The Chedi Al Bait hotel, in Sharjah, a United Arab Emirate, is so understated that it is barely marked on the road that runs along Sharjah Creek.
But behind its high adobe walls, 66 rooms are spread across four traditional houses, and the new Serai wing occupies two merchant houses that date to the 50s. Its striking wind tower is the backdrop for many Instagram photos, and the Chedi does a brisk business in cultural events, which manage to thrum without the lubrication of alcohol.
