THE GOLD LIST 2022

The classic hotels we always return to.

ONE & ONLY PALMILLA, MEXICO

QASR AL SARAB BY ANANTARA ABU DHABI, UAE

Deep within Abu Dhabi’s remote Empty Quarter, Qasr Al Sarab materialises from the sands like a fever dream—one I’d happily return to again and again. I always feel a little thrill on seeing the fort-like compound, with its crenellated walls, faux watchtowers and horseshoe arches, emerge at the end of a slick ribbon of tarmac that snakes through dunes the colour of Earl Grey tea. I eye the date palms shading its formidable perimeter, and marvel at the small canals modelled on ancient Arabian falaj irrigation systems, which carry cooling water between courtyards. Inside, the details give just enough of a sense of place—Moroccan-style lanterns and intricate mashrabiya screens, and even the odd Bedouin artefact, such as a dagger or a brass coffee pot—which feels purposeful rather than hokey. Sienna-walled guest rooms are kitted out with wooden chests and plush-patterned rugs that offer tactile warmth in a desolate place. But the most intriguing aspect is that activity and idleness are in equal supply here. I can just as easily spend a day hopping over the dunes on a fat bike or camel as linger on the premises, perhaps being immersed in a sound bath. Every trip ends with a climb along the dunes. I’ve seen some of the most mesmerising sunsets of my life from this vantage point—the ocean-like sands constantly shifting as the winds carve waves into their surface; impermanent but, just for a moment, perfectly wrought. NICOLA CHILTON Doubles from about £350/ ₹35,330; anantara.com

GROOTBOS PRIVATE NATURE RESERVE WESTERN CAPE, SOUTH AFRICA