ROOM FOR DESERT

There's something ethereal about the vast emptiness of the desert; these luxury hotels capture that magic perfectly

- Coco Marett

Forget interstellar travel—the desert’s space-like wilderness of sand, sky and stars has us enchanted. Just think of the wind-formed worlds in Dune or the arid architecture of Tatooine, the fictional desert world orbiting twin suns in Star Wars.

Inspired by this otherworldly aesthetic, a crop of design-led hotels has bloomed in deserts around the world, bringing lush, five-star comforts to some of the most inhabitable places on Earth.

Even by Tatler standards, these places are really something else.

STAR QUALITY

AMANGIRI, UTAH, US

With its minimalist design and muted tones—stark, sculptural buildings create a beautiful contrast against the rippling walls of the surrounding canyons—Amangiri magically blends in as much as it stands out in the dramatic, colourful expanse of the Utah desert.

Since it opened in 2009, the resort has won countless design awards and the hearts of A-list travellers, including models like Emily Ratajkowski, Jasmine Tookes and Rosie Huntington-Whitely, who can’t get enough of the hotel’s picturesque surroundings— especially of the pool, which is flanked with king-size loungers and parasols. In cooler months, cosy up by the fire pit or take a dip in the Jacuzzi.

In 2020, the hotel introduced Camp Sarika, adding to its 34 suites a collection of 10 tented pavilions with individual private plunge pools in a luxury encampment surrounded by 240 hectares of raw wilderness, located just a five-minute drive—or a 30-minute hike—from Amangiri.

Amangiri also offers an oasis in the typically dry state of Utah, with a floor-to-ceiling walnut wine cellar and locally inspired cocktails, like a prickly pear margarita or sage mojito.