Eid escapes

From a 98-year-old palace in Budapest to Bedouin-style pool villas in Ras Al Khaimah, we’ve picked the best deals so you can get the most out of your time off work

Be tickled pink this Eid with a regal retreat in the Pink City of Jaipur. Once the home of Maharajas, the 1835-built Rambagh Palace’s ornate doors are thrown open to all with a hunger for a royal indulgence. Experience traditional Rajput hospitality and grandeur right from an extravagant greeting by camels, horses and elephants decorated in colourful attire to the history embedded in every room and corridor as personal butlers guide and school you through vivid anecdotes of individuals born with a silver spoon.

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• SRambagh Palace Luxury Hotel by Taj, Jaipur, Rajasthan, IndiBe tickled pink this Eid with a regal retreat in the Pink City of Jaipur. Once the home of Maharajas, the 1835-built Rambagh Palace’s ornate doors are thrown open to all with a hunger for a royal indulgence. Experience traditional Rajput hospitality and grandeur right from an extravagant greeting by camels, horses and elephants decorated in colourful attire to the history embedded in every room and corridor as personal butlers guide and school you through vivid anecdotes of individuals born with a silver spoon.

The peacock thali lets you experience that by relishing Rajasthani delicacies on silver platters as traditional folk dances are performed on the palace’s lawns before you retire to gilded suites decked with objets d’arts. Extended stay offer includes breakfast, free Wi-Fi and 15 per cent discount when you stay three nights plus.

Palace rooms start from Dh1,372 per night. Call 0091 141 2211 919 or email rambagh.jaipur@tajhotels.com.

Salalah Rotana Resort, Oman

Vacations that feel luxuriously international but without the hassles of long-haul flights makes Oman the ideal getaway for Eid. Look further than Muscat and head north to verdant Salalah – drenched in magical monsoons and perennially verdant, it’s a true oasis and world unto itself, disconnected from the searing desert heat of the rest of the Gulf.

For a holiday that’s as right as Salalah’s icy rains, book the Rotana’s Eid package. 
Built around stunning man-made lagoons and canals the traditional Arabesque-style resort radiates the famed Omani hospitality right from its colourful rooms kitted out with free Wi-Fi to balcony views of misty rains melting into the Indian Ocean. Or 
take a trip to the lush Wadi Darbat – the valley is brimming with spring water at this time of year, and it’s deep enough to paddle boat in.

Eid Al Adha rates start from Dh810 per room per night inclusive of breakfast.

The Address Montgomerie, Dubai

The grass is always green on all sides of the lush golf courses at Address Montgomerie. It is a treat for sore eyes in the summer and your chance to taste a slice of the luxe Emirates Hills, the Beverly Hills of Dubai. Score a birdie of a holiday package with the five-star hotel’s Eid offer that gets you forty winks in modern boutique rooms with a 10 per cent discount on room rates and a lavish breakfast the following morning.

Thought Downtown Dubai’s glitzy skyline was the pinnacle of architecture? Give uptown Dubai’s equally stunning and elegant vista a look from the open courtyard dining at Links, the family bistro, or the sunlit conservatory of international eatery Monty’s.

If you’re keen on puttering about the putting green, the on-site golf academy has enough offers and state-of-the-art facilities for you to perfect your swing on.

Valid between September 9-14. Call 04 4238888 or email stay@theaddress.com.

Azure Ultra Land and Sea Experience, Radisson Blu Resort Malta Golden Sands

Revel in the best of both worlds – land and sea – with Malta-based cruise operator’s Azure Ultra’s Eid land and sea package. Explore the Maltese archipelago aboard a luxury yacht, the 15m Sunseeker Portofino Miss Moneypenny. The sight of azure lightly rippled lagoons and sun-soaked coastlines will shake and stir your inner 007, as will the luxurious service on board, which includes a light lunch.

Once anchors are dropped at the harbour city of Birgu you’ll enjoy the Unesco World Heritage sites from the five-star comfort of a Heavenly Suite at Radisson Blu Resort & Spa for three nights.

The beach resort’s state-of-the-art Myoka Spa and modern rooms will tempt you to stay in and be pampered.

When you do step out, explore this ancient country’s history and the Megalithic Temples, the oldest free-standing structures. Who knows, you might find an adventure befitting Indiana Jones.

Land and Sea experiences start from Dh5,587. Visit www.azureultra.com.

JA Hatta Fort Hotel, Dubai

To nab a picture-postcard Eid break for your family you don’t have to move mountains, just move to the mountains for the weekend and book Jebel Ali Hatta Fort Hotel’s Blissful Eid Getaway offer. Nestled amidst the rolling hills of the Hajar Mountains with chalet-style deluxe rooms surrounded by rock pools, acres of landscaped gardens infused with fresh mountain air will be your family’s abode. Cooler that the rest of the country, this hilly terrain has much in the way of sightseeing. The 16th-century Hatta Village is a monument to traditional architecture styles and is an oasis of farms and falaj (water channels).

