Perched 2,000 metres above sea level on the curving rim of a great canyon, Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar Resort will welcome discerning luxury travellers from July 2016. Upon its launch, the resort will be the highest luxury hotel in the Middle East and amongst the highest in the world. Al Jabal Al Akhdar is a towering massif on the Sultanate of Oman’s vast Saiq Plateau. The arrival journey two hours from Muscat International Airport or four-and-a-half hours from Dubai – past date plantations, valleys known locally as wadis, and historical forts.
A total of 115 guest rooms and villas overlook the canyon or tranquil gardens. Each room features its own indigenous luxuries from custom-made Omani furniture to Amouage bath products. The resort’s 82 Premier and Deluxe Rooms boast a spacious bedroom, amongst the largest in the country, and a spa-like bathroom carved out of sustainable material from the local area, complete with a rain shower and separate bath alongside a terrace or balcony. Meanwhile, 33 villas feature personal butler services and private swimming pools with infinity-edges stretching over the cliffs or hidden in a garden. Villa guests have the choice of either one or two bedrooms, including the exclusive Royal Mountain Villa. Each villa will include interactive LED TV and spacious walk-in dressing area.
The resort offers a collection of six restaurants and lounges. Its fine dining restaurant Arabian grill is placed in a central fort tower with sheesha water pipes and tapas, as well as a Roman inspired kitchen with canyon views. Anantara’s ‘Dining by Design’ will allow guests to dine at the cliff’s edge platform, Diana’s Point. Another Anantara signature, the ‘Spice Spoons’ cooking class will allow guests to accompany a chef to the local souq and to the resort’s own Chef’s Garden before being guided in the secrets of cooking Omani or Thai cuisine.
The resort will put travellers in touch with the local culture, history and landscape in personalised arrangements including mountaintop sunrise yoga and stargazing beneath the blanket of remote night sky. Other diversions include archery, quad biking and excursions to nearby heritage attractions such as the UNESCO World Heritage site Birkat al Mouz, and the ancient city of Nizwa, known as the ‘Pearl of Islam’. Accompanied by a local guide, Anantara guests can also embark on nature hikes.
Harnessing the essence of Arabia, the Anantara spa will offer ancient hammam rituals, five soothing treatment suites, private outdoor relaxation areas and an indoor swimming pool. Catering to the youngest travellers, a dedicated kids and teens club will be present. The resort’s ballroom and meeting facilities will host various events and weddings. Additionally, a courtyard fire pit will light the Anantara’s own Friday night market, illuminating artworks by local village artisans and craftsmen.
