The welcome
For a lark, we had originally planned to fly to Fujairah from Abu Dhabi, but are glad we didn’t. What used to be a four-hour drive a year ago has been cut down nearly by half, thanks to new roads with excellent signage. When we get to the hotel, a phalanx of valets swiftly divest us of our car and luggage. A room key and a map of the premises are produced by the efficient front desk and we wander off to find our Ocean View Suite, choosing to take the longer path across the beach.
The neighbourhood
Located about 20 minutes from Fujairah City, the Fujairah Rotana Resort & Spa Al Aqah Beach comprises a series of low buildings, with 250 rooms, spread out in a semi-circle along the beach, with a large pool at the centre and a spa somewhere at the back. There’s a petrol station farther up the road; the closest grocery shops are about 15 minutes away.
The room
The Ocean View Suite we’ve booked is at the far end of the crescent-shaped premises, with a patio that opens right on to the beach. The suites were all recently refurbished, freshly done in blue, beige and brown furnishings, in keeping with the sea-and-mountain theme Fujairah is known for. At 54 square metres, our room is comfortable, with a king bed, fluffy pillows and soft linen. There are welcome gifts waiting for us on the dining table: a tray of chocolates and a bowl of fresh fruit. The bathroom is tiny but well stocked with L’Occitane products, and the rain shower is remarkably powerful.
The scene
When we visit, in January, there are a few Russian tourists and local families staying the weekend, and the lack of visitors gives the place a quiet, exclusive feel. The property is one of the greenest in the UAE, with emerald lawns, trees, birds and flower beds everywhere. The pool is well-maintained and warm but remains unpopulated, with most people content to sun themselves on deck chairs, so we have the run of it.
The service
Staff manage to smile and look relaxed while dashing all over the large property, fetching drinks, shepherding children who’ve strayed from parents asleep by the pool, and fulfilling all manner of requests in record time.
The food
Our favourite meal is dinner at Waves, the “shack”, where tables and chairs are placed in beach pavilions hung with gauze curtains and lit by fiery lamps. The food is sumptuous, fresh and top-notch: mezze (Dh49); bean sprout salad topped with quail breast (Dh57); lamb with a stack of grilled vegetables and creamy mashed potatoes sprinkled with zaatar (Dh115); charbroiled king prawns with lemon butter sauce and rocca salad (Dh175). The other two restaurants are Mozaique, the all-day dining place, and the incredibly casual Sharkeys, where guests can walk in sans shoes (and shirts, if they wish).
Loved
Zen the Spa, which offers the Royal Hasnah ritual (Dh330) that’s a lot like a Turkish bath but more comprehensive: it includes a full-body mask, and the Ice Cave, a cold room you pop into at the end for glowing skin.
Hated
The absence of a hairdryer in the room.
The verdict
A two-night weekend escape for sun, sand, sea and spa that’s far from the maddening crowds. Well, not that far. Thanks to the new roads, Fujairah has never felt closer.
The bottom line
An Ocean View Suite costs Dh1,500 per night, including breakfast and taxes. Fujairah Rotana Resort & Spa Al Aqah Beach, Fujairah (www.rotana.com; 09 244 9888).
[ ciyer@thenational.ae ]
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