Getaways

The Cover Rotana Resort Ras Al Khaimah

At the hotel reservations website Booking.com, most consumer reviews of The Cove Rotana Resort are written by users from the UAE. That's the reason there's so much buzz about this hotel right now: it knows its key market and caters to it perfectly, with staff here primed accordingly.

Barely an hour's drive away from Dubai on Emirates Road, it's the newest weekend getaway hot spot for stressed-out city slickers looking for a break but short on funds or leave days. With many staff from Rotana hotels around the Emirates, there's a comforting sense of the familiar, despite being first-time visitors. The proximity to Dubai also means you're likely to bump into old mates or business associates, which, of course, could be welcome or not. 

- Mediterranean Appeal

We arrived early on a Friday afternoon, rolling up to a busy, bustling front desk – but pretty quickly, we were barrelling away again – almost mountain-bashing, if you like – in a golf cart up and down winding little hilly roads to our room on the far side.

Located almost at the border of Ras Al Khaimah on a tranquil coastal inlet, the hotel's 300 rooms and villas recreate a Mediterranean village that sprawls across the emirate's Arqoob beach. Most rooms offer views of the sea or of one of two large, stunning pools. All have domed roofs, which are enchanting and rustic, but can be startling when your voice suddenly bounces off the dome and comes echoing back. While on the small side, they're cosily laid out, and equipped with Arabic calligraphy art and a flat screen television on the walls.

- Healing Hands

Having turned in a story that very morning, I begin my break from the stresses of a daily newspaper with a massage break at the hotel's Bodylines spa. I'm in the healing hands of Recreation Director Hamad Aly, who, after taking me through a menu of oils and techniques, goes to work right away on my shoulders. Endless days of staring at a rectangular box, fingers banging away at little white blobs of plastic, have left my tendons tense, but Aly, who has studied reiki and chakra healing, pretty much pummels them into submission, and I'm soon both revitalised and almost ready to tackle another 1,200 words. Instead, I sample the delights of the hotel's beverage list.

The more active types can choose from a variety of water sports, and at Dh250 for 60 minutes parasailing, they're not that expensive. And for families, ask about children's activities – there's plenty!

- Eat and Drink

There are two restaurants on site, Cinnamon, an all-day venue, and Basilico, which is a journey around the Mediterranean. The former is buffet-lover's paradise, the sort of place with hundreds of varieties of everything and several live stations, while the latter serves up the delights of Venice and Athens. Expect to pay under Dh500 for a meal for two with drinks.

A lovely little bar called Breeze offers a fine selection of light meals and mixed drinks, and is a great place to trade preposterous stories by candlelight. 

- Reservations at The Cove Rotana Resort, Ras Al Khaimah, can be made by calling or 07 206 6000. Summer rates, valid till September 20, are Dh400 on weekdays and Dh600 on weekends, with an added 10 per cent service charge.

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