Hatta Sedr Trailers, Dubai: Dubai’s Natural Side

Hatta Sedr Trailers consciously breaks away from the conventional Dubai narrative. You are a million miles away from Dubai’s Instagram trappings. Yet it is only 90 minutes by car to be 50 metres from mountains, lakes and nothingness. I filled the deafening silence with the modern-day luxury of reading. Yes, reading, remember that? I smashed an 800-page biography in 24 hours and wallowed in the joy.

Hatta’s stark, jagged Hajar mountain silhouette offers a natural counterpart to our city skyline. Birds singing and swooping outnumber car horns and Airbus flight paths. The tranquil turquoise Hatta Dam Lake is, well, an actual lake. Sure, Hatta Dam Lake lacks the pizazz of fountains, bistros and fireworks. But why drive to within a touching distance of the Omani border for a slice of Downtown?

Getting to Hatta Sedr Trailers

This raises a point: yes, you will need to drive here. The journey is currently under a fair share construction with reduced speed zones and single lanes. Mrs EatGoSee insisted on taking her Mustang top-down and armed with one of the finest road trip playlists to grace my ears. UAE visitors considering a trip to Hatta Sedr Trailers will need a car and therefore you should arrange one. I recommend a larger 4×4 vehicle but a saloon will do. You could get here by taxi but this will limit your options during your stay here, and oh: how will you get back?

Hatta Sedr Trailer is most certainly glamping

Hatta Sedr Trailers are glamping at their core. The Meeras virtuosos responsible for this restrained execution know their customer. Most visitors are the same Dubai residents insistent upon instant gratification-levels of customer service. These residents will not dip in the lake and emerge new beings, more placid and, well, reasonable.

Dubai residents want the illusion of camping with the cosy mod-cons and trappings to which they have rapidly grown accustomed. Sure, they want to be out in the wild but they also want air conditioning and reliable WiFi to Instagram Live their ‘followers’. Meeras straddles that fine line between creature comforts without trespassing into luxury hotel territory. The Hatta Sedr Trailers do not compromise the core proposition: you came here to get away from it all. Still, some modest alterations here and there would take these Trailers to the next level.

Staying at Hatta Sedr Trailer

The Air Streams are all positioned facing the lake nestled in the Hajar Mountains. The stretching wooden patio surrounds each trailer furnished with generously sized coffee tables and sunbathing sofas. Low slung leather hammock style chairs poised before nature’s glory support my lazy drift into the weekend under the winter sun. You can easily spend the weekend on this deck facing the lake. The unrelenting quiet only punctuated by the faint sound of kayakers singing. Our most difficult decision was to decide what to barbecue and when to summon the kayaks through reception (AED30 per person for a single kayak).

Hatta Sedr Trailer’s interiors

I am pleasantly surprised at how well the space is utilised. Each trailer is furnished with a full double bed and a sofa that stretches out into a sofa bed. The bed is deliciously soft to ease into after a day of activities and excursions. Succumb to the duvet, and so I did. The vibe is modern, minimalist and restrained without feeling austere or bare. The use of monochrome still feels homely and warm. It screams more pool house than mountain trailer.

Facilities

Each trailer is air-conditioned complete with a small open hanging rail for a weekend supply of clothes. The bathrooms are small but, hey, you are in a trailer. The fact it comes with toiletries, a running sink, shower and flushing toilet is impressive. Mrs EatGoSee and I came here to self-isolate and socially distance ourselves from the world before, well, that became a real thing these days. Hatta Sedr Trailers is perfect for weekends and good for long weekends. Some may become restless for a week or longer. We are provided with coffee and tea facilities together with complimentary water. Ladies, there is a hairdryer so you can leave that behind, save space and bring a weekend bag.



There is a TV even though we never used it for want to break from screen time. Young families could hook up a games console if you bring one. The TV (and a console) could be handy to distract kids during the evenings to allow The Adults time for wine, stargazing and reflection on a life before kids.

