To describe Dubai is to use almost futuristic terms–the city is highly technologically advanced. Its skyscrapers–including Burj Khalifa, currently the planet’s tallest–pierce the sky, while the city’s developers even altered the area’s topography by creating a series of islands in the shape of palm trees (which can be seen from outer space). Malls have indoor ski slopes. Fountains outshine Las Vegas tenfold. The Dubai-based airline, Emirates, is world renowned for such advanced onboard amenities as showers. 

Dubai has much upon which to indulge. Opens in a new windowGrosvenor House, A Luxury Collection Hotel, Dubai makes for an ideal center from which to explore. Located in the popular waterfront neighborhood of Dubai Marina, the hotel is within walking distance of many local attractions and restaurants, and is just a short 15-minute drive from the other well-traversed zones of Downtown and Sheikh Zayed Road. Housed in an iconic tower, Grosvenor House, too, has plenty of dining and drinking options. These include: Toto Toto, Rhodes W1, Buddha-Bar, Indigo by Vineet, Leaves, Sloane’s, Bellavista and Bar 44 (venture outward, as well–Dubai’s restaurant scene is world class). If you’re not scared by heights, be sure to ask for a room on an upper floor–the views to the Arabian Sea and Palm Jumeirah (one of those palm tree-forming set of islands) are hard to beat. 

After taking in Dubai’s excitement, head to Opens in a new windowAl Maha, A Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa, Dubai, located just 45 minutes by car from the city center. This veritable oasis blends seamlessly into the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve, where visitors may take in the beauty of the dunes while spotting wild Arabian Oryx or large Desert Monitors. Al Maha itself offers a range of activities–from sundown cocktails on the sand to camel treks to archery classes. There’s falconry, horseback riding, nature walks, sand dune safaris, and, best of all, extraordinary–even calming–views to the Al Hajar Mountains massif. There’s something unforgettable about being in the remote desert; the richness of its earthy colors and of its muted sounds–combined with the sensation of being truly removed from the hustle and bustle of the world–is a rare feeling. 

After several days in Dubai and its surrounding wilderness, take a short drive to the city of Abu Dhabi, the capital of the UAE and a center of commerce. It’s impressive and ultra-contemporary in its own right when compared to Dubai, yet there’s something a bit more at ease about it–from Saadiyat Island’s clear waters to the city’s impressively run Yas Island complex, home to Abu Dhabi’s F1 Grand Prix. This city, too, is within close proximity to exploration-ready protected areas like the Al Wathba Wetland Reserve, which is home to some 4,000 flamingoes. The region, overall, beckons with its tranquil and picturesque beaches, and a promise of repose and a connection to raw nature.