Global Arab Network | Ras Al Khaimah: A perfect hideaway in UAE

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Ras Al Khaimah: A perfect hideaway in UAE

Global Arab Network - - Adam Turner

Friday, 16 October 2009 17:07

Dubai (UAE) - Head north out of Dubai all the way along the Emirates Road and you'll eventually come to a roundabout and junction.

One sign points left to Umm Al Quwain and the other right to Ras Al Khaimah Centre. But if you just look directly opposite this roundabout, raised high on a bank, a long walled enclosure hints at something interesting just behind.

It is here that The Cove Rotana Resort is located, a villa-and-hotel complex nestled snuggly on the beachfront.

A different vibe

It's quite a big resort — much bigger than you think when you first drive up the winding path to the entrance. I was there a couple of weeks ago with a friend for a two-night stay in one of The Cove's sea-facing apartments.

Although it only took us about an hour to drive to the hotel from central Dubai, there is such a different feeling about RAK, as it's known, and it is quite hard to pinpoint why.

One obvious reason is the quiet. We were told that the hotel was pretty full, but there is a lovely calming hush everywhere, as if the nearby hazy Hajar Mountains cast a spell on the air.

After checking in at the bustling reception area, where there was a diverting mix of nationalities that included Lebanese, British, Emiratis, Egyptians and Germans, we were whisked off in a buggy to our room.

The rows of accommodation sit in lines on a steeply descending hill, so it was quite a white-knuckle ride as we hurtled round corners — but it was a fun start to the stay.

Homely surroundings

The rooms have a distinct style, quite different from resorts in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The domed ceiling over the sleeping area is high and the feature wall is painted bright blue.

The interior design could best be described as traditional, unfussy Arabic with all the mod cons (flat-screen TV, coffee maker and so on).

There isn't loads of space, but what there is, is laid out so the rooms feel cosy rather than squashed. A decent-sized balcony offers a lovely view over the coast and the rest of the resort. And there has to be big plus mark given to the beds, which are massive and incredibly comfortable.

I was surprised there was no tub in the bathroom, but the large walk-in shower stopped it mattering too much.

We arrived in time for lunch, which we ate at Cinammon, The Cove's all-day buffet-style restaurant. I'm not sure how they managed it, but although we rarely saw guests walking about, the minute we stepped into one of the common areas it was always a hive of activity.

Once you're seated in Cinammon, you grab a plate and help yourself at one of the several food stations. The fare on offer was a tempting mix of Arabic classics and international cuisine, with chefs on hand to prepare marinated meat the way you like it on hot grills.

After perhaps one too many plates of food, we trotted down to the nearest swimming pool (there are two large ones on-site) to recover. Here we could get a better view of the resort's villas, which lie next to the beach.

There are 76 of these impressive properties in total — each with one, two or three bedrooms, private terrace, pretty garden and many with private plunge pool — a good option for families.

It was a typically sweltering UAE summer day, so a couple of cold drinks were more than welcome as we lay under an umbrella by the poolside. Service was never anything less than cheerful and efficient, despite the soaring heat.

The water in the pool itself was also suffering from the temperature and perhaps needed chilling by a few degrees — but a dip was still most welcome and we dawdled around the spot for a pleasant hour or two.

After that it was time for a massage at the Bodylines fitness club. There are nice facilities for single's and couple's treatments and a good selection of face and body treatments available. My deep massage was pretty thorough — the kind that leaves you jellyfish-like and contented.

Night is easy

In the evening my friend and I dined at Cinnnamon again, but it has a very different ambience at night and we sat outdoors on the restaurant's terrace underneath a clear dark sky. The evening selection of food is more varied and includes the option of choosing from a menu — top tip: the shawarma stand is particularly good.

Later we strolled slowly down to the Breeze lounge bar for a couple of house drinks. It's an attractive and relaxing terrace venue, popular with couples and great for just wasting a few hours chatting comfortably by candlelight.

The Cove isn't rammed with loads of bars and restaurants, in fact there seems to be a deliberate strategy in force of keeping on-site facilities down to a few decent venues.

It works in that it means you are forced to just relax rather than rushing around feeling the need to try a million places out.

Maintaining the pace

And yes, you guessed it, it was back to Cinnamon for breakfast. By this point I was getting a little bit addicted to a mixed Arabic plate I kept concocting (Egyptian pickles, taboulleh, houmous, moutabel, chillies, heaps of salad, warm flatbread) washed down with fresh juices and tons of coffee.

This time we headed for The Cove's private beach to recuperate from Cinnamon excess. It's a nice beach and although the heat meant we didn't stay long, it was lovely to be in the UAE and swim in the sea and look at a proper uninterrupted horizon (take note, Dubai).

Beach transport took us back later to the room and I then headed off for a signature facial treatment at the spa. My “I'm not in Dubai'' prejudice meant I was anticipating a nice but basic face mask and a slap of moisturiser — but it was much more intensive than that, with full steam pore treatment and blackhead removal (sorry reader, there's no nice way of describing that).

I was really impressed by the skill of the therapist and my skin looked great.

Sights, tastes and sounds

Back at the room, as it turned again to evening (where did the day go?) my friend and I chilled out on the balcony with a drink and people watched the other guests passing by below us.

The sound travels because of all the open space and it's nice to listen to the mix of accents. The Cove seems particularly popular with local couples who just want to get away from work for a few days.

Dinner was booked at the more upscale restaurant Basilico, which has a good selection of house beverages and a tempting Mediterranean-inspired a la carte menu.

I opted for the grilled sardines to start and lamb for the main — both were tasty and simply but effectively put together. My companion loved the light fried calamari starter and robust stuffed chicken main course.

There is a great outdoor terrace at the restaurant, which we were told is very popular with outside visitors and hotel guests. But, being July, it was closed due to the humidity.

I'd definitely go back there for a meal when it's open, though.
A couple of late evening drinks on the Breeze terrace, where we felt like old regulars now, rounded off a pleasant final evening.

The Cove does “laid-back'' really well and is perfect for stressed-out executives and parents alike. On the way back to the room, we saw a huge flock of migrating birds fly overhead in the night sky — a lovely soothing touch of nature that somehow seemed to sum up our stay.

Fast facts
* If you're feeling energetic during your stay the resort offers a range of water sports and beach activities.
* Offsite activities include sightseeing trips, desert trips, fishing and golf.
* The centre of Ras Al Khaimah is nearby. It has great archaeological sites for those wanting to get to grips with the emirate's history and, for those wanting to spend some cash, it has bustling souks, markets and malls.

Global Arab Network

By Emma Procter, Features Editor Gulfnews

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