Shining Like a Diamond in the Desert

The Waldorf Astoria Ras Al Khaimah stands like a grand lady overlooking the Arabian Ocean. Coming from Dubai, as soon as you turn west off 311 toward the coast, she rises to meet you in the distance. Fun fact — it was initially built as a palace for the emirate's rulers. When it opened in 2013, it quickly developed a loyal following as a family favorite for warm winter resort stays with an all-inclusive model. After the 2023 winter season, the resort closed for refurbishment. The Ruling Family of the Emirate, the owners of the resort, made some changes to the structure, while the property management updated the all-inclusive model to one that is a la carte. A newly created boardwalk behind the hotel connects the Waldorf Astoria to the other properties in the Al Hamra community, including the soon-to-open Sofitel and Ritz Carlton.

Image 1: Waldorf Astoria Golf View ; Image 2: Waldorf Astoria RAK Children Pool

I heard about these updates during a site inspection with the Director of Sales, Maruan Elena. Upon arrival, I was happy to see that one thing had not changed. A traditional Emirati and Romeo, the Waldorf’s Resident Falcon, still greeted me at the front door. Romeo is responsible for keeping the porte cochère free of pests and performs a flying show on the beach three days a week. While waiting for Maruan, I was treated to Arabic coffee and delicious Saudi dates. UAE hospitality at its best!

Maruan explained that the refurbishment was anticipated to take six months but ended up being slightly longer. The property is almost open, and they are just finishing the final touch-ups now. There are 203 rooms, with 26% of them devoted to suites. This family-friendly resort is spacious. The bedrooms are large. Even standard/deluxe rooms have walk-in closets. Rooms either have an ocean view (even-numbered rooms) or a golf-course view (odd-numbered rooms).

Are you traveling with children but want a little “us” time? Not to worry! A great “Kids Club” on the property and an entire children’s pool area with a water slide and splash zone. When I visited, the children were drawing and painting, and it looked like they were having a blast!

Image 1: Romeo in the Lobby ; Image 2: Waldorf Astoria RAK Lobby Clock

The second pool is adult-only and has an accompanying restaurant/bar. In addition to the pool areas, there is an extensive beach area with loungers, lifeguards and servers. Water sports are also available, with both motorized and non-motorized options.

There are several restaurants on site. The primary restaurant for breakfast and lunch is Azure. It offers a large outdoor patio for dining with some room for indoor tables in case it gets cool. The hotel’s two stars are Lexington Bar and Grill, a New York-style steakhouse (which offers nightly two-for-one drink specials and fantastic entertainment), and Umi, a Japanese-style sushi and Teppanyaki restaurant. Both restaurants are open from 6 pm to 10:30 pm. Camilia, an Emirati-style tea house and bakery offering 60 types of carefully curated tea, is open daily. Lexington Bar and Grill has a reputation of being the best steakhouse in the UAE, and as a customer I can vouch for that!

Image 1: Waldorf Astoria RAK Jr Suite Bedroom ; Image 2: Waldorf Astoria RAK Deluxe Bedroom double

The Waldorf Spa has been updated as part of this refurbishment. I did not visit this part of the hotel but plan to check it out later! It's all part of due diligence, of course!

The Waldorf Astoria at Ras Al Khamah is perfect for families due to their "Kids Club". Parents can rest assured that their children will have loads of fun while they are doing their own thing. As well, couples looking for a romantic getaway can make this your own vacation spot due to the two excellent restaurants on site. Contact me and I can make it happen!

This trip report is part of our ongoing series on travel to Ras Al Khamah, United Arab Emirates. In need of further inspiration? Check out Amy Thyberg’s guide, Clutching Pearls in the UAE.