Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental

Built as a national statement and now run with Mandarin Oriental's exacting standards, Emirates Palace occupies a scale few hotels on earth attempt: a domed sandstone palace set in over a hundred hectares of gardens along the Abu Dhabi corniche. Marble concourses run for what feels like city blocks beneath gold-leafed domes, yet recent refurbishment has lightened the interiors and sharpened the service culture considerably.

Rooms and suites are among the largest in the Gulf, finished in champagne and sand tones with balconies over gardens, fountains or the private bay. The palace's own beach stretches more than a kilometre, backed by two large pools—one serene, one with slides and a lazy river—which quietly makes this one of the best family resorts in the region despite the stately first impression.

Dining spans polished Cantonese, coastal Mediterranean and an Emirati café famous for its gold-dusted cappuccino, while the spa draws on both Asian and Middle Eastern traditions. The location puts the presidential quarter and Louvre Abu Dhabi within easy reach. It is a palace first and a hotel second, but these days it succeeds convincingly as both.