The Ritz-Carlton Ras Al Khaimah, Al Hamra Beach 

A stay that I did not want to end! Our stay was perfect… from the moment we stepped out of the car and were greeted by friendly valet, to the very end when we reluctantly had to leave. The epitome of luxury! It was a seamless check-in, followed by a short (very exciting for the children) ride in the golf buggy to our room. Trees lined the pathway as we walked to our private villa, with the view of the sea straight ahead. Waiting for us in our room was a small feast! The children were thrilled to have marshmallows and strawberries to dip into melted chocolate, and then the adults were enthused by the chocolates, welcome drinks and cheese platter! Our room was beautiful! Floor to ceiling windows throughout, leading out to our own private area which included a bath, a private pool and a seating area. As you walked further down the pathway, there were sunbeds in a Cabana type structure, amongst trees and other greenery. The perfect haven! Lying here listening to the waves and reading my book was an absolute dream! The children loved taking their buckets to collect shells, and the lifeguard at the beach was great! He brought over some “special shells” that he knew would be a hit with the children, and gave them some more bags to collect even more shells. The lady at kids club was warm and welcoming, and the children instantly took a shining to her. She made friendship bracelets, applied face paint, sang, and made lots of arts and crafts with them. In the evening, we had dinner on the beach. It was January, so the weather was a little cold. But there was a warm and welcoming fire to keep us cosy. With the fire burning and the water glistening in the moonlight, a calm serenity took hold. The setting was nothing short of perfect. We ordered the seafood platter which was rich in flavour, with the lobster being the best we have tasted! As we were eating dinner, it struck me… all those blinds need to go down before we get the children to bed! However, fear not… when we arrived back at the room, the turn-down service had already taken care of this. Slippers by the bed, dates on the bedside table, low level lighting… a perfect end to the most perfect day! I was then able to sit outside with the cheese platter and my kindle and fully embrace this moment of luxury. In the morning, we had breakfast included. Seeing that it was an alacarte menu brightened my morning. I ordered avocado on toast and added some hallumi, mushrooms and hash browns. It really was absolutely fantastic food quality. I then enjoyed a biscoff lotus croissant complemented by my coffee. Sadly, we only stayed the one night so I could not partake in the mimosa breakfasts which were calling my name. Next time, I will be sure to book two nights instead! We had the most amazing staycation and I hope to go back again in the near future to relive this experience