Our Journey to Dubai: Four Days till Christmas...and what a Fantastic Desert Surprise!

Banyan Tree Luxury Al Wadi Resort front gates.

Mr. Big announced today that we would be going camping in the desert due to two very wonderful and nice gentlemen, Pete and Ryan, both of whom Mr. Big has been working with since we have been over here.

Destination: Banyan Tree Luxury Al Wadi Resort in Ras Al Khaimah. Can you say, "A dream come true!". Wow! I was expecting tents in the sand with scorpions, snakes, camel spiders and the likes. I was completely surprised by the beauty, luxury, and abiance of this luxury resort.

Inside the resort. To the right is their world famous "Rain Walk"
hydrotherapy spa.

We arrived at sunset. It was breathtaking, to see the final suns rays touching over such beautiful architecture in the desert sand. As they opened up the gates for us, it said, "Welcome home" to all of us. Inside the gate, you are lead to the lobby for check-in. You get to sit in luxurious chairs, while they serve you cranberry juice with honey, and the customary date (dates are a very yummy customary treat in the Middle East. Big Buddy and Mr. Big really love them!) Once checked in, a cute gentleman drove us in the "buggy" (a golf cart) around the resort introducing us to the resorts hidden treasures including our fantastic villa!

Cocktail and Sheesha beach

Big Buddy loved the buggy so much, that while we were staying here, he was given frequent rides by all the staff all over the resort. One time he came back sitting in the drivers seat (so far, Big Buddy has driven more than I have over here!)

Besides gorgeous villas placed strategically all about the resort, it was fun to see this little beach area where you could have cocktails and sheesha. A very relaxed and serene location next to what I swear was a desert mirage. This beautiful little lake glistened in the setting sun and is actually a main water source for several of the resorts wild animals near by.

Desert Oasis lake

As we drove up to our villa, I was amazed at how un-tent like it looked. Little stone steps lead you from the cobbled road to the front door of this beautiful sandcastle. Mr. Big and I kept looking at each other in amazement!

Our desert palace #215

I must be one of the luckiest girls in the world, is what I kept thinking as our tour guide took us from room to room in the palace that we would be staying in. The cutest thing, was Big Buddy though...he would comment and was so excited as we explored our new place to stay. He kept saying things like, "wow, mommy! Look at the beautiful bed!" and "look at how huge this tub is". When he finally saw where he would be sleeping, he immediately jumped onto his bed and said, "I love it!". I could not of agreed more! I had to pinch myself several times to reassure myself that I was actually living in this moment and not dreaming it.

Banyan Tree Al Wadi is the first desert resort in the United Arab Emirates to offer an all-pool villa concept, complete with 3,000 sqm of Asian-inspired hydrotherapy spa facilities, a dedicated nature reserve, a private beach club and an 18-hole championship golf course.

This oasis of indulgence spans over 100

Big Buddy was a hit with the staff! He totally worked it
while we were here, getting preferential treatment and tons
of surprises!

hectares, of which 60 hectares are dedicated as a nature reserve – home to local desert wildlife such as Arabian gazelles, camels and oryxes, offering guests a unique opportunity to interact with and observe these gentle creatures up close.

The Asian-inspired interior design was amazing! The bed was so comfortable, your body would just melt into it (it had memory foam on it and how I love it!). The bathroom was so amazing that all three of us could hang out in there. When you would take a shower, you could play relaxing music from the overhead speakers. We had our own private little front yard so if you wanted to take a bath, you could with the

Luxury Master Bedroom...amazing! The best "good night
sleep" we have ever had!

windows wide open so you could stare at the desert sand. There was a really nice walk in closet...yada, yada.

The most amazing and spectacular thing though, was that we had our very own private zero edge pool! Shut Up! The back of the villa open up completely to this beautiful pool and cabana chair/bed that Big Buddy wanted to take home. The water was warm and if it was not enough, you could swim and watch the gazelles graze less then 20 feet away from you. WOW! This stay was definitely a once in a lifetime event for us! And it was only the first day!

Master bath equipped with all the goodies, including water
cozies to keep them cold! Ah, Big Buddy found the wooden
brush and decided that he needed to keep it. ;)