Five-Star Hotels, UNESCO-STYLE
How one Emirate is progressing through preservation.
Last month, after an overnight flight from Dublin to Dubai with more turbulence than I remember ever experiencing in the past, I was tired and cranky and regretting planning a trip to Sharjah– one of the seven emirates in the UAE–leaving immediately. Regret turned to interest on the the 30-minute or so drive from the Dubai airport, as old stone forts replaced skyscrapers and we drove through a bustling port, along the corniche where people walked past food vendors and fishing boats, and up to the gates of Al Bait, part of Luxury Hotels of the World.
The five-star hotel is in the Heart of Sharjah, the historic part of the city, which is undergoing a major restoration project to be completed in 2025. The area is home to one of the first settlements in the UAE, about 5,000 years ago, and the region’s oldest trading market. Its role as the “Gate to Trucial States” earned it a spot on the UNESCO World Heritage Site List.
“It is an exceptional example of modern urban development of historical cities in the Arabian Gulf and the Region,” UNESCO writes. It’s also the largest heritage site in the Gulf. “As a gate to neighboring states, the urban settlement represents a stage in city planning derived from common elements known in Islamic cities characterized by the presence of a port, courtyard houses and wind-towers responding to environmental needs. In addition, there are other landmarks characteristic of Islamic cities in this historical area, such as the fortress, mosques, markets, and narrow streets. In addition, protection or defense components can also be seen in the walls of ancient Sharjah. Through these elements that disappeared from many other cities in the Arabian Gulf of the nineteenth and twentieth century, the unique and universal value of this historic environment becomes apparent albeit being vulnerable under the impact of irreversible change.”
In the center of it all, literally connected to the souq, is Al Bait. It was built in 1845 as pearl merchant Al Naboodah’s home and reopened in December 2018 as the hotel. “Welcome home,” said the porter, which normally sounds cheesy but somehow didn’t here, maybe because Al Bait translates to The House in Arabic, or because the hotel really does, for all its beauty and five-star amenities, feel like home. The check-in area is a courtyard with couches and teak details, where you’re served a lavender welcome drink that shimmers when you stir (see my Instagram highlights). Instead of elevators and stale hallways you wander a one-level, outdoor labyrinth lit by lamps and smelling of frankincense to reach your room. Inside, you’ll find antique furniture amid a modern, minimalist aesthetic. The entire property was restored in cooperation with UNESCO, so only tools that existed when the house was first built could be used. No cranes, no machinery, everything done by hand. It took eight years. Fun fact: the wind tower was restored by the same team that restored the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
Outside the old city there are a few tall, drab glass buildings. Those will be demolished soon and rebuilt in the old style as restaurants and shops. Sometimes cities rebuild sites as “heritage villages” and they feel fake and touristy. This doesn’t. It feels like a natural update to an important cultural place.
After washing my face and deciding sleep was overrated, I went for afternoon tea and wandered the souq. Unlike in Dubai, the call to prayer was loud and clear, and though only a few miles away I felt like I was in a different country. The souq is air conditioned and shops have doors, but they’re packed with antique silver from Syria and Iran, teapots from Afghanistan, badly in need of polishing but beautiful copper plates from Turkey. Trendy coffee shops fit in alongside tailors that have been there generations, and food ranges from fine-dining in Al Bait to snacks along the waterfront to fantastic (and very affordable)Yemeni and Indian restaurants just outside the old city.
Back in the early 19th century, Sharjah dealt in pearls. Today, it’s a hub for art. Hoor al Qasimi, the daughter of Sharjah’s ruler Sultan bin Muhammad al-Qasimi, has a BFA from the Slade School of Fine Art in London, a diploma in painting from the Royal Academy of Arts and an MA in curating art from the Royal College of Art, London. She’s put those talents to use in Sharjah, creating the Sharjah Art Foundation and boosting young Arab artists. She’s also the director of the Sharjah Biennial. At the Sharjah Art Museum, you can take in paintings and interactive exhibits from artists old and new, representing everything from the Middle East’s natural beauty to the Syrian refugee crisis. Next door, the Museum of Islamic Civilization has more ancient artwork and artifacts exploring the contributions of Islamic countries to the world over centuries.
Sharjah is bigger than the historical heart, and much of it feels like any modern city, but I really love the effort that’s been put into preserving cultural heritage. Of course places should be able to modernize, but it’s nice to pay homage to the past. It’s why Italy is so great, or why I love repurposed historic buildings in Chicago or New York. It can be tempting to be the newest, most high-tech, flashiest, etc. This is a trap I think Dubai fell into when it first started growing, and other cities as well. It’s a problem in much of the U.S. and a constant battle between preservationists and those who want to tear things down. There is an old part of Dubai and I think in recent years that’s been seen as more important to the city’s identity, but I’m still pretty new here so I’m not sure. I hope so, and I hope more cities around the world keep their history in mind as they progress. What do you think? Let me know, and click on the ‘Sharjah’ circle for a tour of Al Bait and the Heart of Sharjah.
Links I loved this week
The Roots series from Refinery29 in celebration of Black History Month. Especially this piece on traveling to Ghana 400 years after slavery.
Speaking of Black History Month, yikes Barnes & Noble. Some books to read instead.
A good piece about Trump’s latest, racist travel ban.
I was on my friend Joe’s Get Lost podcast (yay!) talking about life in Iraqi Kurdistan, visiting Yazidi temples, and why I hope more people get a chance to travel there soon.
Get your hands on some Lebanese wine. And is natural wine actually better for the planet?
Former Curiosity Mag contributor Eric Ginsburg wrote about the world’s cutest food critic.
Chicago has beer spas? Can’t wait to try when I’m back home. Apparently it also used to have a lot of candy houses.
This will shock probably no one. Or maybe I’m just cynical because I find him annoying while everyone else seems to find him funny/sexy? He has a restaurant in Dubai, which I will be avoiding.
Artichokes and the mafia in Atlas Obscura.
Didn’t watch the Super Bowl but did watch the (incredible) half-time show and the commercials, and thought the dig at travel influencers at the end of this one was pretty funny.
Yelp Reviewers’ Authenticity Fetish is White Supremacy in Action
Recommendations
Eat: I’m cooking from Piatti this week.
Drink: I’m savoring the last of some Redbreast and Oban purchased in Dublin. Life in Dubai means being strategic with stocking up on foreign purchases and duty free, but even if you have it readily available Oban Little Bay feels like a treat.
Stay: At Al Bait, obviously! I didn’t even mention the spa yet, or the huge in-room bathtub, or the wonderful restaurants. In a life of staying at nice hotels for work they can blend together, but this one really stood out and I can’t recommend it enough.
