Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara

★★★★★Liwa Desert, Abu DhabiSpecialist pick

Overview

Qasr Al Sarab is a fortress-style resort built into the red dunes of the Empty Quarter, the only hotel actually sitting inside this stretch of desert rather than viewing it from a distance. It suits couples wanting real quiet and families happy to trade a beach for camel treks, dune driving and a proper kids' club.

There's a large outdoor pool framed by palm trees and dune views, a separate kids' splash pool, and a teens' club with a pool table and TV. The Anantara Spa runs to a hammam, steam room and ice room. Days revolve around dune drives, camel rides and archery rather than sunbeds — the sea is hours away, and evenings here are genuinely still.

Summer (roughly April to October) brings real desert heat, so some outdoor dining moves indoors or closes for the season, and daytime activities shift to early morning. This isn't a one-night stopover: the drive alone means two nights is the sensible minimum, and it's a desert holiday, not a beach break — know that before you book.

desert fortress architecture
private plunge pool villas
kids club and teens club
award-winning spa with hammam
six restaurants and bars
rooftop steakhouse with dune views
camel trekking and desert drives
royal pavilion villas with personal host
outdoor tennis courts
seasonal outdoor dining closes in summer

Rooms

Good to know

Meal plans: Room only · Bed & breakfast · Half board
Paid at the hotel: The tourism dirham fee and any security deposit
Cancelling: Each room shows its own terms; cancel online from My trips while they allow

Eating and drinking

Al Waha — The all-day international buffet restaurant and where breakfast is served each morning with a broad spread spanning Middle Eastern, Asian and Western dishes. Easy with children and the default choice for most meals here.
Suhail — A rooftop lounge and grill open for dinner and drinks only, with prime cuts of beef and a terrace over the dunes that closes in the height of summer. This is the smart, adults-feeling dinner rather than the family table — book ahead.
Al Liwan — The all-day lobby lounge for light bites, Arabic coffee, pastries and a long list of hot and cold drinks, with desert views from the seating area. A relaxed stop between activities rather than a sit-down meal.
Ghadeer — A Mediterranean restaurant and lounge by the pool, serving light dishes and cocktails through the day and turning more romantic for dinner after sunset. Works for families at lunch, quieter and adult-leaning by night.
Naseem Pool Bar — The swim-up bar for cocktails, mocktails and snacks while you're in or by the pool. It's a lounging spot through the day rather than anywhere for a proper sit-down meal.
Al Falaj — A Bedouin-style Middle Eastern restaurant set out among the dunes away from the main building. It closes for the hottest summer months and reopens in October, so check dates if you're booking outside winter.

Getting there

From Dubai you head down the E11 towards Abu Dhabi and then out on the E65 towards Hameem and the Liwa villages — a normal saloon car manages fine, no 4x4 required. Abu Dhabi International Airport is the nearest, roughly two to two-and-a-half hours' drive from the resort itself. Given the distance, most residents either arrange the hotel's own transfer or treat the drive as part of the trip.

Ask about Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara

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