In only 50 years this little pearl-fishing village on the Arabian Gulf has transformed itself into a slick, mega-rich desert oasis of R&R, sun, sand, shopping and spa. Despite the forest of cranes, construction, and ever-burgeoning traffic, the opulence and pure chutzpah of this city of indoor skiing, the world's tallest building and first underwater hotel are undeniable.

LUXE Dubai. An oasis of fab in a desert of blah.