TRAVEL

Magic carpet
to the stars
Dubais precipitous palaces, submarine dining and
desert safaris give new meaning to the high life
WORDS FIONA LAING

HERE does luxury

begin? What is luxury
to you, might be bling
to me. One thing is
certain, in the travel
world luxury matters.
Dubai is a place that prides itself
on luxury. Not just on its hotels but
with superlatives at every corner the
world's first seven star hotel, tallest
building, largest shopping mall, highest
spa. And you know what? A touch of
luxury never did anyone any harm.
Our arrival in Dubai set the tone of
the trip a guide to see us through
arrivals and to our transport to the
iconic Burj al Arab. The word hotel
seems too humble for this hospitality
palace with its two-floor suites and
gold-plated service.
The trip was designed to show us
the best of the emirate and our hosts
had truly pulled out all the stops: three
different beds in five nights, gourmet
dining, sensual experiences and highflying adventures.
Tearing ourselves away from
exploring the gadgets and testing the
Burjs personal butler services, we went
for tea at At.mosphere on the 122th
floor of the Burj Khalifa, the worlds
tallest building. Tea was hardly an apt
description with its pink champagne,
mini roast dinner and gold-leafadorned sweet treats.
We then headed down into the
Mall of the Americas where famous
and familiar brands congregate and
a ginormous glass wall reveals an
endlessly fascinating aquarium.
Back at the Burj al Arab, where we
seem to have adjusted rather well to the
high life, our bubble is burst with a visit
to a presidential suite and we have to
reset our definition of luxury.
Cocktails in the Sky Bar precede an
exquisite meal in the aquarium-clad
restaurant Al Mahara. Not surprisingly,
its a wrench to leave our fairytale
palace the next morning.
The parting is almost forgotten as we
explore the heart of Dubai. Scents and
colours in the shaded souks, a bit of
haggling over jewellery and pashminas

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and then an exhilarating boat ride

across the creek before we head to our
next hotel, Mina ASalam.
Next to the Burj, our new hotel is
in Madinat Jumeirah. Its a complete
resort hotels, theatre, souk, beach, spa
and pretty much what most ordinary
people would term luxury.
However our hosts have other plans
and after lunch we are whisked out into
the desert for another experience. This
one is a Jeep safari in vintage 1950s
vehicles and includes dune bashing,
wildlife watching and a falconry display
through the Dubai Desert Conservation
Reserve. Of course, its timed so we get
the full effect of the sun setting.
We then head to our dinner: no flashy
restaurant this time, but a Bedouin
style camp on royal land. Theres
entertainment, camel rides, henna
artists and a tasty array of local dishes.
If that sounds familiar to Gulf visitors,
Platinum Heritages version is on a
much more intimate scale and Kylie
Minogue was a visitor a few days after
us. And, as our own A-list experience
continues, we spend the night in
Bedouin tents.
The next treat is a pre-dawn wake-up
call so that we can join a sunrise hot
air balloon ride. And yes, it was one of
the most intense experiences ever. The
tingling nerves for a new adventure as
the balloons took shape; the heat of the

burner as we rose into the dark; the

excitement as the first colours of the
sun seep into the sky; spotting camels,
gazelles and the miniature buildings as
we soar along.
We are effortlessly whisked back to
the city to take part in another Dubai
ritual Friday Brunch.
Madinat Jumeirah is the location of
two of the most popular brunches in
Dubai and we are guests at Al Qasr,
where the food is so splendid I could
spend the rest of this article making
you gasp with incredulity describing
it. The quality, choice and quantity on
offer was stunning and theres bubbly
and cocktails to sip. Its obviously the

place to be seen for the fashionable

expat crowd and so a people-watching
experience par excellence.
Food is a big part of the Madinat
experience lots of different ways to
enjoy it, from the simple beach-front
caf or the waterside Mexican and
Thai restaurants to Pierchic, where
we dined on our final night. This jettyend restaurant serves seafood inspired
by three Michelin-starred French
chef Laurent Gras. Not only was the
food fabulous but walking along the
wooden jetty to the culinary oasis
suspended over the ocean heightened
the experience.
Ive never really imagined spending

SHEER INDULGENCE Clockwise from above: dining at the Al Mahara; the Burj Khalifa dominates the city; the Burj al Arab on its own artificial island
17 January, 2016 SCOTLANDonSUNDAY

Do Not disturb

Ardanaiseig Hotel,
Kilchrenan by Taynuilt, Argyll

time in just one resort without wanting

to venture outside, but truthfully, I
could happily ensconce myself in the
Madinat. Indulging in the treatments
at the Talise spa including the
mesmerising and slightly surreal
AlphaSphere, where all the senses are
touched in a relaxation pod walking
the beach, dancing at a roof-top scion

fact file
Return economy flights from Glasgow with
Emirates (www.emirates.com) from 387
this month.
Half-day City of Merchants Tour of Old
Dubai with Arabian Adventures (www.
arabian-adventures.com) is 28 (AED 155).
Arabian Journey treatment at Talise Spa
in Burj al Arab from 179 (AED 995).High
tea at At.mosphere in Burj Khalifa (www.
atmosphereburjkhalifa.com) from 104
(AED 580).
Overnight desert safari with Platinum
Heritage (platinum-heritage.com) from 161
(AED 895).
Sunrise flight with Balloon Adventures,
Emirates (www.ballooning.ae) from 179
(AED 995).
Burj al Arab Jumeirah and Mina ASalam,
Madinat Jumeirah are both part of the
Jumeirah Group (www.jumeirah.com).
Dubai Tourism (020 7321 6110 or www.
visitdubai.com)

