![\"\"](\"https:\/\/elite-bricks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/image.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nStephanie Reichenbach<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Work soon consumed her life\u202d, \u202cbut eventually the pace made her re-evaluate her priorities\u202d. \u202cPregnant with her fourth child\u202d, \u202cStephanie decided it was time to take a step back to focus on her family\u202d, \u202cadopt a slower rhythm and enjoy the\u202d \u202c\u2018Dubai life\u2019\u202d \u202c\u2014\u202d \u202ca pause that lasted over six years\u202d. \u202cThe hiatus\u202d, \u202cafter nearly two decades of a high-flying banking career\u202d, \u202cwas welcome but as her children grew older\u202d, \u202cso did the familiar urge to return to work\u202d. \u202c\u201cSometimes\u202d, \u202cdoing nothing is far harder than working in a high-pressure job\u202d,\u202c\u201d\u202d \u202cshe reflects\u202d. \u202c\u201cI wanted to start something of my own to regain that independence\u202d.\u202c\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A deep introspection led to clarity on what she truly loved\u202d: \u202chospitality\u202d, \u202cevents\u202d, \u202ctravel\u202d, \u202cnature\u202d, \u202cfood\u202d, \u202centertaining and the art\u202d \u202cof creating atmosphere\u202d. \u202cHer strong financial background gave her a solid foundation though building something from scratch required patience\u202d, \u202cresilience and long-term conviction\u202d. \u202cAnd the question remained\u202d: \u202cwhat could be done in a tourist-friendly city brimming with ever-evolving F&B and hospitality titles\u202d? \u202c<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The answer revealed itself while hosting friends and family from abroad\u202d.\u202c<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Most visitors\u202d, \u202cshe observed\u202d, \u202cwanted to explore the desert\u202d, \u202cyet what was available were the predictable safaris with tight schedules and activities that\u202d \u202cfelt more like checking boxes than offering a meaningful experience\u202d. \u202c\u201cI realised there was space to offer the same setting with a far more bespoke feel for guests seeking something beyond the ordinary\u202d,\u202c\u201d\u202d \u202cshe says\u202d. \u202c<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And that\u2019s how Nara was born\u202d \u202c\u2014\u202d \u202cnamed after her four children Neil\u202d, \u202cAdam\u202d, \u202cRyan and Adrian\u202d. \u202cStephanie\u2019s first experiment was the Nara Desert Escape\u202d, \u202ca pop-up-style sojourn catering to just one group at a time\u202d, \u202cwith menus\u202d, \u202centertainment and activities curated to individual tastes\u202d. \u202cHer vision was clear\u202d: \u202ccreate sustainable desert dining itineraries that felt\u202d \u202cwarm\u202d, \u202cauthentic\u202d, \u202cthoughtful yet stylish\u202d. \u202c<\/p>\n\n\n\n Photo: thomaz japiassu<\/p>\n\n\n\n The years of growth\u202d \u202c<\/p>\n\n\n\n The idea took off\u202d, \u202cand one project led to another\u202d, \u202cwith the grounding philosophy of each remaining the same\u202d \u202c\u2014\u202d \u202crefined eco-luxury that blended cinematic sandy landscape with sunset tours\u202d, \u202cgourmet dining under the stars\u202d, \u202clive performances\u202d \u202cand fun activities\u202d. \u202cBe it Sonara Camp, Nara Oasis or the Sonara Camp Al Wadi in Ras Al Khaimah\u202d, \u202cthe UAE\u2019s desertscape became the sweeping palette for hospitality\u202d, \u202cstorytelling and immersive moments to converge\u202d. \u202c<\/p>\n\n\n\n Stephanie took the desert offering a notch higher with the launch of The Nest by Nara\u202d. \u202cConceived as a luxe twist on glamping\u202d, \u202cthis retreat features 14\u202d \u202cAlpine-inspired dune-shaped\u202d \u202c\u2018nests\u2019\u202d \u202cdesigned by award-winning architect Gianni Ranaulo\u202d \u202c\u2014\u202d \u202ca private hideaway in the stillness of the desert\u202d, \u202celevated by architectural wonder\u202d, \u202cplush amenities and farm-to-table cuisine\u202d.