Short stay: Al Seef Hotel by Jumeirah, Dubai, UAE

Step out of time. Drop out of high-rise Dubai into a quieter almost biblical scene in Arabia’s history. Jumeirah has deconstructed the concept of the big hotel. There are ten “bayts”, traditional Arabic houses with clusters of rooms, dotted through the Al Seef heritage village to recreate the intimate hospitality of a bygone era.

Altogether there are just over 200 rooms and suites. Each bayt has a concierge figure who is more like a smiling benevolent aunt or uncle looking after their family of guests.

To get a sense of the heritage village think of the ultimate nativity scene with rough-cast plaster walls, exposed timbers and palm-frond thatch. Artefacts of hand-carts, battered wooden packing crates and the nets that were used to fish the Creek for centuries help create the atmosphere.

It’s the sort of place where Indiana Jones would recuperate after a particularly gruelling Arabian adventure.

The welcome

Before you even arrive…