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A symmetrical arcade with lit niches is reflected in the long pool of the courtyard, two palm trees at its centre under a blue sky

Liwa, Abu Dhabi

Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara

  • Desert Fortress
  • Silence at Altitude
  • Infinite Dune Landscape
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Our Assessment

Why we recommend Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara.

A fortress resort at the edge of the world's largest sand sea: the most considered way to experience the silence of the Empty Quarter without losing your bearings.

We know this property personally. One night is not enough: the first evening belongs to the property itself, the second to the desert camp and dune dinner. Families with children are well catered for: there is a children's pool and Kids Club, but the main argument remains the dune landscape, which moves children differently from any water slide.

Ulrike & Christian Göbel Deluxe Travel

Fit & Season

When this property truly shines.

Best season
October to March: daytime temperatures between 20 and 30 degrees, cool nights, optimal stargazing. From May to September the Empty Quarter is too hot for most guests to engage with activities outside air-conditioned spaces.
Ideal for
Travellers seeking silence that is not synthetic. Couples who want a destination without comparison. Anyone using Dubai as a departure point who needs two or three nights of genuine distance from it.
What stays with you
Mornings begin with a jeep expedition into dunes that surround the property on three sides, some rising above thirty metres. Evenings end at Camp Nujum under a sky so dark it is hard to believe: the Empty Quarter is one of the least light-polluted landscapes on Earth.
Climate on siteDaytime 24 to 45 °C, 29 mm of rain a year

Top to bottom: daily high, night temperature, rainfall in millimetres.

  1. January24°12°7 mm
  2. February27°14°4 mm
  3. March31°17°7 mm
  4. April37°22°3 mm
  5. May41°25°3 mm
  6. June44°28°0 mm
  7. July45°30°0 mm
  8. August44°30°1 mm
  9. September42°27°0 mm
  10. October37°23°0 mm
  11. November31°19°1 mm
  12. December26°15°3 mm

Averaged over 2016 to 2025. This is not a forecast. Data: ERA5 (Copernicus) via Open-Meteo Opens in a new tab., CC BY 4.0.

  • The location is the argument: Rub' al Khali, the largest continuous sand sea on Earth. The resort sits within it, not at its edge.
  • Royal Pavilion Villas with walled private pools set between dunes: seclusion that requires no explanation.
  • Falconry, camel caravans and dune bashing are not tourist attractions here; in this landscape they carry a cultural context that has existed for centuries.
  • Camp Nujum: the temporary Bedouin camp beyond the property offers a night sky that people travel great distances to find; here it is immediately outside the door.
A white four-wheel drive bearing the Qasr Al Sarab lettering drives through orange sand and raises a large cloud of dust

Climate & best time to travel

When it rewards you most.

Best time to travel October to April

Abu Dhabi is at its best from October to April, when days sit around 24 to 30 degrees and beach, desert and island safari are comfortable. From June to August temperatures regularly pass 40 degrees, with high humidity along the coast. Outdoor activity is then only sensible early in the morning, if at all.

  • October to April Comfortable 24 to 30 degrees, cool desert nights. The window for Sir Bani Yas safari, Liwa dune drives and beach days.
  • June to September High summer above 40 degrees with humid coastal air. Outdoor plans shift to early morning or to air-conditioned spaces.

Gallery

Images for orientation.

