Desert Hotels

Bolivia has some of the largest and most elevated salt flats in the world. Named Salar de Uyuni, they are located 3658m above sea level. The salt crust covers an extended area of 4,085 square miles. Many of the towns in this area have special traditions and customs. Out here, …

A visit to Matmata, Tunisia, will take you through movie history and a cultural introduction to the nomadic people who settled there. Located about 40 kilometers from the oasis of Gabes, Sidi Driss is set in a rugged, arid environment that was deemed the perfect location for filming Star Wars …

While Oman might not be the first place that pops into peoples' heads when they think about a luxurious vacation, it is soon about to change. The country is home to the magnificent Alila Jabal Akhdar resort in the Al Hajar Mountain range. The name Jabal Akhdar in Arabic stands …

The Kulala Desert Lodge is surrounded by the iconic red sand dunes of the Sossusvlei in the heart of the Namib Desert. Situated on the private 37,000 hectares Kulala Wilderness Reserve, guests can enjoy unmatched desert luxury as they take in the spectacular views of the Namib-Naukluft dune sea, mountain …

Experience the mystical charm of Arabian nights in Abu Dhabi’s Empty Quarter at the one of a kind Anantara Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort. In the largest uninterrupted sand desert in the world, the Rub'Al Khali lies in one of the UAE’s most luxurious and exotic hotels. Relax in the …

Rising like a mirage from the sands of the Arabian Desert, the Al Maha (named after the Arabian Oryx - desert antelopes who populate the area) is a luxurious hideaway. Just 45 minutes from Dubai, this hotel creates a feeling of timelessness using classic, hard-to-place décor and making the most …

Moab Under Canvas benefits from its scenic location, just a small distance from the Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park. Here you can expect desert views, dramatic canyon gazing, and raw landscapes that have to be seen to be believed. Tents are erected here and provide a balance of …

Before going off the grid, experience off-grid living. This house, recently noted by the Los Angeles Times as one of the best houses of all times in Southern California, is available for those who appreciate the architectural beauty and significant design in creating a smaller footprint in wilderness locations. It’s …

Perched 800 meters above sea level, this hotel sits on the edge of the Ramon Crater which is the world’s largest makhtesh – a landform unique to Israel where water erosion creates deep craters. Despite being located in the middle of the desert landscape, the temperature is cool all year …

Safari was an Indian invention. The word Sahar means travel in Sanskrit/Hindi and the British appropriated the word and took it to Africa. The India Safari club takes you on trips in the Rajastani wilderness using 4x4, camels, or even elephants. It was all the brainchild of founder, Reggie Marwar …

As this resort is owned and run by Kate Pierson, the singer from The B52s, it’s going to be hard for me to write this without making a pun about the song ‘Love Shack’… Oh wait, she’s beaten me to it. Apparently, you can stay in an actual Love Shack …

*‘At night it is so quiet that you begin to hear the stars’* - Benedict Allen The ancient Egyptians called Siwa the ‘Field of Trees’. Today this most isolated settlement is home to a small population of Berbers and one of the world’s most interesting hotels. You won’t find marble …

Legend has it that when God was done creating the world, he had a handful of features left - deserts, mountains, and forests. He put them all in his pocket. But his pocket had a hole in it and as he walked across heaven bits of land leftover from making …

Built in the heart of the Gobi Desert in Mongolia the experience hotel is staffed by Mongolians who offer traditional hospitality to visitors. You stay in a “Ger” which is the traditional tent of Mongolia’s nomadic herders. They are heated by a wood burner and supported by beautifully painted wooden …

Bolivia's answer to eco-friendly construction is the world's first hotel made entirely of salt. The building material was sourced from the Salt Plains of Uyuni, one of the country's biggest spectacles. Apart from the architectural uniqueness, the interior scent and the salt's natural healing properties make this hotel worthy of …

Coober Pedy is a small mining town in the Australian Outback. Because of the extreme temperatures (40ºC in summer), many inhabitants live in underground houses called ‘dugouts’. In fact, the name, ‘Coober Pedy’ comes from the Aboriginal name for the town, ‘kupa-piti’ which means 'white man's hole'. The area has …

‘The canyon wilderness, the hoodoo land of spire and pillar and pinnacle where no man lives’ is how transcendental anarchist author Edward Abbey described the landscape where Amangiri Villas sit; their sandstone walls blending perfectly into the desert setting. The architecture is simple and modern, with large glass windows drawing …