In a metropolis well versed in excess, Dubai’s Ritz-Carlton delivers luxury with elegant restraint. Despite its bounty of rooms, suites, swimming pools, restaurants and bars, the air here is intimate and discreet; a lush, tranquil retreat from the hyperactive sprawl surrounding it. Marble, Arabesque arches and trickling water set a soothing tone in the lobby, off which awaits the hushed refinement of the Lobby Lounge, complete with cathedral-like wooden ceiling, harpist (Monday to Saturday) and evening jazz (Thursday). The hotel’s Eden-esque gardens lead to a private beach.
