CITY OF STORIES

Akshita M. Bhanj Deo rediscovers Dubai through quiet luxury, matcha rituals, and the unexpected creative pulse that reshapes the city's identity

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DUBAI WAS ALWAYS a city I passed through, never one I paused for.

As a third-culture kid, my teens were bookmarked by transits through this glittering desert hub. My sister adored its malls and beach promenades. I filed it mentally under “beautiful, but is it for me?”. Back then, I was too busy falling in love with the East Village's vintage stores, Shoreditch’s graffiti, and Kreuzberg’s anarchic art collectives. Someone once told me, “If you want to find the soul of a city, find its artists.” However, I never thought to look for Dubai's.

This trip changed everything.

A Renaissance Of Quiet Luxury

Flying into Dubai now, the skyline feels different. Not louder, but more self-assured. Over the past decade, a wave of intimate, design-forward spaces like The Lana, Al Faya Lodge, and One&Only Royal Mirage has redefined luxury. It’s no longer just opulence; it’s restraint, intention, and design with a point of view.

I checked into The Lana, the Dorchester Collection’s only Middle Eastern outpost. Its light-washed interiors overlooking Marasi Drive felt instantly grounding. The hospitality was immaculate yet understated.

I'm from eastern India, and I judge hotels by their tea. The Lana’s silver-tip Darjeeling—first flush, brewed perfectly—made me emotional in the way only good tea can. Very few hotels get it right. This one does. Everything here is deliberate, precise. Perhaps that’s why Hollywood and royalty gravitate to it.

Matcha Rituals In The City

On our first morning, I stepped out wanting a new Dubai experience. Enter Matcha Vibes, the city’s Gen-Z wellness ground. Confession: despite my love for rituals and my Alo yoga pants, I had never tried matcha before. This Japanese-UAE brand has changed my hesitation.