\u202c\u202d \u202c\u201cI think of it as\u202d \u202c\u2018nesting\u2019\u202d,\u202c\u201d\u202d \u202csays Stephanie\u202d. \u202c\u201cA way to enjoy the desert without roughing it out\u202d \u202c\u2014\u202d \u202csomewhere between a hotel and a camp\u202d.\u202c\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n From the seclusion of the sand\u202d, \u202cNara sailed into the sea\u202d, \u202cwith a reimagination of the traditional dhow cruise through the Lady Nara\u202d, \u202cas an intimate\u202d, \u202cdining-led trip through Dubai\u2019s serene creek and canal\u202d. \u202cThe third pillar was the urban offering\u202d, \u202cNara in the City\u202d, \u202cwhich brought the same sensibility to private celebrations and corporate gatherings\u202d. \u202cLater\u202d, \u202cNara at Home was launched\u202d, \u202cbringing the understated luxury ethos into the domestic space featuring bespoke restaurant-level dining\u202d, \u202ccustomised menu\u202d, \u202ctable services and entertainment for sophisticated hosting\u202d \u202cat home\u202d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Not surprisingly\u202d, \u202cfood sat at the heart of all of these concepts\u202d. \u202cDubai\u2019s gastronomic diversity found full expression across the menus designed by corporate head chef\u202d, \u202cGregory Khellouf whose Michelin\u202d-\u202cstarred credentials and French culinary flair shaped the Mediterranean-Middle Eastern delicacies offered across Nara\u202d. \u202c\u201cHe has a great sense of adventure\u202d! \u202cDesert cooking demands precision and planning\u202d; \u202cit\u2019s far more challenging than being in a restaurant\u202d. \u202cIf you forget a lemon for a dish\u202d, \u202cthere\u2019s no way to rush and buy it\u202d,\u202c\u201d\u202d \u202cshe laughs\u202d. \u202c\u201cSo we have to be on our toes\u202d, \u202clisten to the client\u202d, \u202cincorporate their tastes and be well-prepared all the time\u202d.\u202c\u201d\u202d \u202c<\/p>\n\n\n\n What to expect<\/p>\n\n\n\n Stephanie\u2019s myriad brands caught the attention of international brands resulting in collaborations with labels like Cartier\u202d, \u202cHugo Boss\u202d, \u202cAudemars Piguet\u202d, \u202cRolex\u202d, \u202cRolls Royce and big-scale events like the recent Dubai Watch Week\u202d. \u202cShe fondly remembers an event curated for Cartier that blended quiet elegance with atmospheric elements\u202d. \u202c\u201cAn amphitheatre was created in the desert\u202d, \u202credesigning and redecorating a camp site for over 300\u202d \u202cpeople who were entertained by\u202d \u202ca world-renowned pianist\u202d. \u202cIt was unforgettable\u202d,\u202c\u201d\u202d \u202cshe reveals\u202d. \u202c<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yet beyond large-scale associations and headline-making events\u202d, \u202cNara\u2019s philosophy is most clearly felt in its more intimate concepts\u202d. \u202cTake for instance\u202d, \u202cLady Nara\u202d, \u202cthe bistro-style dhow that reinterprets the traditional dhow cruise\u202d. \u202cThe 80-seater floating destination\u202d, \u202csailing from Dubai Festival City\u202d, \u202cpairs sleek interiors\u202d \u202cwith a state-of-the-art chef\u2019s kitchen\u202d. \u202cWooden slatted ceilings\u202d, \u202cupholstered long seats and rattan chairs set the tone as the two-deck vessel glides through\u202d \u202cold and new Dubai\u2019s waterways amid the shimmering skyline\u202d, \u202cwith a Mediterranean-Arabic menu\u202d \u202c\u2014\u202d \u202cairy focaccias with beetroot hummus and labneh\u202d, \u202csmoked aubergine caviar\u202d, \u202ccarpaccios and delicate desserts to name just a few\u202d \u202c\u2014\u202d \u202cadding to the heady moments\u202d.