United Arab Emirates

Think of a trip to the United Arab Emirates and most people picture the gleaming sky-scrapers, Champagne brunches and glitzy malls of Dubai, with its guaranteed winter sunshine and white sand beaches.

But there is plenty more to this intriguing country, poised on the cusp between Western glamour and Middle Eastern culture, including laidback Abu Dhabi, and the more traditional Ras Al Khaimah.

If your private jet charter lands at Dubai International Airport it’s just a 15-mile drive to the exclusive and private Burj Al Arab Jumeirah hotel, shaped like a billowing white sail and occupying a private island connected to the mainland by a guarded causeway.

The hotel, dubbed the world’s only seven star hotel, boasts luxurious touches such as a fleet of matching Rolls-Royce Phantoms, bathrooms stocked with Hermes toiletries, and poolside cabanas with air-conditioning and televisions.

For a more serene stay, try the Ritz-Carlton at Ras Al Khaimah, a mountainous, coastal area a 45-minute drive from Dubai airport after your private air charter lands.

The hotel is on a secluded private beach with lavish tented villas, private pools and a seafood restaurant overlooking the Arabian Gulf.

To enjoy a more traditional version of the UAE, Al Maha – which means The Oryx – is a resort in the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve.

Aptly-named, the hotel boasts stunning views of wildlife including oryx antelopes who come close enough to sip from the resort’s pools.

A stay includes afternoon tea with camel milk smoothies and activities including archery, nature drives, and camel trekking.

When you venture out of your hotel to sample the culinary delights of the UAE you will find restaurants by the world’s top chefs and cuisine from around the globe.

In Abu Dhabi’s Beach Rotana hotel, the seaside haven Finz has a menu of the freshest seafood and picturesque views from the open-air patio.

The Tresind Studio, at St Regis Gardens, The Palm Jumeirah, has just won its second Michelin star.

Imaginative tasting menus take guests on journeys across India, using ingredients such as ghee-roasted jackfruit, burnt cinnamon and Nilgiri spices.

For a traditional taste of Dubai, try the Al Ijaza Cafe which has been serving hungry residents since 1990. Each evening there’s a line of cars waiting to tuck into what are thought to be the city’s best shawarma and freshly-squeezed juices.

As well as the glitzy bars serving Champagne, Dubai’s flourishing scene boasts cooler drinking dens such as Honeycomb Hi-Fi in Business Bay. With innovative mixed drinks and a Japanese-inspired menu, there is also a listening station, vinyl record store, and roster of top DJs entertaining revellers throughout the day for music lovers.

The best time to charter your private jet flight to the UAE is from November to February when the temperatures are cooler than the fiery highs of summer and there is a range of events including Dubai Shopping and Food Festivals and the Dubai World Cup.

But this exciting, enthralling county is a treat for the senses at any time of the year.