Banyan Tree in Ras Al Khaimah is located on a private beach and has spacious villas with a great view. There are private villas only, and they all come with your own pool.

There are hundreds of hotels in the UAE (United Arab Emirates), and quite a few of them are located on the man made islands. As is the case in Ras Al Khaimah. The hotels vary greatly in price and standard, but the coolest looking one is the Banyan Tree, Ras Al Khaimah. The hotel is located only an hour away from Dubai International Airport, and is a great alternative to the busy and crowded Dubai. At this hotel, you get all the climatic benefits of Dubai, without the stress of the big city.

Banyan Tree Ras Al Khaimah has only private villas, which makes all the guests equally happy. If you would like more privacy, ask for a villa at the end of the resort, or close to the spa. The walk on the beach to the bar is beautiful, and you can always call for a buggy to pick you up if the walk is too long. If you are lucky, you may meet some monkeys on your way. But if you prefer to be closer to the reception and bar area, make sure that you let the staff know when you book this hotel. There is plenty of space in the villas to make up two extra beds for kids, and the bathroom area is very nice.

The reception, bar and pool area is beautiful, especially during sunset. I recommend chilling in a sofa in the lounge area for a sunset drink before dinner. The restaurant is not super exciting, but it works very well for lunch. For dinner, I recommend checking out some of the close by hotels and their restaurants. We fund an awesome Japanese restaurant at the amazing Waldorf Astoria, which is an adventure on its own. It is called Umi. The stroll back and forth from your hotel is also nice.

The spa at this hotel is small, and the offer is limited, but the location and the skilled workers makes up for that. I love the small treat you get when you are finished with your treatment. Some fruit, yoghurt and a lovely tea prolongs the effect and tranquil feeling. Love it!

As with the rest of the UAE, good wine is hard to find, and the bottles you may locate, costs more than anywhere else in the world. I say go for beer or drinks. There is a gym nearby where you can workout and a local mall for some shopping. They have decent sportswear, and not much more. For some serious shopping, you have to go to Dubai. If you can manage to leave this peaceful spot…