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Anantara Goes From the Tropics to the 'Rugged Desert'

The luxury-minded people who build the Anantara Resorts have already persuaded us that their south-east Asian properties look like killer places to stay, like the Anantara Phuket or their fancy Anantara Seminyak in Bali. But Anantara seems to be turning a different corner now, with big plans for the Middle East and North Africa shaping up.

Later this year, the Anantara Qasr Al Sarab (pictured) will open its doors near Abu Dhabi — well, an hour and a half from Abu Dhabi, actually, since the resort will be in the middle of "rugged desert". This Anantara is already taking bookings for stays starting from November 1, with the cheapest room (a Deluxe King) being offered for $1,700 a night.

Not quite so close to being open (but with a promise that they'll all be open by 2011), Anantara is also looking to expand into Oman and Morocco. In Oman, Anantara will be opening up in Muscat, while in Morocco, they're putting resorts into both Marrakech, near the central medina, and Mogador (Essaouira), about two hours from Marrakech. These new spots might not be the romantic beach hideaways we're used to seeing from Anantara resorts, but they definitely still fall in the exotic category.