Eating at Hatta Sedr Trailers

Naturally, I pay an unusual amount of attention to the grazing facilities. My expectations are managed as, suffice to say, any glamping excursion is hardly ‘food forward’. Hatta Sedr Trailers is no exception. You have two options: the first is to barbecue on heavy rotation or eat from the Sedr Bites Truck on site. I am not aware of any restaurants nearby worth an excursion but comment below if I missed somewhere.

Use the Barbecue As Much As Possible

The good news – and what any prepared guest should optimize – is the personal barbecue provided with every trailer. This is another reason why you should pack a cooler (or two), Kibsons, CarniStore or Fruitful Day box with treats to grill away. You can stock up with a nearby Aswaaq and Union Co-op less than 10 minutes away by car if you want to travel light. The Hatta Sedr Kitchen airstream provides seasoned meat, coals, plates and well you get the drift. The coal is only AED10 so do bother bringing coals (but you may want firelighters). Vegetarians and vegans beware: you will struggle beyond french fries.

This barbecue option is inspired. It adds to the authenticity of camping and being in the outdoors. Every night, I watch charcoal pulse and glow while wielding a fiercely cold Crémant de Bourgogne. I am speechless as sunset turns the blue sky and wispy clouds ablaze and then to dusk. There is unspoken joy behind the nothingness while Chilombo plays in the background on Bosephiné Basser: what I call our Bose portable speaker.

Practical food storage

What trailer review would be complete without mentioning food storage? The modest-sized bar fridge limits you stocking up for the weekend. A large cooler packed with ice is a practical solution for extra space to safely store perishables. The discerning among you may also want to bring another cooler for booze as Hatta Sedr Trailers is firmly BYOB. The Trailers are not a licensed facility. A quick Google Maps search revealed (to my horror) there is no licensed store for 50+ miles. Stock up and walk with what you need.

The hotel trailers staff cleaned the barbecue everyday. Brilliant, no cleaning up on holiday.

The Sedr Bites Truck

I am served a plastic takeaway container that quarantines each item of my fried breakfast: culinary distancing? The kitchen chef delivers your food to your Trailer with a smile. He is the brightest thing about this experience. My first reaction is how much disposable single-use plastic is used between me and Mrs EatGoSee. This is a jarring contrast to the beautiful natural surroundings. I strongly encourage the management team to invest in a more sustainable solution. A small but important call to action.



The breakfast screams greasy spoon. The crumble and crackle of hashbrowns. The oozy goodness of sausage casings invaded by piercing forks. The lack of options may be jarring for some as the continental breakfast is your other choice. People paying north of AED700 per night should expect fresh fruit, poached eggs, yoghurt and – of course – avocado toast. “But this is camping”, and yes I hear you. All of those things I mentioned can be easily prepared inside of an Air Stream on a mountain near a lake. I am going to take a wild guess that the same people who escape to the mountains for fresh air and exercise also enjoy healthy eating. Fresh healthy food served in sustainable packaging in the middle of nature should tickle this target market just right.

I will mention in passing that lunch consists of burgers or hot dogs encased in more single-use plastic tombs.

Who Should Come To Hatta Sedr Trailers?

People seeking solace far from the madding crowd. Solo travellers, couples, small groups of close friends and young families seeking a staycation. A getaway where they can load up the car, get into nature and remember what that feels like. You should book if you like hiking, running, kayaking and biking. You like being ‘one with nature’ but you also expect certain comforts like an actual bed, running showers, WiFi and cooking facilities.

Hatta Sedr Trailers, Would I Return to Hatta?

Absolutely! I am already booked in at the Damani Hatta Lodges Resort in April 2020 and looking forward to comparing the two stays!

Is Hatta Sedr Trailers Disabled Friendly?

I seriously doubt this is practical given the rocky terrain for those with physical disabilities. You should contact the Trailers reception team to see if there are options.

Are Hatta Sedr Trailers pet friendly?

No, sadly this is not pet friendly which I think is an oversight.

Is There Parking On-Site at Hatta Sedr Trailers?

You will park below the mountain where you will then be chauffeured up the mountain towards. You cannot park ‘on-site’ but you have access to your car at any time. Chauffeurs take 5-10 minutes to arrive once you call them. Parking is secured and adjacent to the reception trailer.