Luxury, in its most authentic form, is a feeling of total immersion.
In the region’s most vibrant urban destinations, luxury is finding a new language: one of soul, substance, and architectural grace. Beyond the glimmer of glass and steel lies a selection of sophisticated stays that blend high-concept design with intuitive service, creating incomparable urban refuges. These hotels serve as quiet bastions of excellence catering to the world’s most discerning travellers.
The Lana, Dorchester Collection, Dubai, UAE
Until the group launched The Lana in 2024, it had been over a decade since Dorchester Collection had opened a new hotel. Stay for a night and you’ll understand why: you can’t create properties with this level of sophistication quickly. Many overlooking the yachts berthed in Dubai’s Marasi Bay Marina, bedrooms sidestep gimmicks and glitz in favour of discreet, high-quality touches like Vispring mattresses; expertly trained therapists at the Dior Spa – the first in the UAE – deliver genuinely effective treatments (and serve post-massage Dior cookies); and varied dining and drinking venues include the 30th-floor rooftop High Society, which sits beside the exceptionally chic outdoor infinity pool and offers genuinely spellbinding views of the city.
Four Seasons Hotel Riyadh at Kingdom Centre, Saudi Arabia
Luxury hotels are described as "iconic" a bit too liberally, but in the case of Riyadh’s Four Seasons the accolade holds. As the sole hotel set within the capital’s Kingdom Centre, it takes pride of place within a landmark intrinsically associated with its home city. That prime location means the accomplished team is accustomed to welcoming VIPs and delivering five- star service effortlessly – notable guests include Ronaldo, who bedded down here when he first moved to the city. Disciplined athlete that he is, he possibly avoided the hotel’s Pierre Hermé patisserie and instead made use of the hotel’s extensive wellness facilities, including its squash court, 24-hour gym, and leafy outdoor pool.
The Jeddah EDITION, Saudi Arabia
Right beside the track, The Jeddah EDITION may be at its liveliest during the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, but whenever you stay it’s likely the hotel will be buzzy. Conceived by New York nightlife supremo Ian Schrager, co-creator of New York’s legendary Studio 54 nightclub, the EDITION brand is notably more convivial and casual than your typical high-end hotel. In Jeddah, that means guests often gather for impromptu games at the purple billiard table plonked in the lobby, or late-night get-togethers and cigar tastings at The Den, perhaps followed by a lazy day at the rooftop pool. This is where the views extend beyond the Jeddah Yacht Club & Marina and on to the dazzling waters of the Red Sea.
Atlantis The Royal, Dubai, UAE
From the moment Beyoncé bellowed her greatest hits out at the invite-only 2023 opening party – by far the most glamorous, decadent hotel launch I’ve ever attended – Atlantis The Royal made clear it would never be shy or retiring. Three years later, the property with 795 rooms, suites, and signature penthouses at the crown of The Palm remains fully committed to its go- big-or-go-home strategy, with multiple flash dining concepts showcasing the creativity of big-name chefs and a colossal gym ensuring visiting influencers can remain lithe and healthy. The Royal Mansion incorporates everything from an open-air infinity pool to a private library.
Mandarin Oriental Al Faisaliah, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Marking the Hong Kong brand’s entry to Saudi Arabia, Al Faisaliah Hotel in Riyadh’s Al Faisaliah Tower, rebranded as a Mandarin Oriental (MO) in 2024, is another significant coup for the country as it becomes a global capital of luxury hospitality. As always with MO, dining is central to the hotel’s offering. The address holds outlets from French-Mediterranean favourite LPM and dim sum supremos Yauatcha, alongside the showstopper Asir Lounge, perched within the Golden Globe that sits atop the tower. And its extensive wellness facilities and spa treatments are considered some of the most expertly curated and indulgent in the city.
The Chedi Muscat, Oman
The resort that put Muscat’s luxury offering on the map, this timeless Chedi remains remarkably refined more than 20 years after opening. Architect Jean-Michel Gathy’s exceptional design plays a significant part in its enduring desirability – set against immaculate lawns, bedrooms and suites might feature elegant teak flooring, inviting sunken tubs, and are tastefully set within low-slung, bright-white pavilions. Service is superb, too, with so many accomplished, ready-to-handle-anything staff in place for 10 years and counting. Wellness is a central component of every Chedi offering, so don’t miss the complimentary yoga sessions, or the prospect of swimming laps at the spectacular Long Pool. At 103 metres in length, it’s one of the longest in the region.