Kids can frolic around in the kiddie pool or bouncy castles and enjoy face painting and air hockey within the resort while parents play mini-golf or take a shot at the archery ranges. There’s something for everyone here.

Valid from September 9-16. Chalets from about Dh740 per night. Book online at www.jaresortshotels.com.

Fairmont Ajman

Pristine shoreline, inviting sunloungers and stunning views… welcome to Fairmont Ajman. A short drive from Dubai, it is where life hits a pause button as soon as you step out of your air-conditioned SUV and check in to one of its stunning rooms – each one of the 252 rooms and suites offers a 180-degree view of the Arabian Gulf. The opulent decor and faultless staff will instantly make you feel like royalty.

And if indulging in some good food is an integral part of your itinerary, then the hotel has eight very upscale restaurants and lounges that offer the best of some the world’s finest cuisines. The Turkish restaurant Kiyi comes highly recommended. After rest and relaxation, give in to your urge for revival at the hotel’s state-of-the-art fitness club and salon while your kids are looked after by the staff. What more can you ask for?

Rates from Dh900 per night for a double room. A 50 per cent off the kids’ room, including breakfast.

Raffles Seychelles

Soft white beaches, swaying palms and a sparkling Indian Ocean stretched out right in front of you. In Seychelles, soul-soothing serenity is a given. But at Raffles, an oasis of laid-back luxury, this idyllic island life takes on a posh avatar. Situated in the island of Praslin, home to a few Unesco World Heritage Sites – Vallée de Mai and Anse Lazio – its breathtaking beautiful panoramic views, tropical decor and priceless hush will do wonders for your frayed nerves. And if you still need more TLC, then its world-class spas have an array of treatments that will rejuvenate you for all that awaits once you come back to reality. What’s more, along with the innumerable amenities the hotel offers, it also provides an easel and sketching paper in every villa, just in case you want to channel your inner Picasso.

Enjoy 20 per cent off with the Eid getaway offer including daily breakfast in Losean restaurant. From Dh1,800 per night (after discount). Call 00800 1 723 3537, email praslin@raffles.com.

Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara

The luxurious desert resort of Qasr Al Sarab is located in the stunning Rub’Al Khali, the largest uninterrupted sand desert in the world. Three hours’ drive from Dubai, this spectacular place is well worth the visit, and is the perfect distance for a short Eid break. If you want to relax, unwind in the traditional-style suites or private villas with pools, and chill out in the spa (the signature massage is definitely worth a try) followed by dinner in one of the resort’s restaurants. If you’re looking for a more action-packed weekend, try dune bashing in the resort’s fleet of 4X4 cars, or try your hand at camel trekking across the desert.

Rates start at Dh1,200 for an overnight stay for two including breakfast. Call 02 656 1399 or visit www.qasralsarab.anantara.com for bookings.

Ritz-Carlton Budapest

Travel back in time. Yes, at The Ritz Carlton Budapest, it’s possible. Steeped in vintage elegance, this stunning heritage hotel in Hungary’s capital city is housed in the 98-year-old Adria Palace, and is a haven for those hoping to escape to a fairy-tale wonderland. With 170 guest rooms and 30 suites that are an epitome of understated sophistication, it offers a refreshing break from Dubai’s futuristic skyline.

Situated right in the centre of the city, the hotel is close to the famously glamorous Andrássy Avenue, river Danube and numerous other tourist attractions.

And if you want to just sit back and enjoy some good old Hungarian food, then find a table on the terrace of the hotel’s Deák St Kitchen. Overlooking the fashion street, it’s perfect for people-watching while the gourmand in you relishes the masterpieces created by the kitchen. Try the rákóczi túrós, a traditonal Hungarian dessert that’s as decadent as it sounds.

Room rates from about Dh945, per double room per night. For reservations visit www.ritzcarlton.com.

Prana Resort Nandan, Koh Samui, Thailand

The land of full-moon parties, dreamy tropical beauty, azure palm-lined waters, and a foodie (especially seafood, of course) heaven – is there any box on the holiday-requisite list that Koh Samui doesn’t tick? And the stunning Prana Resort Nandana forms a perfect start point to explore the island, be it shopping malls, world-class eateries, or far away from most of the tourist din, the Bangrak Beach - though regardless of where you start on your Koh Samui trip, you’re sure to end up at Chaweng for a taste of its colourful nightlife.

