor you will be able to experience the atmosphere of education in the school back then. You will walk through classes, get introduced to the educational system in those times and preview a sample of the furnishing of the school's classrooms, subjects taught to the students and many more.

If you want to sneak a peak on ruling family style of living back in the day then head to Majlis Ghorfat Umm Al Sheif. It is a small house that was built in 1955 as a summer house for late Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum in the Jumeirah area, which was traditionally famous for its calmness and tranquility along with its distance from the noise of crowdedness back then.

As a visitor you will be able to see where Sheikh Rashid used to spend his evenings in the Majlis with his advisers to make decisions. The Majlis has been named "Umm Al Sheif" in honour of one of the famous Pearl Fisheries. You will get a unique opportunity to see old house hold instruments from copper buckets, coffee stoves, to the relatively modern appliances of those times such as clocks and radios, along with defence tools like rifles and daggers which were carried by men in their belts.