A new year means new travel plans and with a string of brand-new luxury hotels sweeping the Gulf, there’s no need to venture to far-flung destinations to get your holiday fix.
From long-awaited megaprojects such as Atlantis, The Royal on Palm Jumeirah to opulent desert resorts in Saudi Arabia, Jumeirah's foray into Muscat and the Nobu Hotel Riyadh finally opening its doors, here are 12 hotels in the Gulf that you'll want to put on your 2022 staycation radar.
Jumeirah Muscat Bay, Oman
When: March
The first Jumeirah hotel in Muscat is preparing to open its doors in March in the secluded Bandar Jissah cove between the Al Hajar mountains and the Arabian Sea. Featuring 206 rooms and suites (each with a sea view), a Talise Spa and a mix of traditional and contemporary restaurants, the hotel has all the bells and whistles you’d expect from Jumeirah, plus incredible hiking routes on its doorstep.
Rates from Dh1,223; jumeirah.com
Taj Exotica Resort & Spa, Dubai
When: March
Taj’s first beachfront property in Dubai is set to open in March on Palm Jumeirah’s East Crescent. Taj Exotica Resort & Spa will feature 558 rooms, 67 suites and a plush Jiva Spa. Hungry guests will be able to tuck in at eight restaurants including an Italian, a gastropub, an Indian, a rooftop bar and a beach bar.
Rates to be confirmed; tajhotels.com
Nobu Hotel Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
When: Early 2022
We’ve been waiting almost a decade for the kings of kitchen and screen to unite and in early 2022, codfathers Robert De Niro and chef Nobu Matsuhisa will finally open the doors to the uber-luxurious Nobu Hotel Riyadh. The 23-storey glass-panelled skyscraper will feature 119 rooms and suites, two ballrooms and, of course, the legendary Nobu restaurant itself, which will reopen with the hotel. Black cod in bed, anyone?
Rates to be confirmed; nobuhotels.com
Radisson Hotel Palm Jumeirah, Dubai
When: Early 2022
Radisson Hotel Group is set to open its first resort on Dubai’s Palm Jumeirah in early 2022. Radisson Hotel Palm Jumeirah on the famous structure's shoreline will feature 389 rooms and five food and drink outlets, including an all-day dining restaurant and hotel bars with sweeping views of both the city and the Gulf.
Rates to be confirmed; radissonhotels.com
W Dubai – Mina Seyahi, Dubai
When: Early 2022
There’s a new W hotel opening early this year and we want to know who, what, where, when and why. So, in that order, Dubai’s third Mina Seyahi property (joining Le Meridian Mina Seyahi and The Westin Mina Seyahi) will open near Dubai Marina in early 2022 – because why not? The 31-storey hotel will feature 318 rooms, including 26 suites and an Extreme WOW Suite (W’s take on a Presidential Suite). The FIT Fitness Centre will bring UK-born 1Rebel, the ultimate sport-luxe fitness experience, to the UAE, with a 2,500-square-metre, dual-storey studio in the hotel.
Rates to be confirmed; whotels.com
Marriott Resort Palm Jumeirah, Dubai
When: July
The new Marriott Palm Jumeirah is due to open in July this year on the Palm’s West Beach promenade, featuring a pristine stretch of private coastline, a luxury Saray Spa and 608 guest rooms, each with a private balcony. Restaurants will include Korean barbecue spot Smoki Moto, Las Vegas concept Saki Rok, poolside Miami Beach-inspired restaurant Coco Fizz, rooftop bar Above Eleven, Cucina, an authentic Italian, and more.
Rates to be confirmed; marriott.com
Hilton Dubai Palm Jumeirah, Dubai
When: September
The brand spanking new Hilton Dubai Palm Jumeirah on the Palm’s West Beach is taking bookings from September 1, with 608 rooms offering incredible views of the Arabian Gulf. Even more impressive than the scenery, however, is the food, with on-site bars and restaurants including barfly by Buddha Bar, Claw BBQ, factory by McGettigans, Trader Vic’s and more.
