Hilton Al Hamra Beach and Golf Resort - Al Hamra, RAK

Previously the Al Hamra Fort Hotel, Hilton has now taken over this hot spot in Al Hamra, sandwiched between The Waldolf Astoria and The Banyan Tree. Situated conveniently 50 minutes away from Dubai, 15 minutes from Ras Al Khaimah, and an hour from the Omani border (which leads up to the beautiful Musandam Peninsula), Al Hamra is a great place to be to experience the best of both worlds (the city and the mountains) as well as being a great place for a weekend stay cay. It is also very close to other local attractions including Ice Land and Dream Land.

We went to Al Hamra for a night to stay at The Hilton and even though it was definitely not a 5 star resort it was comfortable and had all the amenities which make stay-cays enjoyable. The complex was huge, and all the rooms were separated into Arabic style building with winding pathways laid down between  gardens joining up the resort. From the outside, the buildings looked authentic and painted a lovely picture of the resort, however the inside could of done with a bit of work. The corridors and stairwells resembled my old boarding school - stone and cold - and the rooms looked dated. Even though they were clean, the beds were comfy and there was a large balcony attached, the paint work looked chipped, there were water stains on the wall and the AC didnt seem to be working well (it was also very noisy!) which obviously made things slightly uncomfortable in the middle of summer. However, on the plus side, we ordered room service for breakfast which made up for what was lacking in the room. They offered a proper full English breakie with PORK bacon and they also served gluten free bread. Not only was it probably one of the best breakfasts we have had from room service in a hotel, it was also the cheapest and after our first nights stay, gave us a little more hope in terms of what else The Hilton had in store for us.

The Hilton offers up a range of sporting activities, on the water and the land. They have an 18 hole golf course (and a mini golf course too - more my style), tennis courts, two swimming pools, plus a gym and water sports center. There are also eight onsite dining venues, including a gastro pub, a pool side lunch spot and the infamous Mai Tai Lounge (AKA Trader Vics). The pools are nice however quite small in size and were far too warm for the summer months, however the main delight was the beach. RAK is known for its white sandy beaches and this one did not disappoint. It was an enjoyable stay for one night, however its a better place for a family holiday rather than a relaxing weekend away.