Desert resort an oasis of style

The secluded Al Maha Desert Resort and Spa in Dubai, owned and managed by Emirates Airline, has won an international award for its style, design and dedication to conservation.

The resort was presented with the Eighth Arab Cities Award for Architecture by the Arab Cities Organisation, which was established to raise the standards of local authorities, municipal services, development of quality living environments and utilities in Arab cities.

The resort was chosen because of its distinctive style and traditional Arabian architecture, reflecting the desert heritage, while adopting these designs for modern comforts, technology, and of course the tranquillity associated with this unique location.

Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, Emirates chairman and chairman of Dubai Conservation Board, responsible for the creation of the Middle East's first national wildlife reserve, said: "We are increasingly aware of the urgent need to take good care of our priceless natural resources and habitats, all the more so as Dubai is expanding so rapidly.

"Al Maha also makes a major contribution to inbound tourism and is both a commercial and aesthetic success.

"Its wildlife reserve and its management of the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve, protects our last unspoiled desert and unique Arabian heritage for future generations to enjoy."

Al Maha is the largest parcel of land ever dedicated to a single project in Dubai.