Rates from Dh853; hilton.com
Waldorf Astoria Kuwait
When: September
The shiny new Waldorf Astoria Kuwait is now accepting bookings for September 2022 for its 200 rooms and suites with panoramic views of the Kuwait City skyline. The hotel sits in the heart of the capital city's biggest shopping and entertainment destination and guests will be able to enjoy direct access to the The Avenues mall with more than 1,100 shops and a 28-screen cinema. There’ll also be a 13,560 square-feet Waldorf Spa, lobby lounge, Peacock Alley and Roka.
Rates from Dh1,250; hilton.com
Anantara Mina Al Arab, Ras Al Khaimah
When: Late 2022
There’s nothing we like better than sunning ourselves on the deck of our overwater villa, safe in the knowledge that we’re playing our part in saving the planet. This year will see the opening of the UAE’s first eco-resort with floating abodes in Ras al Khaimah, complete with private plunge pools. Anantara Mina Al Arab Ras Al Khaimah Resort is expected to open in the latter part of the year featuring 174 rooms, a private beach and an eco-reserve teeming with mangroves.
Rates to be confirmed; anatara.com
Banyan Tree AlUla, Saudi Arabia
When: Second half of 2022
It’s shaping up to be quite a year for Saudi Arabia as tourists descend on the kingdom in search of great food, rich culture and unadulterated luxury - and they’ll find all three at the kingdom's first Banyan Tree resort. The newly rebranded Ashar Resort is set to reopen in the second half of this year in the kingdom’s first Unesco World Heritage Site, AlUla, featuring 82 swanky villas, an indulgent spa and a roster of world-class dining options. The high-end desert resort will be decked out in neutral hues for a seamless blend into the Ashar Valley and the towering dunes that sweep out as far as the eye can see.
Rates to be confirmed; banyantree.com
Atlantis, The Royal, Dubai
When: Late 2022
It’s the one we’ve all been waiting for – and it’s a whopper. Atlantis, The Royal is a behemoth of a hotel spanning 63 hectares and housing 795 rooms and suites, countless hospitality venues and 90 swimming pools - including a 90-metre infinity pool stretching out 96 metres above Palm Jumeirah. Dining will be world-class, with celebrity restaurants from the likes of Heston Blumenthal and Jose Andres, though you’ll have to wait until later this year to take your seat at the table.
Rates to be confirmed; atlantis.com
The Jeddah Edition, Saudi Arabia
When: TBC 2022
Back to Saudi Arabia and the opening of another huge name. The Jeddah Edition will open this year on the city's corniche, within the Jeddah Yacht Club, and close to the new Jeddah Corniche Circuit.
This one is a more exclusive affair, with 63 rooms, a signature restaurant, a lounge bar, a rooftop bar, a penthouse terrace, a spa and fitness centre, as well as indoor and outdoor pools. In keeping with the brand’s ethos, the Edition will reflect the culture and social milieu of its location, plus stunning views of the Red Sea.
Rates to be confirmed; editionhotels.com
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
Griselda
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Game Changer
Director: Shankar
Stars: Ram Charan, Kiara Advani, Anjali, S J Suryah, Jayaram
Rating: 2/5
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
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Favourite vegetable: “I really like the taste of the beetroot, the potatoes and the eggplant we are producing.”
Holiday destination: “I like Paris very much, it’s a city very close to my heart.”
Book: “Das Kapital, by Karl Marx. I am not a communist, but there are a lot of lessons for the capitalist system, if you let it get out of control, and humanity.”
Musician: “I like very much Fairuz, the Lebanese singer, and the other is Umm Kulthum. Fairuz is for listening to in the morning, Umm Kulthum for the night.”
