Anantara Jabal Akhdar Review: The Ultimate Green Mountain Oman Luxury Retreat

During our incredible week in Oman, we made our way to the mountain Jabal Akhdar (also spelled Jebel Akhdar and Al Jabal Al Akhdar) and stayed at the exquisite Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar Resort. This Green Mountain Oman luxury resort is perched on Saiq Plateau and is home to Diana’s Point, where Princess Diana and Prince Charles spent an afternoon enjoying the sublime views in 1986. If this location is good enough for royalty, then you know it must be amazing! Of all the luxury hotels Oman has to offer, I doubt any others can boast being fit for a princess. We are sharing tons of details and photos of this beautiful resort in our Anantara Jabal Akhdar review. You will definitely want to make your way to the Hajar mountains of Oman for an unforgettable stay at this luxury resort with epic views and glorious sunsets! Keep reading for all you ever wanted to know about Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar, the highest 5 star resort in the Middle East and amongst the highest in the world! If you’re wondering which Oman hotels are worth your visit, we think our Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar review will help you decide. Learn why this is one of our favorite Oman resorts.

**Our WTA score represents our own views based on our personal experience with the entity being reviewed.

Our Anantara Jabal Akhdar Review

Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar Resort is one of two Anantara Oman hotels, the other being in the south in Salalah. This Jabal Akhdar Anantara is a few hours from Muscat and close in proximity to many of the best places to visit in Oman. Just 4o minutes away is the ancient falaj irrigation system (which is a UNESCO World Heritage Sight), crumbling mud houses and banana plantations in Birkat Al Mouz. Just a half hour further is the town of Nizwa, home to the Nizwa souk and beautiful Nizwa fort. Also nearby is Jabrin Castle and Bahla Fort, must-visit stops for anyone who loves history. Clearly Anantara Jabal Al Akhdar is a great place to stay when sightseeing in Oman.

Before we go into detail about our experience at Anantara Jabal Al Akhdar resort, here’s a quick rundown of all they offer and some facts about one of the best hotels in Oman. This Jabal Akhdar hotel has 82 canyon view rooms and 33 private pool villas. The resort has an insanely fabulous infinity pool, children’s pool, and 2 jacuzzis. The spa offers a hammam, indoor pool, jacuzzi, steam room and sauna. Guests can choose from 3 restaurants, a bar/lounge, shisha lounge, and a cafe. This Jebel Akhdar hotel also boasts a star gazing area and canyon viewing platform to take in the jaw-dropping views.

Guests can stay active in the Oman mountain resort with the recreation center, tennis court, basketball court, fitness center, and indoor rock wall. Fearless travelers must try the Jabal Activity Wall where you can do rock climbing, abseiling, and ziplining. We’ll share more about our experience with that in a separate blog post. Keep your kids entertained at the kids club and teen club. They also offer a multitude of activities like walks to local villages, hikes, biking, cooking classes, archery and more! There are so many reasons to love this gem of Jabal Akhdar, which is amongst the best Oman luxury resorts.

Anantara Hotel Jabal Akhdar is one of the new hotels in Oman, opening in October 2016. It cost a whopping $282 million (US dollars) to build in 3 years with 2,000 people working on it. We think it was worth the cost and time and have tons of photos to prove it. The resort is beautiful, its location pristine, and its staff friendly and hospitable. The views alone were enough to get us here, and we think you’ll agree. Keep reading to learn why we feels  this is one of the best resorts in Oman!

Getting to Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar in the Hajar Mountains

In order to access this Oman mountain hotel, you will need a 4-wheel drive vehicle. There is a police checkpoint after the town of Birkat Al Mouz and they will not allow you to ascend the mountain Jabal Akhdar if you do not have a four-wheel drive. We rented a 4×4 car in Dubai so we were good to go. However, Anantara will come pick you up from the police checkpoint if you do not have a 4×4 vehicle.

