As it turns out, it’s not 
so grim up north. With a high benchmark of quality and prestige associated with Dubai’s ever-growing roster of five-star hotels, it would be easy to peg the Northern Emirates as a B-tier staycation option. The Ajman Saray, however, is one of several world-class resorts beckoning visitors – from both within the UAE and beyond its borders – and it’s clear to see why.

Just 35 minutes from Downtown Dubai on a clear run, the Luxury Collection Resort is a palace by both name and nature. 
The moniker, which echoes Jumeirah’s Zabeel Saray on 
The Palm, is borrowed from both Turkish and Farsi and harks back to Ottoman era architecture, meaning castle or palace. And it’s no understatement.

From the charming courtyard entrance to the high-arched colonnade at the rear and sweeping asymmetrical grounds, 
the Anatolian aesthetic is unwavering. The suites also play the part, with impeccable attention to detail and a few modern flourishes.

Perched on the hotel’s first floor, the Al Dana Sea View Suite isn’t a highly elevated abode, but the capacious interiors and sweeping sea views certainly make it feel like a lofty experience. Through a hallway decked out in historic cartography, via an oversized dark oak doorway, the sea view suite is drenched in natural light, bouncing off the seemingly incandescent white walls and floor tiles.

Upon entering it might take 
a while to drink in the suite’s key features. On your left, an ample guest bathroom with an enormous silver-framed mirror. Your right, an Illy coffee station and petite desk area for your essential admin – or you may prefer to work at the ornate circular dining table floating in the centre of the living area. When the night falls, all is illuminated by huge lamps and some overhead fixtures that wouldn’t look out of place in a Turkish bazaar.

For a pop of colour, the lilac-hued corner sofa straddled the floor-to-ceiling sliding door and faces one of two 40-inch TVs – the other is conveniently facing the gigantic marshmallow bed. 
The bedroom is either open plan or separate, depending on the status of the privacy wall, a sliding wooden shutter that creates 
a discrete sleeping space.

Also connecting the rooms is the sweeping balcony space, which is tantamount to a terrace. A tad spartan in terms of furniture, the breezy balcony is a dream for al fresco hosting opportunities 
(if you move a table outside), and the perfect vantage point for overlooking the morning surf.

Between the simple brushed concrete columns and ornate latticework, you’re guaranteed a sensory experience: chirping Myna birds greet you throughout the day, joined by the sound of lapping waves and the buzz of the not-so hoi polloi mixing around the palm-lined pool below. 
Pry yourself away to freshen up in the plentiful bathroom, with his and hers sinks (complete with invisible 
TV mirror), a walk-in wardrobe, roomy rain shower and central soaking bathtub.

The tub may in fact be the hero of the almost-1,000 sq ft suite, given that you can posture yourself to enjoy stunning sea views while simultaneously enjoying a lathery bubble bath. Don’t dawdle too long if you’ve made dinner plans. The appealing full-board package entitles guests to enjoy a three-course feast at Mejhana Restaurant, which celebrates a medley of spicy flavours from India to the Middle East. There’s even a choice of tajin dishes, bringing a North African twist to proceedings.

You’ll be well nourished during your stay, with an all-day buffet dining option at Vista and Safi Restaurant and Bar spilling onto the outdoor terrace – offering refreshments to the poolside crowd throughout the day, with shisha pipes and DJ-mixed beats during the dinnertime hours. Look out also for Bab Al Bahr Beach Bar & Grill, which is due to re-emerge this month after 
some hefty renovations, allowing guests to ‘to and fro’ between the fortress-esque venue and the soft, 
sandy beach.

The hotel, as its full name may suggest, does provide a luxury experience but if we may be more nuanced it does feel like a more “accessible” tier of luxe. Whether it’s the pool-side bustle, throngs of families or other details, such as the range of electronic beats at Safi, 
it feels like a different pace from what we would call “classic” luxury, yet it remains a quality product and 
a bona fide escape not so far removed from the doorstep of Dubai.

There’s a warmth and a charm that isn’t always commodified at UAE hotels. From friendly chats with wait staff to lifeguards subbing into friendly beachfront volleyball games, there’s an ease and lack of stuffiness that lends itself to a more down-to-earth vibe. Where I come from, they say that northerners are more friendly. Maybe that’s the Ajman effect? It’s definitely got some soul – and enough charm to inspire a return visit.