Alila Jabal Akhdar… and the desire to stay there

I love planning trips. Finding beautiful hotels, discovering remote mountain villages and researching authentic restaurants. The boyfriend regularly jokes that I have missed my job with my enthusiasm and the time spent – a few evenings can be spent on each trip. But the research is worth it. Also for our trip to Oman I found a gem that knocked us off our feet in live. Fogged by the balsamic scent of incense and overlooking deep mountain valleys that can easily hold the Grand Canyon’s pole, it seemed as if we had found paradise.

But as is often the case in life, the beautiful things are not easy to achieve. This makes it all the more desirable. The design hotel Alila Jabal Akhdar is located at 2,000 m above sea level on the Saiq Plateau in the middle of the rugged Jabal Akhdar Mountains, which are crisscrossed by numerous wadis. From Birkat al Mauz, a steeply ascending, paved road leads up to the plateau. Despite the three-lane road, only 4×4 off-road vehicles are allowed to pass through the military post due to the steep incline. We were off-road on narrow roads the days before and had to smile at all the warning signs. Technically, I have no idea if it really needs the 4×4, or if this is a remnant from earlier times. The first village you reach on the plateau is the modern settlement of Qatana. To Alila Jabal Akhdar, the road branches off to the left shortly after passing the Jabal Akhdar Hotel. In the first attempt we missed the turnoff and drove to the village center of Saiq. Without driving the wrong way, the journey from Birkat al Mauz to the hotel takes about an hour.

The hotel complex was designed according to the LEED standard for environmentally friendly, resource-saving and sustainable construction. Local building materials have been used and the drinking water, for example, is served exclusively in glass bottles, which are collected and refilled. Apart from the successful architecture and the spacious rooms, the location of the hotel directly on the abyss of a deeply incised gorge is impressive.

After being greeted with dates and Omani coffee, we allowed our growling stomachs a refreshment after the winding drive. Afterwards we took a look at our “suite” (there are only suites and villas). Here, too, there is a simple but skilfully staged design and a magnificent view. It is not for nothing that the Alila Jabal Askhdar was nominated as one of the “hottest places for honeymoon in 2016”.

After the first round of sightseeing and a few “wow’s” and “ah’s”, we made ourselves comfortable on the deck chair by the pool for the rest of the afternoon. Since the hotel is located in the mountains, the temperature is pleasantly refreshing and not hot and humid. The pool, on the other hand, is not for “Gförlis”. The temperature in the outdoor pool was 18°C and reminded me of an Aare swim.

We started the evening with cocktails in the Rose Lounge and then enjoyed a three-course half-board menu – which, contrary to our fears, can be ordered from the menu and tasted surprisingly good (no buffet fight). The only point of criticism is that the hotel was about 50% filled with families at the time of our stay, which resulted in a relatively high noise level in the restaurant. Not that I have anything against families with children, but for the positioning of the hotel we found the high proportion of children during our stay strange.

After a wonderfully restful night, we jumped out of bed early the next morning to catch the first rays of sunshine. What a great morning mood! Depending on the day of the week, yoga is offered at seven o’clock in the morning and with pleasantly fresh temperatures, nothing stands in the way of a morning run.

After feasting our way through the breakfast buffet, it was unfortunately time for us to say goodbye to the desert again. And even though a new adventure awaited us that day, a part of me wished that we had stayed longer in this dreamlike place.

More information about the hotel: Alila Jabal Akhdar (Partner link)
We paid 184 OMR for one night with half board including taxes, which is around 450 CHF.