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Lisa is an Independent Luxury Travel Advisor affiliated with Preferred Travel and Company.
Contact Lisa: Lisa@PreferredNaples.com 239-261-1177

Kenya dressed in flowing white thobes and dark sunglasses served as
Sheikhs and Shisha, elegant doormen, orchestrating the constant nirvanic flow of humanity
through the front doors. The interior décor was unmistakably “Arabian
Sheikh,” every design element over the top. Each of the 199 hotel
Skyscrapers and Sand:
Discovering gold leaf accents, imported marble, custom tilework and personally
rooms is as big as a duplex home in the sky featuring rich jewel tones,
attended to by a professional butler.
With 20 restaurants, multiple beach clubs, a traditional souk,
Dubai a waterpark, buggies (golf carts) and abras (small electric wooden
boats) to transport guests, this is a destination resort. We hopped on a
buggy to the abra station, cruised the canals and shopped in the Souk
Madinat Jumeirah for local treasures including cashmere pashminas,
silk, pottery, paper mache art, gold, spices, blown glass perfume bottles
and mosaic lanterns. In the afternoon, we jumped in the warm, rolling
by Lisa Spiller waves of the Persian Gulf, lazed on a beach bed under cloudless skies,
he allure of Dubai, for me, has always been hydrated with pina coladas and margaritas and eavesdropped on the
the futuristic architecture, over the top international jet set vacationing alongside us.
T attractions and developments, Arabian Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the absolute ruler
culture, desert adventures, and the glamourous of Dubai and the prime minister of the United Arab Emirates, is the
intrigue of a place so foreign. Over six days in inspiration and vision behind The Burj Al Arab, The Palm and many
November, I discovered Dubai is ALL THAT and of the award-winning developments and attractions in the city. His
more! With the added insights and appreciation that likeness is omnipresent in photos, artist renderings and quotes on
I gained from my recent travel experience, I am now a super fan. buildings and in hotel lobbies. He is beloved by his people for his
Having never traveled to Arabia before, I wanted to alleviate generosity and forward-thinking mentality and is known to provide a
any stress upon arrival, so I arranged a private VIP meet and greet palatial home for Emiratis upon their wedding day and employ women
service at the airport. We were met at our gate by a uniformed in his government at a ratio of 60%.
English-speaking guide through immigration and baggage claim to Among the highlights of our adventure was experiencing the
our awaiting car within minutes. Checking into the SLS Dubai, national heritage sports born of the ancient Bedouin tribes and
we were eager to experience the Dubai skyline and nightlife. The perpetuated by the local Emirati people: camel races and falconry.
st
hotel lobby on the 71 floor offered Art Deco Camels are owned by sheikhs, trained in the
glam, and our hotel room was a sprawling desert by Pakistani and Indian immigrants and
contemporary two-story loft with breathtaking raced for big money at various Emirate camel
views of Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest racing clubs. I was thrilled to secure a local guide
building. After a quick change of clothes, we for the first race of the season at the Dubai Camel
beamed up to restaurant Fi’lia, for al fresco Racing Club and Al Marmoom Racing Track.
Mediterranean fare and pushed through our We were mesmerized by hundreds of camels
jet lag to check out the widely known SLS and trainers preparing for the morning races. An
Rooftop Pool Bar. As we stepped off the interesting twist: The camels are fitted with robot
elevator onto the al fresco pool bar, we found jockeys and operated remotely from 4 x 4 vehicles
a scene alive with sizzle and sparkle! A hipster on an adjacent track.
DJ was spinning live Arabian pop music in Race after race, we watched dozens of camels
front of a shimmering panoramic backdrop adorned with colorful mahawis (Arabic camel
of the city skyline. A vibrant, eclectic mix of saddles) carrying the doll-like robots line up for
chic international urbanites were sipping Moët the 8 km races, sprint out of the gate and after 8
& Chandon by starlight laughing in foreign km, limp and foam across the sandy finish line.
languages while locals huddled over shisha For an authentic off the beaten tourist track
pipes. Shisha is flavored tobacco smoked experience, this can’t be beat!
through a hookah pipe and is part of the fabric Camel farms and markets are part of the fabric
of Arabic culture. We relished the vibe and of desert culture. We saw hundreds of camels
marveled at our exotic adventure underway. being walked by immigrant farmers over miles
From the SLS in the city center, we moved of golden sand near the Al Marmoom Desert
to our beach accommodations, the iconic Burj Conservation Reserve. The Camelicious factory,
Al Arab. To arrive at the Burj Al Arab is like located in the same area, processes, packages and
stepping into a movie set. The “hotel designed sells chocolate camel milk and camel meat, both
like a ship sailing into harbor” is reached by popular with the locals, in grocery stores and
a guarded bridge which only guests of the camel markets.
hotel are allowed to cross. Tall men from To be continued in our March issue!
58 Life in Naples | February 2024