SCOTLANDonSUNDAY 17 January, 2016

of the iconic club Pacha Ibiza, a spot of

shopping, all in a car-free environment,
would suit me very nicely. A sun lounger
by a pool or a boat trip around the
Palms artificial islands before heading
into my room to discover what clever
cute animal the maid has created from
a towel, would also be on my agenda.
And as a much-needed antidote to all
the fine food and relaxation, Id seek
out a repeat of my tennis lesson with
one of the Peter Burwash International
coaches at Talise Fitness. This was a
huge test of my own fitness and I was
pushed to go for the passing shots
against my coach, Emory, a recent
American college graduate. The smug
satisfaction after an hours exertion
meant I could guiltlessly enjoy another
meal.
I suspect the real attraction of the
Madinat for me is the resorts 3km
of waterways with its abra watertaxi
service, which whisks guests around
and makes every trip a glamorous
adventure.
Dubai is an impressive place as far
as tourist attractions and facilities go.
You couldnt expect more. But what
makes all those restaurants, hotels and
attractions into a luxury experience?
Its the level of service and attention
to detail which transform high-quality
experiences into luxury living. Dubai
demonstrated to us that it seems to
have found a successful formula.

of the rather grand dining room.

A gigantic Victorian masterpiece
depicting a group of men conducting
a meeting around a table. It is a
picture with a difference, however.
We were intrigued to learn that it
was acquired by a Mafia gangster
who opened a London restaurant in
the 1960s. The then owner disliked
the fact that he did not recognise the
paintings subjects so he arranged
for their faces to be painted over
by likenesses of his favourite
celebrities. Among those looking out
over diners were: Ringo Starr, Rod
Stewart, Frank Sinatra, Mick Jagger
and Bryan Ferry. The picture then
disappeared after the restaurant
went into liquidation, but it was
recently discovered and bought at an
auction by Bennie Gray, an art dealer,
and the owner of Ardanaiseig.
WORTH GETTING OUT OF BED FOR
The spectacular countryside means
there is plenty of scope for fishing
and hill-walking. Some of Scotlands
most famous peaks are within
range, as is Oban, the gateway to the
islands.
LITTLE EXTRAS
The deliciously toasty hot water
bottles warming the bed when it
was time to retire were particularly
welcome. While the Molton Brown
smellies provided in the bathroom
were another luxurious touch.
GUESTBOOK COMMENTS
A wonderfully relaxing stay in an
unforgettable hotel, which was
enhanced by the attentive and
enthusiastic staff. Ardanaiseig is the
perfect place to de-stress and just
a few hours there was enough to
make the most difficult journey very
worthwhile.
Tom Peterkin
Twitter: @TomPeterkin
Double bedrooms from 185, with breakfast
218. Ardanaiseig Hotel, Kilchrenan by Taynuilt,
Argyll PA35 1HE (01866 833 333, www.
ardanaiseig.com)

Spectrum

OTORING
across
Scotland from East
to West through the
tail end of a major
storm is perhaps not
the most relaxing
way to start the weekend. Suffering
from a severe case of flooding in
the Trossachs and having negotiated
endless detours, dusk had fallen by
the time our battered jalopy limped
into Kilchrenan. From there we began
the last leg of our journey, a rain and
wind-lashed excursion along a narrow,
winding road which would have
afforded splendid views of Loch Awe
had we been able to see more than a
few feet in front of us.
With civilisation little more than
a distant memory and running
several hours late, we finally made
it to our destination. So it was with
an overwhelming feeling of relief
we were able to disembark from our
sodden car and slip into a dry gin and
tonic at the Ardanaiseig Hotel. As
the storm rattled the elegant Scottish
baronial manor, we relaxed by the fire
in the Library Bar and the stresses of
our journey began to ebb away.
BUDGET OR BOUTIQUE?
Boutique. With its beautifully
decorated interior and the fine dining
we were about to sample, this hotel
is all about the experience of staying
in a traditional Scottish country hotel
in a remote and magical location.
With guests paying 298 for bed and
breakfast in a master bedroom with
a marvellous view of Loch Awe, the
price range is beyond the budget
category. However, there is plenty of
bang for your buck.
ROOM SERVICE
Treated to the Master Loch View
Bedroom, we luxuriated in a super
king size bed. The spacious en suite
bathroom was dominated by a clawfooted, roll-top bath. And once the
storm had abated, we woke up to
a view of the loch, which was, for
want of a better phrase, quite aweinspiring.
WINING AND DINING
Eschewing the lavish, nine-course
tasting menu, we decided to go
la carte. Our choice may have
lacked the sheer variety of the
former option, but it still made for
a memorable gourmet experience.
Keen to banish the chilling memory
of the weather outside, my dining
companion warmed herself up with
the tasty onion soup. I tucked into
an appetising pat complete with
quails egg. Washing it down with
a very palatable red wine, I moved
on to a delicious steak while my
wife sampled some very appetising
monkfish. A selection of French and
Scottish cheeses were accompanied
by a glass of port to aid the digestion.
The following morning, a first class
cooked breakfast made the perfect
start to the day. With the light
streaming in from Loch Awe, we
were able to feast our eyes on an
unusual feature dominating one wall

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