Hotels & Resorts · Interior Design
Bab Al Shams
Bab Al Shams is the redesign of the region’s longest-running desert resort, 45 minutes from central Dubai, by LW Design Group. Built around the narrative of “The Lost Princess”, the interiors blend contemporary Arabic aesthetics with preserved heritage elements, and the renovation repurposed original furniture, artwork and accessories throughout.
What was the brief?
First established in 2004, Bab Al Shams is the region’s longest-running desert escape. The brief was to renew the resort as a luxury sanctuary while preserving its legacy — celebrating modern Arabian glamour alongside iconic heritage tied deeply to her customs.
How did LW approach it?
The redesign centres on a narrative titled “The Lost Princess”. The interior blends contemporary Arabic aesthetics with preserved heritage elements, and the architectural approach integrates existing forms and materials to enhance the guest experience.
The design team prioritised sustainability by repurposing original furniture pieces, artwork and accessories throughout the renovation.
What did it achieve?
The project took Interior Design of the Year: Hotel at CID MENA 2023, the AHEAD Award for its lobby (2023) and spa (2024), the WIN and Identity awards for hotel interiors, and Robb Report’s Best of the Best “Quintessential Desert Retreat” in 2025.
Gallery
Inside Bab Al Shams
Press & news
Bab Al Shams in the News
- IFDM Wonder · Winter 2025 IFDM Wonder: Nature as an Operational Imperative Winter 2025
- Sleeper 25 Years of LW Design — the Sleeper Interview November 2024
- CEO Middle East · Legacy Edition CEO Middle East Cover Story: A Legacy of Vision July 2023
- Sleeper · Issue 109 Sleeper 109: Bab Al Shams Reviewed 2023
- Hospitality Interiors · Issue 106 Bab Al Shams, A Rare Finds Desert Resort March–April 2023
- LW newsroom Bab Al Shams Desert Resort Dec 2022
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