Durrat Al Riyadh Resort & Spa

An oasis in the desert on the northern fringes of the Saudi capital, the InterContinental Durrat Al Riyadh Resort & Spa is like nothing else in town. The InterContinental Hotels Group seems capable of operating in a wide variety of styles, and this one, perhaps unsurprisingly given the location, is among the most traditional hotels on their roster. It’s laid out like a village around a winding lagoon, and its buildings mostly spread horizontally, topping out at six stories. The concept is compound luxury living — Durrat Al Riyadh is a fully self-contained, self-sufficient experience, less than an hour from the city center but properly secluded on the outskirts.

The accommodations are lavish, as expected, and visually they’re a touch more playful than the public spaces, mixing modern elements with tributes to tradition in a style that’s never anything less than thoroughly palatable. Leisure facilities include an outdoor pool, tennis courts, and an 18-hole mini-golf course, as well as a circus-style kids’ club. The spa and health club offer a dizzying array of holistic treatments, as well as a steam room, sauna, and jacuzzi. Meanwhile the restaurants range from the lobby café and the poolside bar to the Café Lagoon hookah lounge and Les Palmiers, an Arabian bistro.