\u202c<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the desert\u202d, \u202cThe Nest is a prime example of a secluded expression of indulgence\u202d. \u202cThink a staycation without the formality of a\u202d \u202cresort with unique activities\u202d \u202c\u2014\u202d \u202cstargazing with an astronomer\u202d, \u202cfire-lit evenings inside the\u202d \u202c\u2018nest\u2019\u202d \u202cor even a private cinema under the stars\u202d. \u202cIt\u2019s all very exclusive\u202d, \u202cchic and intimate\u202d. \u202c<\/p>\n\n\n\n What luxury actually means<\/p>\n\n\n\n At every project and vertical she\u2019s created\u202d, \u202cStephanie defines luxury by detail and intention rather than scale or cost\u202d. \u202cThe price spans a wide spectrum\u202d \u202c\u2014\u202d \u202cfrom a dhow cruise at about Dh500\u202d \u202cto desert proposals for Dh10,000\u202d \u202cor more\u202d, \u202cor bespoke productions that can run into millions\u202d. \u202cHowever\u202d, \u202cit\u2019s the value and experience that make all the difference\u202d. \u202c<\/p>\n\n\n\n Meanwhile\u202d, \u202cthe real challenge lies elsewhere\u202d: \u202chow to continue offering something elevated and new in a city that has it all\u202d. \u202cThe\u202d \u202ctrick\u202d, \u202caccording to Stephanie\u202d, \u202clies in restraint\u202d. \u202c\u201cThe word\u202d \u202c\u2018unique\u2019\u202d \u202cis rather overused but the key to creating a unique experience is not trying too hard to be luxurious\u202d,\u202c\u201d\u202d \u202cshe says\u202d. \u202c\u201cLuxury is simplicity\u202d. \u202cIt lives in the details\u202d \u202c\u2014\u202d \u202cthe quality of the food\u202d, \u202cthe plate it\u2019s served on or the warmth of the staff\u202d. \u202cAbove all\u202d, \u202cluxury is about memories that stay with you\u202d. \u202cChildren spending time in the desert to learn stargazing or falconry\u202d, \u202cfamilies gathering over an unhurried meal\u202d, \u202ca couple taking a quiet walk in the privacy of\u202d \u202cthe sand dunes\u202e\u2026\u202c\u202d \u202cthat is luxury\u202d.\u202c\u201d\u202d<\/p>\n\n\n\n This philosophy also gets mirrored in the way her company has grown\u202d \u202c\u2014\u202d \u202cslowly\u202d, \u202cdeliberately and without shortcuts\u202d. \u202c\u201cI don\u2019t know what comes next\u202d,\u202c\u201d\u202d \u202cshe admits\u202d. \u202c\u201cWhen I started in my kitchen seven years ago\u202d, \u202cI never thought it would take me to where it has reached today\u202d. \u202cWhen you build things one by one\u202d, \u202cyear by year\u202d, \u202cstone by stone along with a team who shares the same values and sensitivity to detail\u202d, \u202cthat\u2019s when you\u2019re able to make them truly better\u202d.\u202c\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Source: Khaleej times<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Published: 8 January 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" What began as a single table and lounge in the middle of a desert run by three employees\u202d, \u202chas evolved into a firm that curates events for the likes of Cartier and Rolls Royce In an era when luxury is often defined by jaw-dropping spectacles\u202d, \u202cbrand and celebrity-driven extravaganzas and no-expense-spared\u202d \u202cexcesses\u202d, \u202cStephanie Reichenbach strikes 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