Abi:original - If you aren't original, what are you?

Life on a beach Not every hotel can claim 5-star status. It comes after careful examination of amenities. Adherence to international standards must be met. A visit to preview the latest offering of Al Raha Beach Hotel’s Azur Restaurant, came my way. Since I’m based in the northern Emirates it was going to be a three-and-a-half-hour journey to Abu Dhabi. No distance is an obstacle when it comes to work and so I went to check out the property.  Azur is a casual dining restaurant that has both outdoor and indoor seating options. The recently revamped menu harbours a homely Italian Trattoria. The turquoise-hued place is buzzing with people when I finally arrive. The first course is already over and done with and people are digging in to their Mushroom Risotto. A dish I thoroughly enjoyed. For anyone who favours Italian cuisine, there was a lot more headed our way. In came a succulent Lamb Shank or lamb ossobucco, which was served with its own beef sauce. The music ...

Dubai residents are familiar with luxury hotels which mushroom this landscape attracting hordes of tourists from the region and beyond. When it comes to enhanced luxury, many from the region will make sure they have experienced it.  The St. Regis Vommuli Resort island The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort is all set to unveil its newest and most exquisite venture. Built on its own island, with breath taking vistas, it offers the most privacy a visitor could want. The facility will open on November 1, this year. A select few journalists in Dubai were offered a sneak peak at what the hotel offers.   Set on nine hectares of a private isle in the Dhaalu Atoll, the 77 all-villa accommodation are surrounded by pristine landscapes, thick tropical vegetation, a fine white-sand beach, a brackish lagoon and the glistening turquoise Indian Ocean. The hotel offers a personal e-butler service prior to arrival. A luxury airport transfer greets guests who make their wa...