Abingdon Living Jan - Feb 2020

The name Oman is a particularly evocative one. It
speaks of the shifting sands of dunes and deserts, the
intricate mastery of wood carving, interiors bedecked in
jewel-toned fabrics reflected in shining brasswork and
of millennia-old traditions and classic Arabic hospitality.
It is also a country of contrasts - high mountain passes
with spectacular valleys and picture postcard famous backdrops of
sand dunes.
You might not think mountains when you think of Oman, but the
country has some of the most spectacular landscapes and vistas
anywhere in the Middle East. Indeed, many nationals from the UAE
or Saudi head to the Omani mountains for their holidays, preferring
the milder climate in the summer months.
Sitting atop a peak in Jabel Al Akhdar is the Sahab Resort and Spa,
the latest hotel offering from the Omani Al Nahda group. Known for
their strong commitment to service and luxurious settings, this hotel
seeks to offer a mountain getaway where guests can truly relax. The
hotel is of course centred around the views - spectacular vistas of
gorges, waterfalls and stone cut ridges. The designers have been
keen to ground the hotel in its location through a series of careful
touches - the million year-old fossils found in the valley are visible
throughout all of the grounds and the local rosewater scents the
halls.
Sahab offers 27 rooms in three different categories - Studio rooms,
Suite rooms & Family Suites. The decor is influenced by rich Omani
culture, equipped with all the modern amenities and offering a
magnificent view of the Jabal Al Akhdar mountain range. It was
special indeed to sip my morning coffee whilst gazing out across
the vastness of the surroundings, watching as the sun stretched and
touched each mountainous ridge in turn.
There are lots of excursion options from the hotel - some abseiling
and mountain climbing for adrenaline-seekers, alongside more
sedate tours of local villages, the rose garden or even star gazing. I
opted for the village tour, taking in the local waterfall and getting a
sense of the unique challenges of living in somewhere so remote.
After days of soaking up the endless views by the pool, it was time
to move on to a more archetypal Middle Eastern experience in the
sand dunes.
Mirage-like and utterly majestic, the Dunes by Al Nahda resort sits
amongst the undulating sand dunes of Wadi Al Abyad. Only 40
minutes from Muscat, it’s a world away from city life, creating an
authentic taste of the Omani experience. The hotel is made up of
a series of static ivory one or two bedroom Bedouin tents, each
luxuriously furnished with dark woods, richly patterned fabrics and
ultra-comfortable beds. For a truly majestic stay, and this resort
does host royalty, there are the Royal Suites. The size of almost
four tents together, each is capacious at 139 square meters and
equipped with separate bedrooms, a living room and a private patio.
Dunes Resort and Spa
“IT IS ALSO A COUNTRY
OF CONTRASTS - HIGH
MOUNTAIN PASSES WITH
SPECTACULAR VALLEYS AND
PICTURE POSTCARD FAMOUS
BACKDROPS OF SAND DUNES.”
27