A courtyard with a long rectangular pool between sand coloured arcades with crenellations, palms and a lit gateway at the far end under a blue evening sky
At dusk the palms and pointed arches are mirrored in the courtyard's long pool
A white four-wheel drive bearing the Qasr Al Sarab lettering drives through orange sand and raises a large cloud of dust
The off-road vehicle whips up a cloud of sand behind it
A man in a white robe and headscarf, seen from behind, holds a falcon with outstretched wings on a leather glove, with sand dunes beyond
The falcon spreads its wings on the glove as the dunes roll away on every side
A large blue tiled pool with loungers in the shallows and a woven animal figure on an island, a timber pergola with wicker lamps and white chairs to the right, palms and dunes behind
Loungers stand in the shallow water around a woven animal figure, and the tables wait beneath the pergola
A walled villa plot with crenellations, a rectangular pool, lawn, pergolas and palms, surrounded by high sand dunes
The dunes run right up to the crenellated wall, behind which a pool lies between patches of lawn
A restaurant with laid tables, armchairs and a long banquette with purple cushions, arch shaped mirrors and metal lanterns, with a pink evening sky through the windows
Beyond the tall windows the sky turns pink, and pierced lanterns hang above the tables
A living room with a ceiling of dark wooden rods, a pale corner sofa, a laid dining table and a pendant lamp, with open glass doors onto a terrace, palms and a dune
Under the ceiling of wooden rods the living room opens onto the terrace, with palms growing in front of a dune
A sprawling complex of sand coloured crenellated buildings with walls, palms, lawns and a large curving pool, surrounded by sand dunes and roads
The resort spreads out among the dunes with its walls, gardens and blue pool
A bedroom with a large white bed, a carved wall ornament, dark wooden furniture, a lantern on a beamed ceiling and glass doors to a terrace looking out over the desert
Beyond the glass doors lies the terrace, and past it the desert stretches to the horizon
A small pool on a stone terrace with large clay jars, a palm thatched roof on timber posts to the left, and a low wall, lawn and sand dunes under a blue sky beyond
Large clay jars flank the pool, and beyond the wall the dunes begin to rise
A long relaxation room with pale upholstered daybeds, curtains, hanging lanterns and candle holders, with sunlight falling through glass doors onto the stone floor
Sunlight falls through the tall glass doors onto the floor between the daybeds
A wooden seating group with white cushions under a pergola, a pool between large clay jars in front of it, and a wall, palms and dunes behind
From the shade of the pergola the view runs across the pool to palms and sandy hills
Sand coloured buildings with battlements and towers among palms, blurred sand in the foreground and wide dunes under a lightly clouded sky behind
Beyond the crest of a dune the resort rises with its towers and battlements
A treatment room with massage beds, an orchid, bowls of blossoms and a sofa, with sand dunes visible through glass doors and a wooden screen
Light falls in patterns through the wooden screen onto the floor, with the dunes lying outside
The resort at dusk with lit buildings, paths and palms, a curving pool glowing blue in the middle and sand dunes all around
At dusk the pool glows blue between the lit walls and the dunes
A curving pool with star patterns on its floor, triangular sun sails over a shallow splash area with colourful floor markings and water features, with parasols, loungers and palms all around
Sun sails stretch over the shallow splash area with its colourful circles
A daybed with a white cover beneath a wooden canopy with curtains and a lantern on a roof terrace, clay pots with flowers beside it, and desert and a cloudy sky beyond
The curtains are tied back, and from the daybed beneath the wooden canopy the view reaches far across the desert
A row of black tents at the foot of a dune, carpets with low floor cushions and fire bowls in front, a man with camels, and a pink sky over wide dunes
Under a pink sky carpets and floor cushions wait in front of the black tents, with camels standing in the sand beside them

Experiences

What you come here for.

  1. Dune drive into the great dunes of the Rub al-Khali

    Into the ridges that surround the resort on three sides, with the resort's own vehicles and experienced guides. Some dunes rise over thirty metres.

  2. Camel ride at sunrise

    Across the dune crests in soft morning light, led at a walk. The camel caravan belongs to the cultural context of the Empty Quarter here.

  3. Stargazing at Camp Nujum

    At the open Bedouin camp beyond the resort, one of the darkest skies on earth sits directly overhead. The Empty Quarter is among the least light-polluted landscapes anywhere.

  4. Half-day to the Liwa oasis

    The historic date-palm oasis of the Al Nahyan family lies a few kilometres away. A quiet contrast to the sand: shade, water and old cultivation.

Local Experiences

What shapes the stay.

  • Liwa Oasis: the historic date palm oasis of the Al Nahyan family lies a few kilometres away and pairs well as a quiet half-day excursion.
  • Dune bashing in the Empty Quarter: the resort runs its own vehicles with experienced guides; this is not an excursion programme but a miniature expedition.
  • Abu Dhabi: two hours' drive separates the property from the capital; a cultural day at the Louvre Abu Dhabi or Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque fits comfortably.

Location

Liwa, Abu Dhabi

Inquiry

Inquire about Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara with us.

We review travel dates, room logic, arrival, and alternatives before shaping a specific proposal.

+49 6251 1797-0 WhatsApp Opens in a new tab. Send inquiry

Mon-Fri, 9 am-1 pm and 2.30-6 pm · Response within one business day

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