Shangri-La Hotel, Qaryat Al Beri, Abu Dhabi

The Shangri-La Qaryat Al Beri is a lavish contemporary hotel with spectacular modern Arabian style. The Shangri-La is quiet and private, a serene environment with beauty everywhere. Although kid-friendly, families with lots of very young children may feel more comfortable at a more resort-like, activity-laden property. Many of Abu Dhabi’s five-star hotels are futuristic and cold; the Shangri-La embraces the area’s history, with niches, Arabian-style arches, exquisite mosaics, traditional wood carvings, tropical plants and palms, and stunning views of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque across the water. The pool is a quiet Eden, with ornate bridges, luxe sunbeds, shaded areas, a stylish poolside bar, and the ever-present spiritual center of Abu Dhabi, the mosque, just beyond the deep end. Lush lawns are dotted with inviting, turquoise-upholstered sofas and armchairs for reading a book ("The Arabian Nights," perhaps?) or enjoying a cocktail with friends. The defining feature of this fine hotel is the attention to detail, from the rose petals floating in the spa baths to the rustic stone walls and post-colonial feel of the Vietnamese restaurant, the atmosphere is of a gentler world apart from the excess and wealth-on-display in extraordinary Abu Dhabi.

The Shangri-La Hotel, Qaryat Al Beri, is located in a cluster of super luxe hotels, on the shore of beautiful Maqtaa Creek, with stunning views of the Sheikh Zared Mosque from nearly every vantage point. The Mosque is a 15-minute walk from the property, and the famed Al Maqtaa Fort is also nearby. The immediate area, which is filled with mostly large hotel properties, doesn’t hold much interest. Sheikh Zared Stadium and the Abu Dhabi Golf Course are six miles away. The airport is a 15-minute drive from the Shangri-La.

Rooms at the Shangri-La Hotel, Qaryat Al Beri, are sophisticated, with Arabian architecture and design that includes arched doorways and stunning hand-carved furniture with graceful curves that make each room seem much more than a cookie-cutter hotel cubicle. Each room has a private balcony or terrace with views of the canal and the Gulf beyond. Bathrooms are gorgeous, with deep soaking tubs and large stone and marble shower stalls with rainfall showerheads. Rooms come with full-size writing desks, minibars, free bottled water, coffeemakers, and flat-screen TVs with DVD players. Villas have private pools, and extended-stay apartments have full kitchens.

The Shangri-La Hotel features a winding canal with Arabian gondola rides. Chi spa is a lush haven, with beautiful woods, colorful silks, stunning mosaics, and many decorative extras to complement the extensive treatment menu. Along with cardio and weight equipment, the fitness center offers boxing, Pilates, zumba, and other fitness classes. Sofra bld, the buffet restaurant, serves a wide variety of excellent food, including dim sum and a chocolate fountain. Bord Eau serves seasonal produce flown from France, under reproductions of Degas ballerinas. Pearls & Caviar serves Mediterranean seafood, and there is weekend dancing at the rooftop Pearls bar.