The specs: Lamborghini Aventador SVJ
Price, base: Dh1,731,672
Engine: 6.5-litre V12
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 770hp @ 8,500rpm
Torque: 720Nm @ 6,750rpm
Fuel economy: 19.6L / 100km
The biog
Fast facts on Neil Armstrong’s personal life:
- Armstrong was born on August 5, 1930, in Wapakoneta, Ohio
- He earned his private pilot’s license when he was 16 – he could fly before he could drive
- There was tragedy in his married life: Neil and Janet Armstrong’s daughter Karen died at the age of two in 1962 after suffering a brain tumour. She was the couple’s only daughter. Their two sons, Rick and Mark, consulted on the film
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Anghami
Started: December 2011
Co-founders: Elie Habib, Eddy Maroun
Based: Beirut and Dubai
Sector: Entertainment
Size: 85 employees
Stage: Series C
Investors: MEVP, du, Mobily, MBC, Samena Capital
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Abaya trends
The utilitarian robe held dear by Arab women is undergoing a change that reveals it as an elegant and graceful garment available in a range of colours and fabrics, while retaining its traditional appeal.
What you as a drone operator need to know
A permit and licence is required to fly a drone legally in Dubai.
Sanad Academy is the United Arab Emirate’s first RPA (Remotely Piloted Aircraft) training and certification specialists endorsed by the Dubai Civil Aviation authority.
It is responsible to train, test and certify drone operators and drones in UAE with DCAA Endorsement.
“We are teaching people how to fly in accordance with the laws of the UAE,” said Ahmad Al Hamadi, a trainer at Sanad.
“We can show how the aircraft work and how they are operated. They are relatively easy to use, but they need responsible pilots.
“Pilots have to be mature. They are given a map of where they can and can’t fly in the UAE and we make these points clear in the lectures we give.
“You cannot fly a drone without registration under any circumstances.”
Larger drones are harder to fly, and have a different response to location control. There are no brakes in the air, so the larger drones have more power.
The Sanad Academy has a designated area to fly off the Al Ain Road near Skydive Dubai to show pilots how to fly responsibly.
“As UAS technology becomes mainstream, it is important to build wider awareness on how to integrate it into commerce and our personal lives,” said Major General Abdulla Khalifa Al Marri, Commander-in-Chief, Dubai Police.
“Operators must undergo proper training and certification to ensure safety and compliance.
“Dubai’s airspace will undoubtedly experience increased traffic as UAS innovations become commonplace, the Forum allows commercial users to learn of best practice applications to implement UAS safely and legally, while benefitting a whole range of industries.”
Mane points for safe home colouring
- Natural and grey hair takes colour differently than chemically treated hair
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HOW TO WATCH
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It Was Just an Accident
Director: Jafar Panahi
Stars: Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi, Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr
Rating: 4/5
Company%20Profile
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Gran Gala del Calcio 2019 winners
Best Player: Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus)
Best Coach: Gian Piero Gasperini (Atalanta)
Best Referee: Gianluca Rocchi
Best Goal: Fabio Quagliarella (Sampdoria vs Napoli)
Best Team: Atalanta
Best XI: Samir Handanovic (Inter); Aleksandar Kolarov (Roma), Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus), Kalidou Koulibaly (Napoli), Joao Cancelo (Juventus*); Miralem Pjanic (Juventus), Josip Ilicic (Atalanta), Nicolo Barella (Cagliari*); Fabio Quagliarella (Sampdoria), Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus), Duvan Zapata (Atalanta)
Serie B Best Young Player: Sandro Tonali (Brescia)
Best Women’s Goal: Thaisa (Milan vs Juventus)
Best Women’s Player: Manuela Giugliano (Milan)
Best Women’s XI: Laura Giuliani (Milan); Alia Guagni (Fiorentina), Sara Gama (Juventus), Cecilia Salvai (Juventus), Elisa Bartoli (Roma); Aurora Galli (Juventus), Manuela Giugliano (Roma), Valentina Cernoia (Juventus); Valentina Giacinti (Milan), Ilaria Mauro (Fiorentina), Barbara Bonansea (Juventus)
RACE CARD
6.30pm Mazrat Al Ruwayah – Group 2 (PA) $36,000 (Dirt) 1,600m
7.05pm Handicap (TB) $68,000 (Turf) 2,410m
7.40pm Meydan Trophy – Conditions (TB) $50,000 (T) 1,900m
8.15pm Al Maktoum Challenge Round 2 - Group 2 (TB) $293,000 (D) 1,900m
8.50pm Al Rashidiya – Group 2 (TB) $163,000 (T) 1,800m
9.25pm Handicap (TB) $65,000 (T) 1,000m
