Nov 22, 2024 • 8 min read
In Saudi Arabia, This Immersive New Hotel Keeps the Ancient Past Alive
04.11.2024 - 20:55 / cntraveler.com
Every night, 1,800 candles and lanterns send shadows dancing across the walls of Dar Tantora The House Hotel, casting the interiors of this extraordinary 30-room property in soft shades of gold. Across the road from a thriving oasis, in the heart of AlUla’s Old Town, Dar Tantora inhabits a labyrinthine cluster of mud-brick and stone houses abandoned in the late 20th century. Their restoration—and subsequent conversion into a hotel—was led by Egyptian architect Shahira Fahmy, whom Phaidon describes as one of the premier “architects building the Arab future.”
The atmosphere at Dar Tantora is immersive: There is minimal electricity on the property, and illumination at night is provided solely by candlelight and the desert moon.
Wreathed in shades of ochre, sienna, and umber, the hotel feels inextricably linked to its natural environment and the local community—both past and present. Poufs and rugs are spun from natural fibers, wooden doors are rough and hand-painted. The overplayed hallmarks of contemporary luxury design are noticeably absent: no glass doors, no hyper-polished woods, no perfect 90-degree angles. Instead, doors to guest rooms are immense pieces of lumber, carved with intricate patterns; floors are covered with ropey jute, layered with vivid red and oxblood rugs. Organic shapes and textures abound, from the grit of the mud-brick walls to the timber beams on the reed-covered ceilings. It’s like entering a museum, but one you can live and sleep in.
My stay starts with a welcome ceremony designed to engage all the senses. I’m presented with a cool towel, a plate of dates, a cup of freshly prepared Arabic coffee and an array of fragrant incense; I’m invited to pick one to be burned in my guest room at turndown. The experience feels genuine and immersive, without being put-on or costumey. Rooms are divided into four categories: Dar Al Luban is the entry-level; Dar Al Bukhour rooms have a lounge area; Dar Al Hareer rooms have both a lounge and a terrace with daybeds; and Dar Al Oud suites have two bedrooms. Each room’s layout is unique, but none have air conditioning, relying instead on ceiling fans and an age-old regional design tradition of cross-ventilation to ensure sufficient airflow. There are no electrical lights in rooms, save for sconces by the bathroom mirrors, and limited electrical lighting in public spaces. Instead, in the evenings, those candles and lanterns burn in every nook and cranny, suspending the space in a romantic glow. Everything is designed to encourage maximum immersion in this historic setting, although there is reliable WiFi across the property, so you can stay in touch with your butler via WhatsApp.
The Egyptian architect Shahira Fahmy, led the restoration for
The website maxtravelz.com is an aggregator of news from open sources. The source is indicated at the beginning and at the end of the announcement. You can send a complaint on the news if you find it unreliable.
Top Autors
Popular Topics
euronews.com
23.11.2024 / 02:57
Riyadh Air: a bold new chapter in Saudi Arabia’s aviation journey
Saudi Arabia is soaring into a new era with Riyadh Air, the Kingdom's ambitious new national airline.
nytimes.com
22.11.2024 / 23:27
Harold W. Sims Jr., Whose Museum Honored the House Cat, Dies at 89
Harold W. Sims Jr., a fanatic for all things feline, who poured his life savings into his own no-kill animal shelter and then took his passion a step further by founding the American Museum of the House Cat, displaying some 10,000 cat-themed artifacts, including antique windup tabbies and an ancient Egyptian cat mummy, died on Nov. 17 in Sylva, N.C. He was 89.
euronews.com
21.11.2024 / 08:37
Riyadh Air takes flight: welcoming the world to Saudi Arabia
Riyadh Air, Saudi Arabia’s newest national airline, embodies the nation’s ambition to open its doors to the world.
lonelyplanet.com
20.11.2024 / 22:27
A first-time guide to cruising the Nile
Nov 20, 2024 • 7 min read
lonelyplanet.com
20.11.2024 / 22:27
How to spend the best weekend in Cairo, Egypt's capital city
Nov 20, 2024 • 6 min read
cntraveler.com
19.11.2024 / 08:41
The Best Places to Go in Asia in 2025
This is part of our global guide to the Best Places to Go in 2025—find more travel inspiration here.
cntraveler.com
16.11.2024 / 12:13
The Best Destinations for LGBTQ+ Travelers, Beyond the Usual Suspects
If you must be gay—and, dear reader, you really must—then it’s only natural that you’ve found yourself here, consulting our list of the best destinations for LGBTQ+ travelers to visit. While it’s true that queerness may be temporarily masked for survival reasons and that travelers should be prepared to compromise on aspects of their presentation out of respect for local customs and mores, sometimes that’s just not going to work. Many countries around the world are safe and fabulous destinations for openly LGBTQ+ travelers. (Admittedly, we're speaking generally here; it’s important to note it only takes one incident perpetuated by one bad actor or group to soil an individual’s trip—and that can happen anywhere.) So what are the places where you don’t have to put your most authentic self away?
insider.com
15.11.2024 / 16:59
I take 'positioning' flights to save hundreds when I fly. This trick helps me get discounted business-class seats, too.
I've flown over 1.5 million miles, and one of my favorite ways to save money on airfare (and get into business class on a budget) is with "positioning" flights.
matadornetwork.com
15.11.2024 / 09:37
The Best Ski-In/Ski-Out Airbnbs in Park City Minutes From the Slopes
Park City’s ski resort is one of the largest in North America, with over 7,300 skiable acres and over 330 trails and slopes. The mountain’s high altitude and abundant snowfall create ideal conditions for powder hounds, while the well-groomed trails offer a smooth ride for those who prefer a more relaxed pace. With an average of 350 inches (or more) of excellent snow per season, it’s no surprise that come December through to March, the city is packed with snow sports enthusiasts. Hotels and lodges book out far in advance, and to be honest, Airbnbs do too. But there’s still time to score an excellent rental for a weekend away or a longer snow vacation if you get a shoop on.
thepointsguy.com
14.11.2024 / 22:35
Accor’s luxe Sofitel Legend brand expanding to the pyramids of Giza
You'll be able to sleep as decadently as a pharaoh at Accor's hottest new hotel in development.
nytimes.com
14.11.2024 / 14:13
Following the Scent of Egypt’s Jasmine
In the middle of the Nile Delta, about 50 miles north of Cairo, the small town of Shubra Bilulah is encircled by roughly 300 acres of flower farms. The majority of them are growing Jasminum grandiflorum, a lacy vine with delicate white flowers that typically bloom between June and December and yield 90 percent of the country’s jasmine crop: roughly 2,500 tons of blossoms a year. The flowers are handpicked at dawn and then placed in solvent-filled extraction tanks where the liquid is distilled, steamed and cooled overnight before re-emerging as a waxlike paste that’s then shipped to perfumeries around the world.