Be prepared for Jabal Akhdar Oman weather

Due to being at such a high altitude, staying at this mountain retreat is the perfect way to beat the heat of Oman. Al Jabal Al Akhdar weather is much cooler since it is 2,000 meters above sea level. Temperatures drop to below zero Celsius (32 degrees Fahrenheit) during winter, with snow fall common. During the summer, temperatures rise to 22 degrees Celsius (72 degrees Fahrenheit). Be prepared for the cooler Al Jabal Al Akhdar weather, which runs about 15 degrees cooler than at the base of the mountain. In summer, it must be a cool oasis compared to the sizzling deserts of Oman.

We were there in February and it was much colder than we had anticipated. We did not pack accordingly but thankfully were able to borrow a warm wool poncho from the hotel’s restaurant. You will definitely need warm sweaters and possibly a winter coat if you are visiting during the winter. Even in the summer you may want a light sweater for the evenings. We also loved the fire pits and heat lamps scattered throughout the property to warm up the winter nights.

A warm welcome at the Green Mountain Oman luxury resort

When you arrive at Anantara, there is a large security gate reminiscent of a historic fort with massive wooden doors at the main entrance. There you can pull up your car and your luggage gets whisked away as you enter the elegant lobby. Guests are welcomed with a tasty little treat during check-in. They brought us macaroons, date milk, and dates as we sat on a couch to check in. We thought that was a nice touch and much more personal than standing at a reception desk. It makes you feel like a guest in someone’s home rather than a hotel.

They also have cardamom-infused Arabic coffee available next to the front desk. Hospitality is an extremely important part of Omani culture, so you will feel like a VIP from the moment you arrive. We enjoyed a guided tour of the expansive resort before being escorted to our villa.

Lobby and Reception at Anantara Jabal Al Akhdar Resort

The lobby and reception area is beautifully decorated in a luxurious Arabic style with arched doorways, ambient lighting, and gorgeous Arabian lamps. They also have a platter of dates and Arabic coffee always available in the lobby. We nibbled on those sweet dates throughout our stay. Oh my goodness they are delicious!

Courtyard at Anantara Jabal Al Akhdar

As you exit the lobby you enter the Arabian-inspired courtyard with comfortable chairs, couches and a fire pit. Every evening there’s a traditional Omani welcome ceremony in the courtyard with men in traditional dress playing drums, singing and dancing around the fire pit. Make sure not to miss this for a taste of Omani culture.

Infinity pool overlooking Oman mountains

Past the courtyard and through the garden you will find the spectacular infinity pool, our favorite place in the resort. Photos of this amazing pool are what made us add this resort to our bucket list during our Oman tour. The views of the canyon and gorges are surreal as you swim out to the edge to enjoy the epic view. The pool is heated so you can get in even on cold days, and it is lit up beautifully in the evenings for a romantic night swim. On cold nights, we recommend a soak in the jacuzzi.

This family resort has a children’s pool

Anantara also has a children’s pool which makes this luxury resort super family-friendly. The kid’s pool is covered by a small canopy which is a nice touch to keep the little ones out of the sun all day long. There’s also a mushroom-looking thing that pours out water like at a splash pad. We didn’t have our kids with us this trip, but if we did, this is where we would’ve spent a lot of time.

Diana’s Point and Canyon Viewing Platform

Princess Diana and Prince Charles visited this spot when it was just untouched wilderness in 1986. Anantara has commemorated the spot where she enjoyed the splendid nature of the Oman mountains with a canyon viewing platform called Diana’s Point. You can just relax and take in the fantastic scenery and pretend for a moment that you’re also a princess or a prince.

Hotel guests can enjoy private dinners and daily sunrise yoga at 7am in this beautiful spot, which I highly recommend. I have never taken a yoga class with such a serene view! Make sure to watch the sunset from Diana’s Point and stick around since they light up a fire pit in the evenings. This is a cozy spot to hang out for a drink or just to admire the view.

