Hotels in Murquab

"The hotel policy now allows guests aged 8 and above (strictly no children under 8, so make sure to check when booking). An additional AED 1500 (approx. RMB 3000) is charged for a third person (aged 8 or above), which includes an extra bed, three meals, afternoon tea, and two activities. Considering the quality of the food and the fun activities, RMB 3000 is an acceptable price. We hired a driver-guide for RMB 1000 who picked us up from our first hotel by the sea, showed us around the city for half a day, and then dropped us off at this desert hotel. I checked, and a taxi would probably cost over RMB 300. The hotel has just over 40 rooms, all individual villas with private pools. There's one 3-bedroom suite, four 2-bedroom suites, and the rest are 1-bedroom types. Even the 1-bedroom villas are very spacious. You can refer to the room photos on Trip.com, and the shared map shows the room distribution. Personally, I prefer the front-row villas (numbers 24 to 35) that are closer to the front desk/restaurant (offering open views of the endless desert with just your villa in sight; it's also convenient for walking a few times instead of always calling the buggy). The second row, being on a slope on the second level, might have views of the first-row villas, and having other human structures in sight sort of diminishes the experience. Villas near the spa/main pool might be affected by the activity gathering points. You can specify your preferences when booking, as the hotel's service style is generally very accommodating. From the moment your car enters the desert park, the driver will be given a Chinese instruction sheet, and a Chinese-speaking front desk staff member will be arranged to greet you. The restaurant serves three-course meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Breakfast includes complimentary juices and drinks, and a semi-buffet selection. The quality is worth the price; for example, you can choose steak for all three meals, and there's lobster bisque and salmon sashimi. I found the taste to be excellent, always leaving me feeling full. The restaurant now also has Chinese-speaking female staff and Chinese menus. The restaurant service is particularly noteworthy; it left a great impression last year and was just as excellent this year. The staff are thoughtful and polite, doing their best to meet requests. For instance, the opening hours are long, and even when some guests arrive at 9:45 PM for dinner, there's no sign of being rushed. Each visit, they offer cool, mint-scented towels to soothe sun-exposed skin. Previously, room service was free, but now breakfast or all three meals delivered to the room incur an additional AED 100 service charge. However, guests with hotel-arranged transport usually don't need room service. Afternoon tea is available in the lobby, offering small pastries like cheesecakes. Before activities or while waiting, you can browse books in the lounge area; many books feature abundant pictures introducing natural scenery or various hotels. Following that, each person gets two activities per day. Camel riding is a recommended and unique experience. Starting at 6:15 PM, it's not too hot. Getting on and off the camel is a bit bumpy. The ride deep into the desert perfectly coincides with sunset, making for great photos. The rest stop provides alcoholic/non-alcoholic beverages/sodas/water, along with snacks like strawberries and dates. After a short break, you ride back to the meeting point near the spa. As dusk falls, the bonfire is already lit. You can then wash up and head for dinner around 8:30 PM. The wildlife drive is also quite interesting. The staff drove us, giving a slight dune-bashing experience, and introduced common sheep breeds and newborn lambs. We also saw a water source in the heart of the desert, where fish are kept to clean the water. Archery is another activity you can try, but for summer, it's best to go early, like 8 or 9 AM, otherwise the sand can be scorching hot. We had originally booked for 11 AM, but the staff strongly recommended changing to an earlier time. Last year, I went at noon wearing slippers and truly couldn't stand on the sand. The Chinese activity sheet and schedule (including chargeable activities) are also included in the shared pictures. The room cleaning is quite thorough; you can call someone to clean the pool surface before swimming. There are some ants, insects, geckos, birds, and sheep that come into the courtyard. Personally, I find it acceptable, and isn't choosing this hotel precisely for its unique, eco-friendly desert environment? "

"I was planning a solo trip on vacation and ended up booking a hotel in the desert. The building itself and the surrounding area were so beautiful that I wouldn't mind spending a day just staying at the hotel without doing any activities. (I did camel riding and desert driving^^) There were many hotel activities and, above all, the staff was very friendly. I recommend this to those who want a quiet and relaxing stay."