The Parana Resort is a Thai sanctuary set in tropical, beachfront environs that’s home to an extensive landscape of Thai flora- and worry not, traditional allure coexists with modern kit here. Be sure to try out its Zama Rooftop Kitchen for an eclectic, scrumptious mix of East meets West.

Rates for seven days and six nights starts at about Dh3,960 when booked through QVI Club at www.qviclub.com.

ME London Hotel, United Kingdom

If you’re looking to justify a splurge staying in the world’s cultural capital, the ME London by Melia’s Rolls-Royce package – a quintessential English experience – is a great excuse. It will help you stay for snip at upscale Covent Garden and save 20 per cent on best-available room rates when you book a suite for two nights.

Sleep in the luxurious feather beds and relax in revitalising Bali showers before heading out to discover the city of London, not on foot or the Tube but sat in a chauffeur-driven Rolls-Royce! Wind around the British capital in the most luxurious British car for three long hours, viewing tourist hotspots such as St Paul’s Cathedral, Trafalgar Square and Big Ben. The perks don’t end there; once you’re back in the hotel you’ll be gifted a personalised currency case from iconic leather goods brand Smythson. There’s also breakfast for two included.

Until September 30. Call 004420 7395 3400 or email reservations.me.london@melia.com.

Banyan Tree, Ras Al Khaimah Beach

The majestic peak of Jebel Jais is Ras Al Khaimah’s imposing calling card to the world, but metres below at sea level the northern emirate is equally breathtaking, with an undulating sandy coast that’s both a tranquil seaside getaway and an action-packed adventure – Banyan Tree Ras Al Khaimah Beach’s Eid package is an example.

Stay in secluded Bedouin-style pool villas and unwind with laps in your private temperature-controlled pools. Later kick up the excitement with a falcon show and archery. To rediscover your inner serenity after all that excitement step into the hour-long rainforest experience – a hydrothermal wellness treatment that’s a grown-up version of a luxurious and pampering water park – stroll through the Rain Walk, detox in the Aroma Steam Chamber, and splash out under the Bucket Drench Shower and cooling Ice Fountain.

Valid from September 8-12. From Dh2,600 including breakfast for four and all activities. Call 07 206 7777 or email alwadi@banyantree.com.

Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham

The middle of nowhere. Can you imagine feeling that right here in Dubai, on the bustling JBR Walk, one of the most popular leisure destinations?

At Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham, considered to be the ultimate urban escape, that sense of peace is omnipresent. Each of its 188 rooms are a harmonious blend of world-class hospitality along with the comfort and convenience of home. With meticulously designed rooms – from studios to a stunning penthouse – that take you away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, yet packed with all the creature comforts, this is one place where a staycation truly feels like one.

While you’re there, try Pan Asia, the Asian fusion restaurant. Its Chinese, Japanese and Thai menu with a contemporary twist will have you mastering your chopstick skills.

Rooms from Dh550 per night. The Eid Brunch is Dh125 inclusive of soft drinks and water. From September 8 to 14. For bookings call 04 399 9979, or visit www.hawthornsuitesdubai.com.

Ramada Downtown Dubai

Strike staycation gold in the heart of the City of Gold with Ramada Downtown’s Eid Al Adha offer. A hop, skip and jump from iconic landmarks such as the Burj Khalifa and The Dubai Fountain, escape the rush and full-throttle bustle of Dubai with a slow-paced, relaxing stay in spacious junior suites after a shopping trip to The Dubai Mall or stroll in the Boulevard. And what’s Eid without an expansive feast? Kenza restaurant’s Eid brunch buffet won’t disappoint with its far-reaching spread of Middle Eastern staples and international delicacies priced at a special rate of Dh100 per person for in-house guests. There’s an exclusive kiddie menu for fussy little eaters and exciting activities such as complimentary face-painting to add some colour to your celebrations.

Valid on bookings from September 10 to 17. Call 04 330 7330 or email reservations@rdtdubai.com for bookings.

Jumeirah Zabeel Saray, Dubai

Sail to Byzantium this Eid with a grand staycation on dry land at the Ottoman-inspired resort Jumeirah Zabeel Saray. No time-machine needed. You’ll only get your feet wet here when you splash around with your family at the Wild Wadi Waterpark and the sprawling private beach, to which you’ll have unlimited access.

And that’s just the start. Covering the whole nine yards of the perfect stay, the Eid Al Adha package covers complimentary breakfast and lunch or dinner for two adults per room and kids up to 16 years (for once your teens will have a win!), free Wi-Fi, select movies in the hotel’s luxurious 29-seat private cinema, complimentary access to Sinbad’s Kids Club and unlimited access to the serene mosaic and stained glass interiors of Talise Ottoman Spa along with shuttle service to Wild Wadi and shopping malls.