Part of my September 2021 Dubai trip was to get out of the city and experience a luxury hotel in the desert. My choice fell on the Ritz-Carlton Ras Al Khaimah Al Wadi.
Location
The property is located 93km north of Dubai airport. We hit highway E311 northbound, all the way to the Al Shoahadaa Road in Ras Al Khaimah. We took a right at the roundabout and followed the signs to the property.
As we reached the property gates, a security agent took our names and checked the guest list. Then we drove towards the property.
Check in
As we parked the car at the entrance driveway, we were met by 3 staff members who opened the doors. We made our way to the lobby where we were met by a staff member.
We sat down in one of the lounging areas where the check in was done smoothly. We were offered freshly pressed juices and kids were given welcome gifts. Keycards in hand we were ready to make our way to our villa.
Our luggage was waiting for us on the golf cart on the other side of the lounge lobby.
Ritz-Carlton Ras Al Khaimah Al Wadi Al Rimal Pool Villa
Once we were done with check-in, we boarded a large golf cart with our luggage. We drove for about five minutes to our assigned villa. I was very restless to see our large Ritz villa.
The 1,700 square foot villa design is inspired by traditional Arabic architecture. Cooling mud-brick on the outside helps with the scorching heat. The interior decor also has Arabic-inspired wood work. All Rimal Pool Villas have a desert view from the infinity pool.
The entrance is huge and features a large walk-in closet.
The bathroom is huge to say the least. It was the largest hotel bathroom I’ve seen and I was impressed. The space features:
- An oversized bathtub!
- A separate shower
- Bidet
- Double vanities
- Lighted makeup mirror
- Hair dryer
- Robe
- Slippers
- And the usual Ritz-Carlton amenity kits
The bedroom is large. It has a lounge area located between the mini-bar and the bed.
The villa can host up to 2 adults and 2 children, thanks to the King size bed and sofa bed.
The living room is spacious and adjacent to the private pool.
The private pool has an open view to the desert, where you can sometimes catch roaming gazelles and oryxes. The terrace is furnished with a cosy beach sofa and dining table in the shade.
Wifi signal in the room is excellent.
Dining at Moorish
Moorish is a Moroccan-inspired restaurant. It features mainly a Moroccan menu along with Mediterranean and Levantine specialities. There is a kids menu as well and portions are generous.
I went there for dinner and evening deco was amazing. Traditional Moroccan lanterns with candles were spread across the restaurant floor bringing a lot of magic to the place.
I had a fattoush salad and lamb tajine with prunes and couscous. The food was excellent and the staff very friendly.
Breakfast at Kaheela Restaurant
Breakfast was at the huge Kaheela restaurant. The beautiful pavillon featured the sitting area and a distinct large room for the various buffet stations.
The usual breakfast choices were available: Arabic, Indian, Western buffets. Each buffet was attended by a cook who would serve a guest at a time.
Ritz-Carlton Ras Al Khaimah Al Wadi Ritz Kids
The Ritz-Carlton Ras Al Khaimah Al Wadi Ritz Kids program is amazing. It’s open for kids age 4 and up.
One the one hand the Ritz Kids building in itself is huge, on the other the list of activities is impressive:
- Arts and crafts
- Coloring
- Falconry and Owl interaction
- Fish Feeding
- Mews and Stables tour
- Storytelling
- Table games
- Video games
The Ritz Kids is open daily from 9 am. to 6 pm. Most activities within the building are free.
Some activities are at fee. Ritz Kids Rangers offer half day activities such as:
- Animal care
- Bird identification
- Desert navigation
- Knot making
- Making water in the desert
- Sand Fish tracking
- Shelter making
The gym has two distinct spaces. One equipped with weight machines and treadmills, the other an open space for individual workouts, HIIT and yoga.
Al Wadi Equestrian Centre
The property is not complete without the Equestrian centre. The elegant facility is home to horses, ponys and camels. The centre offers a wide variety of activities, from lessons to rides.
I got my daughter a 20-minute pony ride early in the morning to avoid the scorching heat. I booked thanks to the breakfast manager. We were very happy he made it happen.
Verdict
A big wow! The desert isolation, the villa with infinite pool, the Kidz Ritz, the level of service and the quality of the food awed me. The Ritz-Carlton Al Wadi RAK has impressed.
I’m definitely going back with the entire family for a longer stay. Hopefully the required Marriott Bonvoy points per night won’t be out of this world. But from the looks of it, it’ll be a tough one on points.
Another Ritz-Carlton stay added to my portfolio and a satisfying one. You can check my previous stays at the Ritz-Carlton Doha and Al Bustan Palace Muscat.
