Double Top For Dubai's Al Maha Desert Resort

Al Maha, the luxurious desert resort and nature reserve near Dubai, this week scooped two new hotel industry awards.

It was named Best new Gulf hotel and Best environmentally-friendly hotel in the "Achieving Industry Excellence" awards from hospitality journal Hotel Intelligence Middle East, made jointly with Depa Arabtec to recognise the achievements of Middle East hotels.

Al Maha also took second prize in the Best Resort Hotel category, behind Dubai's Jumeirah Beach Hotel.

More than 300 hospitality industry professionals watched as Emirates' Hans Haensel and Al Maha's Tony Williams and Mary Bishara accepted the awards from Kate Rouse, publisher of Hotel Intelligence Middle East in Dubai on 8th April.

Kate said afterwards "Al Maha represents a completely new concept in the Middle East. Our Awards are intended to recognise innovation. Al Maha most definitely fits that description, and has set the standards for years to come."

Mr Haensel, Emirates' Director for Destination and Leisure Management, said: "We're absolutely delighted -- congratulations to the whole team! Competition was fierce, and many hotels competed for an award. This success is a wonderful tribute to everyone involved."

Some 130 Gulf and Middle East hotels entered for awards in 14 categories. Judges included designer Tony Chi, Virgin Hotels MD Michael Herriot, Geoffrey Lipman from the Green Globe environmental group, and the Ecole Hotelière de Lausanne Executive Committee.

Al Maha, the UAE's first eco-tourism resort and developed by Dubai's Emirates airline, offers travellers a luxurious cameo hotel in the heart of a private 25 square-kilometre nature reserve just 45 minutes from the bustle of downtown Dubai.

Guests sample traditional Arabian culture and modern comfort in its 30 suites, where top quality service, superb cuisine, private individual temperature-controlled pools and traditional attractions like falconry, camel rides and dune drives are the order of the day.

The Bedouin-style suites overlook the reserve where many once-endangered animal species now thrive. A herd of Arabian oryx desert antelope, for which Al Maha is named, now live peacefully on the reserve alongside Royalty and the rich and famous.

Visitors join in traditional Bedouin activities during their stay, such as falconry, archery, horse riding, camel trekking, guided desert safaris and nature walks.