Hidden amid the golden sand dunes of the Liwa Desert’s Empty Quarter, Qasr Al Sarab feels a world away from the bright lights of Abu Dhabi. Yet getting to this exclusive oasis from the UAE’s capital involves just a two-hour drive. Built like a medieval Emeriti fort, with earthen walls and crenelated parapets, the resort has 206 rooms, suites, and villas done up in an Arabian Nights fantasy of carved wooden furniture, stone floors, wrought-iron lampshades, rich Persian carpets, and terrazzo tubs, as well as terraces that look out across the shimmering dunes. If that’s not enough to entice you, Qasr Al Sarab’s “Extend Your Stay” promotion just might: guests staying three nights or more in any room category will enjoy a 30 percent discount on rates starting from AED 1,200 (US$326), daily gourmet breakfast included. The offer runs until the end of the year.