Alila Jabal Akhdar

Alila Jabal Akhdar is the most secluded luxury hotel on Jebel Akhdar: 86 suites and villas built in the region's grey stone, at 2,000 m on the edge of a gorge in the Hajar range. When it opened in March 2014 it was announced as the first five-star luxury hotel in Oman's mountains. It belongs to Alila, Hyatt's brand of small nature-focused resorts.

Higher and more remote

The hotel stands at Al Roose, beyond the villages of the Saiq Plateau. A review published in late 2023 sums up the difference from its neighbour: Anantara is closer to a town, Alila higher up and more remote. People come here for silence, walking and mountain light rather than for buzz.

From the road the hotel seems to sit on a flat plateau. Closer up, the gorge opens beneath the terraces, with a drop of several hundred metres. The two-storey buildings, clad in local stone, blend into a landscape of rock and shrubs. Suites are spread across small blocks, often four per building, and the site is fairly spread out: if you have limited mobility, ask for a suite near the main building.

Suites and villas

All suites have a bathroom with double basins, rain shower and freestanding marble tub, plus a walk-in wardrobe; what sets them apart is their position, from ground level on the gardens to upper floors facing the gorge. For a couple, the Ridge View Suite has the best gorge view. The Loft Suite, on two levels, is the family option, and the two Jabal Villas, each with a private pool, suit a family or friends on a special stay. There are also a few better-placed suites (Jabal Horizon View, Jabal Ridge View, Jabal Terrace) and a single Alila Terrace.

One restaurant: Juniper

Alila has a single restaurant, Juniper, and a bar, the Rose Lounge, which also serves food during the day. Juniper's menu makes up for it, running from Omani dishes to Asian, European and Lebanese sections, so you can change cuisine every night. At breakfast, fruit, pastries and cold cuts come to the table before your hot dish; the pomegranate juice is pressed from fruit grown in the mountains. The hotel grows some of its produce on an organic farm and a hydroponic farm, and runs cooking classes. In-room dining is available around the clock.

Guests staying longer than three nights may find the evenings a little repetitive: that is the price of seclusion.

Days at Alila

• Yoga in the morning on a terrace facing the gorge, free for guests.
• Via ferrata and abseiling, including a descent into a cave below the hotel.
• Hiking to abandoned villages and terraced gardens watered by aflaj (traditional irrigation channels), where roses and pomegranates grow; the 3 km Butterfly Trail is an easy family walk.
• Stargazing in the evening, on clear nights, with the hotel's telescope.
• Spa Alila, with treatments inspired by local recipes, a heated outdoor infinity pool with cabanas and two hot tubs, and a small indoor pool.
• Nizwa on a Friday morning for the livestock market and the souq, about 1 h 20 by road.

Children have their own play area, Play Alila. For trails in the area, see our Hajar hiking guide.

Access and season

The hotel is 174 km and 2.5 hours by road from Muscat International Airport. The last 45 minutes are on the mountain road, open only to 4x4s beyond the Birkat al Mouz police checkpoint; the hotel arranges transfers and has a helipad. Our guide to driving in Oman explains the rules.

From October to April, days are mild and evenings cold: at Saiq, average highs drop to 12 °C in January. Bring a padded jacket and a jumper. In spring, the rose season (late March to early May) draws crowds to the plateau: see rose season.

Price

Alila Jabal Akhdar's rates are available on request: they vary widely by suite and season, and we confirm them for your dates.

Sabaro's view

Who it suits: couples and travellers looking for quiet, walking and understated architecture; families in the Loft Suite.

Highlights: the setting above the gorge; spacious stone suites; free yoga and stargazing; a 4.8 out of 5 rating on Tripadvisor (2,812 reviews).

Good to know: a single restaurant; spread-out buildings that are awkward for guests with limited mobility; a small indoor pool; cold winter evenings. Three nights is usually enough. See also the Jebel Akhdar region and our mountain ideas.