Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara

The company known for stocking Thai jungle lodges with fine wines and fitting Maldivian overwater bungalows with Egyptian-cotton sheets has set its sights on the Empty Quarter—an ocean of dunes across the planet’s largest uninter-rupted desert. At the princely desert fortress, stone walls are draped with jewel-toned textiles, and helipads accommodate visiting Emirati sheikhs. Guides lead intrepid travelers on camel treks through the Liwa Desert. Trade-route artifacts sourced from local souks—bedouin jewelry; hammered-brass vessels—help to create a place to live a desert fantasy.