Shangri-La Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Set on the Jeddah Waterfront in the 260-metre-tall Burj Assila, Jeddah’s tallest constructed building, Saudi Arabia’s first Shangri-La hotel immediately became one of the Kingdom’s most lauded hotels right from the first day of opening. Part of its far-reaching appeal can be attributed to its first-class culinary proposition. Chinese favourite Shang Palace serves impeccable classics (like crispy Peking duck roasted over fragrant plum wood chips), alongside more creative dishes that draw inspiration from its Middle East setting (try the wok- fried camel rib-eye steak in Jin Lan sauce). Extensive wellness facilities include a baby blue outdoor pool and high-up rooms offer sweeping views of the city skyline and shimmering Red Sea through floor-to-ceiling windows.
Bab Samhan, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Diriyah, Saudi Arabia
With Diriyah expected to become one of Saudi Arabia’s most distinct tourist attractions in the years to come, Bab Samhan, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Diriyah needed to deliver an exceptional hospitality experience right from the off. As the first hotel to open in these special surroundings – the birthplace of the Kingdom – the Marriott-managed property set the starting tone for the entire development. Happily, it’s all worked out. The hotel draws liberally from Saudi culture to provide a genuine sense of place, with Najdi architecture and decoration on display and local treats offered upon check-in. And while this is a place beautifully steeped in tradition, it delivers plenty of modern amenities too, not least its inviting spa and pool.
One&Only One Za’abeel, Dubai, UAE
Swim just one lap in this hotel’s sky-high infinity pool, and you’ll understand why this property is so special. Over 100 metres above the ground and well over 100 metres in length, the pool sits atop The Link, a bridge packed with high-end restaurants that connects two soaring towers to form the world’s longest cantilever. The views from here are phenomenal – empty air below, Dubai’s ever-changing skyline out in front – and there’s plenty to admire inside too, including the Longevity Hub by Clinique La Prairie and fancy signature suites featuring their own private gyms and spa treatment rooms.
The Ritz-Carlton, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Maximalists will revel in this Ritz-Carlton’s opulence: the property was originally intended to be a royal palace and every aesthetic element has been designed to convey regality. Take the 52-acre grounds, where pillars of palms frame immaculately tended lawns, or the endless parades of glitzy suites, awash in gold and marble; there’s even a six-lane bowling alley. That all-encompassing grandeur, and a prime location near the Diplomatic Quarter, mean the team here has plenty of experience in hosting VIPs. You know you’re in safe hands service-wise when you’re staying in a property that has successfully met Trump and Obama’s demands.
Dar Tantora The House Hotel, AlUla, Saudi Arabia
A time capsule of sorts and truly magical, AlUla Old Town’s 30-room Dar Tantora The House Hotel invites its guests to engage with the most romantic aspects of this region’s past in unforgettable ways. Housed across a collection of sensitively converted, centuries-old mud-brick houses, the hotel welcomes artisans and cultural ambassadors who share their knowledge and insights with guests during workshops in calligraphy, ceramics, and Arabic beauty. Early-morning yoga sessions make the most of AlUla’s exceptional blue-sky weather and beautiful sunrises, though an even more spectacular show occurs each night, when seemingly every nook and cranny of Dar Tantora seems to dance in the glow of almost 2,000 flickering candles.
WINNER OF BEST IN LUXURY URBAN HOTELS
Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab, Dubai, UAE
Arguably Jumeirah’s most significant opening since the 1999 launch of Burj Al Arab brought the group, and Dubai’s hospitality offering as a whole, to the world’s attention, Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab shows just how mature and assured the city’s ultra-high-end hotel offering can be. Brilliantly delivered homegrown culinary offerings include seafront Iliana, delivering note-perfect Greek dishes; multiple showstopper pools, a beach club, and multi-storey wellness centre round out a comprehensive leisure offering. Plus, showstopper views of the aforementioned hotel, immediately across the water, provide the most picturesque panorama while deftly communicating just how Marsa is the symbolic link between the trailblazing accomplishments of Jumeirah’s past and its ambitions for the future.
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