Hotel manager Marcus Winter is awaiting an important visitor to the Emirates Palace Hotel. His long-time friend – the representative of a big tour operator – should be arriving soon to inspect the hotel. But instead of his friend, it’s a new inspector that comes – Sarah Riems, whose ideas concerning the needs of hotel guests greatly differ from those of Marcus. Trying to impress Sarah with the distinctive flair of his hotel, Marcus makes a grand presentation, emphasizing the spectacular regional cuisine and even taking the inspector on several trips into the breathtaking desert. Still, it looks like a hard sell… At the same time, Anna, the hotel’s decorator, excitedly awaits the arrival of visitors of her own - her pen-pal Max and his friend Holger. Although Max and Anna have only once briefly met, his extremely romantic letters have filled her heart with passion. Once her guests are settled in the hotel though, it becomes quickly obvious to Anna that the Max who had inspired such a love in her through his letters is much different than the one she now sees before her. It’s the artistic Holger who is presently stirring her desire, which leads to a growing rivalry between the two men that strains their friendship. Meanwhile, the single mother Renate and her son Tobias have traveled to the hotel for a dream holiday. Soon, Renate’s real reason for the trip to Dubai surfaces - she wants Tobias to become acquainted with his father, who operates boat tours for the hotel guests – and who doesn’t even know his son exists…...