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Anantara Qasr Resort Opening Soon In The Desert

Where: Liwa Desert, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Anantara Resorts are still bucking the economic trend: they continue to launch new properties in all corners of the globe. Up next is the Anantara Qasr Al Sarab Resort & Spa, located in the state of Abu Dhabi but around an hour and a half's drive into the desert. It's in a spectacular region which apparently has sand dunes four times higher than the Leaning Tower of Pisa (although we hope the dunes look a little more stable).

Across the resort you'll find 196 rooms and suites, three restaurants and of course an Anantara Spa complete with an impressive marble hammam bath. They'll also set you up to go sand-surfing, camel riding through the desert or quad-biking if you prefer.

Their website will let you book rooms starting from October 25 this year, at least a full week ahead of the November opening we heard about earlier this year. The lower range of rooms start from 1,700 AED ($460) with a one bedroom villa going for 4,200 AED ($1,140).

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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.

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Anantara Phuket's Five-Star Version of "Buy One, Get One"

Where: Mai Khao Beach, Phuket, Thailand

There are some places that simply don’t need another hotel. The poor, overloaded, little island of Phuket is one of them. However, we have to give props to Anantara Phuket Resort & Spa, which managed to find an unspoiled place on the island to build its hotel.

The resort opened its doors on October 1, and has actually done so in an environmentally-responsible way--even building around a rare Banyan tree. Plus, despite Phuket's drawbacks, it's a great jumping off point to see the rest of the Andaman Sea and its beautiful resorts (which we'll be telling you about after we finish taking a gander at this week).

So if you fly into Phuket, it looks like there's now an escape from the sleaze. To boot, the hotel is offering a "buy three nights, get one night free" opening special now through December 23. Rates start around $450 a night which is definitely not a bargain, although it is less than the $900 expected room rate we found over the summer. And it's a fair price for the increasingly popular private-pool-villa resorts popping up throughout Asia.

One night at Anantara Phuket: $450. Skinny-dipping mid-day...priceless.

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Anantara Wants You to Play With Sea Cows in Si Kao

Where: 198-199 Moo 5, Had Pak Meng-Changlang Road, Tambol Maifad, Amphur Sikao, Trang, Thailand, 92150

Surely you thought we were clever and hilarious for the "Sea Cow in Si Kao" headline, but we must give credit where credit is due.

To the cute and funny folks over at the upcoming Anantara Si Kao in Si Kao have been using this clever and hilarious line as part of their marketing efforts for their soon-to-open Thailand property.

Located on Chang Lang Beach, the hotel is opening up in December -- hot on the heels of the Anantara Phuket -- in an area famous for its manatees.

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