But now you can get all the inspiration with none of the punishment. A handful of hotels have opened in the desert, offering trackless wastes in comfort. And what comfort: ensuite tents, plunge pools and designer furniture abound.

Not that the mission is to civilise the desert — that would miss the point. No, a good desert hotel is an island of luxury that is all the more indulgent for being surrounded by nature at its most stark and raw.

We sent our writers — not a hermit or stoic among them — to find a desert hotel for every traveller’s taste. Despite having been to some of the harshest environments on earth, they came back well fed, well watered, lightly tanned and serene. The desert does strange and wonderful things to you — and here’s why.

All flights depart from London; ask the operator or airline for regional options

DESERT FOR INSPIRATION

The resort: Longitude 131, Australia (00 61 8 8957 7131, www.longitude131.com.au).

What’s it like? Most visitors fly into the red centre to see Uluru (Ayers Rock), the enigmatic beacon poking from the flat, dry earth. But deserts are places to bathe your soul, to let views of forever wash over — and those around Uluru have forever to spare.

Much of it is the colour of dried blood, or, after the rainy season, silvered with pale spinifex grasses and she-oaks. The semi-arid lands have their share of desert creatures, like the thorny devil and the perentie lizard, two-metres long, as well as marsupial bounders and a gamut of bird life, from budgerigars to hawks to emus.

Desert wisdom: “The tourist comes here with the camera, taking pictures all over. What has he got? Another photo to take home, keep part of Uluru. He should get another lens — see straight inside.” Kunmanara, traditional landowner.

Sun, sand and ... spirituality. Ancient “birth of earth” mythologies don’t usually do it for me, but being literally walked through a “dreaming” in the ancient outcrop of Cave Hill, on a remote property south of Uluru, almost rocked my world. For I am now (albeit minutely) conversant with one of the most compelling and complex systems of knowledge I’ve ever encountered, an oral system that imparts ecology, pharmacy, land management, cartography — all the tools of desert survival — as well as sacred Dreamtime histories.

Thanks to the shy guidance of a young Anangu woman, Rosita Douglas, knowledge emerges along with views over the monstrous desert lands as you climb the small outcrop. It ends in a little-visited cave where the clan still gathers under ancient rock paintings — the oldest was daubed on the walls 30,000 years ago.

This day-long tour, with several hours spent track-bashing in a 4WD, is provided by the resort. Don’t deny yourself the experience. Outside the resort, camels, helicopters and Harley-Davidsons are for hire, and, famously, you can also climb Uluru. The rock’s custodians would rather you didn’t, but show considerable good grace if you decide to make the trek — certainly more good grace than, say, Vatican security guards might if you attempted to scale St Peter’s Basilica.