Every room at the Ritz-Carlton Al Hamra Beach takes the form of a slated wood villa ensconced within a thicket-strewn backyard. It immediately puts me in mind of The Faraway Tree, only my favourite series by British author Enid Blyton.
In the books, three exceptionally lucky children get to go on numerous adventures thanks to a magical woodland escape just across from their countryside cottage. A two-night stay with my own five-year-old at the Ras Al Khaimah property proves just as enchanting – despite the whirring of construction cranes as the UAE’s northernmost emirate gets future-ready.
The welcome
Two wrong turns and four roundabouts are not ideal when your child needs the loo after a 90-minute drive from Dubai to RAK. As my husband finally pulls the car into the unassuming driveway of the boutique resort, the valet, bellhop and buggy chauffeur jump into action, with the chauffeur doubling as a butler and leading us to the two-desk reception within seconds, much to baby Myra’s relief.
Given the property is made up of only 32 nearly identical villas, the check-in process is over even before my beetroot-hibiscus juice is. The chauffeur-butler, with whom we are already on a first-name basis, drives us out to Villa 30 in a golf buggy, a mainstay mode of transport at this 80-hectare estate.
Alongside pointing out the all-day dining restaurant that precedes Villa 1 and the spa that backends Villa 33 (there is no Villa 13), Sandeep from Hyderabad engages in thoughtful small talk with our daughter. It’s a precursor to the warm, personalised service that elevates our stay.
The room
At about 190 square metres, each chalet-style villa is
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