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Al Maha Desert Resort & Spa, Dubai [Master Thread]

Old Dec 12, 2018, 6:51 am
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Al Maha Desert Resort & Spa, Dubai [Master Thread]

Old Sep 12, 2018, 5:24 pm
  #241  
 
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Thanks to all who have provided email addresses. With those email addresses, I have had no problem contacting the hotel and responses have been extremely fast and friendly. My points stay (60k/nt) is booked and they are helping with various requests. No problem doing more than 2 activities in a single day, timing permitted, so long as the total during your stay isn't more than 2 x # of nights.
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Old Sep 14, 2018, 9:54 pm
  #242  
 
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I am considering booking Al Maha for 3 nights (as a layover to the Maldives) for a family member who has never been to Dubai (and therefore wants to do a little bit of touristy stuff - visit Burj Khalifa, etc.)...how feasible it's is to get there from Al Maha?...is it a long taxi ride?...are taxis readily available from/to?
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Old Sep 15, 2018, 2:19 am
  #243  
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Originally Posted by in4tar
I am considering booking Al Maha for 3 nights (as a layover to the Maldives) for a family member who has never been to Dubai (and therefore wants to do a little bit of touristy stuff - visit Burj Khalifa, etc.)...how feasible it's is to get there from Al Maha?...is it a long taxi ride?...are taxis readily available from/to?
this property is not the type of place you want to stay in if your goal is to explore dubai....this is the type of place you want to spend a few days in....any tourist destination is going to be at least an hour away....

if your family member wants to do typical dubai touristy stuff then i would recommend they stay at one of the many properties in the city....grosvenor house is one of my favourite properties there....i also end up spending close to 50 nights a year at the sheraton mall of the emirates hotel....one of the better sheratons i have stayed in across the world....
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Old Sep 15, 2018, 7:31 am
  #244  
 
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Originally Posted by in4tar
I am considering booking Al Maha for 3 nights (as a layover to the Maldives) for a family member who has never been to Dubai (and therefore wants to do a little bit of touristy stuff - visit Burj Khalifa, etc.)...how feasible it's is to get there from Al Maha?...is it a long taxi ride?...are taxis readily available from/to?
For sighteseeing in Dubai city itself, Al Maha is definitely no go.
It takes close to 1 hour drive to city.

Try JW Marriott Marquis if you want to stay near Downtown, or Grosvenor House for Dubai Marina
Downtown Dubai is around 15 km away from Marina
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Old Sep 15, 2018, 10:50 am
  #245  
 
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thank you, guys!...they wanted to combine both - some city activities and some desert activities, so I thought Al Maha would be a logical place for that...looks like they have to choose one or another and save the rest for next time...
thanks again, I do appreciate the input!
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Old Sep 15, 2018, 12:05 pm
  #246  
 
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Just contacted SPG/Marriott to ask for the 30k points I was overcharged back. The agent I spoke to agreed it wasn't correct to charge and they are looking into refunding the points.
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Old Sep 25, 2018, 9:52 am
  #247  
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Just booked 3 nights here to start off a trip in the spring, super pumped! Looks like points reservations are all inclusive?
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Old Sep 25, 2018, 10:24 am
  #248  
 
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Originally Posted by nevansm
Just booked 3 nights here to start off a trip in the spring, super pumped! Looks like points reservations are all inclusive?
They sure are except for beverages ...

Last edited by IrishStephen; Sep 25, 2018 at 10:25 am Reason: beverage
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Old Sep 25, 2018, 4:00 pm
  #249  
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Originally Posted by IrishStephen
They sure are except for beverages ...
I'm fine with that, duty free is a great thing
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Old Oct 7, 2018, 9:09 am
  #250  
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Originally Posted by JohnRain
Here you go, nittany987:
http://www.al-maha.com/en/desert-activities-new
There are morning and afternoon activities and they're all very interesting.
FFS. It looks like the list is another casualty of the merger. I'm staying here in 4 days and haven't heard anything from the hotel, so I've reached out to the reservations address posted here.
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Old Oct 8, 2018, 12:32 am
  #251  
 
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Anyone know how we can arrange activities/meals here? Our arrival time is at 8:30PM in DXB, then departing at 2:30AM two days later. I'd ideally like to spend as much time as I can during the full day we have at Al Maha, so I'm wondering how accomodating they can be with us spending most of the day at the resort and 'backloading' all of our meals/activities.
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Old Oct 8, 2018, 1:03 am
  #252  
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Originally Posted by Martellus
Anyone know how we can arrange activities/meals here? Our arrival time is at 8:30PM in DXB, then departing at 2:30AM two days later. I'd ideally like to spend as much time as I can during the full day we have at Al Maha, so I'm wondering how accomodating they can be with us spending most of the day at the resort and 'backloading' all of our meals/activities.
You have 2 activities per night included, you can do 4 activities in one day if you wish. Most people will do the falconry, camel ride, desert drive and dune bashing.

AFAIK they allow all guests to stay as long as they want in the spa area. As you’re checking in late they will probably let you eat dinner on your last night. That said I wouldn’t worry to much they are extremely accommodating.
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Old Oct 8, 2018, 8:59 am
  #253  
 
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Originally Posted by GVA


You have 2 activities per night included, you can do 4 activities in one day if you wish. Most people will do the falconry, camel ride, desert drive and dune bashing.

AFAIK they allow all guests to stay as long as they want in the spa area. As you’re checking in late they will probably let you eat dinner on your last night. That said I wouldn’t worry to much they are extremely accommodating.
Whoops - GVA - I actually meant if we're only staying *1* night (so two activities total). But I guess it would be the same?
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Old Oct 8, 2018, 9:46 am
  #254  
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Originally Posted by Martellus
Anyone know how we can arrange activities/meals here? Our arrival time is at 8:30PM in DXB, then departing at 2:30AM two days later. I'd ideally like to spend as much time as I can during the full day we have at Al Maha, so I'm wondering how accomodating they can be with us spending most of the day at the resort and 'backloading' all of our meals/activities.
I emailed the reservations email address above and they got back to me within 24 hours. Glad I did - they missed at least 1-2 emails from my Ambassador, so things like my airport pickup hadn't actually been arranged. I'd really like that a $1,500 a night hotel and a top tier concierge between them could have figured that one out without me having to step in.
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Old Oct 8, 2018, 1:23 pm
  #255  
 
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Originally Posted by Martellus
Anyone know how we can arrange activities/meals here? Our arrival time is at 8:30PM in DXB, then departing at 2:30AM two days later. I'd ideally like to spend as much time as I can during the full day we have at Al Maha, so I'm wondering how accomodating they can be with us spending most of the day at the resort and 'backloading' all of our meals/activities.
I am doing the same thing. Arrival DXB 7:30pm; departure 4:30am 2 days later, with a full day in between. I am on points, so I just booked two nights rather than checking out and having to linger at the property until midnight. They had no problem with us doing 4 activities on the full day, but we're limited to a small degree based on the timing. (See schedule, which they emailed to me.) They also said they'd pack breakfast (not hot, though) for us the night/morning we depart for DXB.

I was able to book activities with the concierge via email--they were remarkably responsive.
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