One Bedroom Garden Pool Villa

When we’d enjoyed enough gazing at the unforgettable views, we retreated to our private villa. We stayed in a spacious One Bedroom Garden Pool Villa, which has its own private plunge pool and garden area enclosed by a wall. This huge villa has almost 2000 square feet of luxurious space. The villa offers ultimate privacy for couples who are on a romantic getaway. Nothing says romance like a private pool! This Oman villa is also perfect for families with children, since they can play in the private pool while the parents relax in bed, which overlooks the pool! Now that is our kind of setup!

The garden pool villa has a large bedroom, living room, office area, huge bathroom, and the biggest closet we’ve ever seen in a hotel room. Then outside you have a couch, table and chairs, and your own private pool. This gorgeous suite is the perfect place to relax and unwind in the lap of luxury. What’s more, it comes with a personal villa host to help you with anything you need. We loved the Arabian decor and little touches like a bowl of fresh fruit for us to enjoy and a personalized message waiting for us on the TV screen when we arrived. They also provided complimentary bottled water, tea and coffee in the villa.

The luxurious bathroom was quite impressive with a double vanity, desk area for beautifying, separate room for toilet, rain shower, and large soaking tub with bath salts. There’s also a cozy bench to relax on next to the bathtub, and a door leading from the bathroom to the garden area. Plush bathrobes, slippers, and a silky woman’s Omani robe were also waiting in the closet for our use during our stay.

We love the toiletries at nice hotels, and Anantara pampers its guests with luxurious bath products by Amouage. There’s a soap menu in the room which allows you to select the aroma you desire from patchouli, cedar wood, vetiver, or ginger flower. Each scent has an explanation of its healing qualities, which I thought was really neat. For example, patchouli has the benefits of antidepressant, antichloristic, and antiseptic. You can call guest services and ask for your preferred fragrance. The soaps are made from organic ingredients and free from artificial fragrances or additives. This was the first time we’ve seen a soap menu in our hotel room, and we’ve stayed in some fabulous luxury resorts. I have to hand it to Anantara, they know how to spoil their guests.

Three Bedroom Royal Mountain Villa

If you’re looking to go all out, why not stay in the Royal Mountain Villa? We’ve seen some pretty killer suites, but this tops them all. If you have an extra $6,558 to spare, why not splurge for a night? 😉 We guarantee you’ll feel like royalty!

The royal villa sleeps 9 people and comes with 3 bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms, a personal villa host, staff quarters with a separate entrance, a 2 car garage, kitchenette, dining room, living room, outdoor dining area, a heated cliff-side private pool, and breathtaking canyon views.

There was a genie’s lamp in the villa, and no matter how hard we rubbed that thing, the genie did not appear to grant us our 3 wishes. Hey genie, if you can hear us, we wish for another trip to Oman and a night in the Royal Mountain Villa!

Post from RICOH THETA. – Spherical Image – ANANTARA

Anantara Spa

Speaking of spoiling guests, lets talk about the spa at Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar. The Anantara spa won the World Spa Awards in 2017 for Oman’s Best Resort Spa. Although we didn’t indulge in any spa treatments, we enjoyed the facilities which are complimentary to resort guests.

The spa has separate men’s and women’s thermal suites with a locker room, rain showers, Himalayan salt steam room, aroma-infused sauna, private lounge beds for relaxing, outdoor relaxation patios with loungers, and jacuzzis. Each suite offers healthy snacks like fruit and nuts, fruit-infused water, and herbal teas. Bertaut received apple tea in the spa reception area while he was waiting for me to finish my soak in the jacuzzi.

There is also a private hamman where you can get Arabic healing treatments like body scrubs with natural elixirs to revitalize your skin. I think a couples hamman experience sounds like pure bliss to me. The spa also has a nail and hair salon called The Jasmine Lounge.

Dining at Anantara Hotel Jabal Akhdar

Spa time always works up my appetite, and there are many dining options at this resort. There are 3 restaurants and a cafe offering a variety of cuisine. The resort also offers in-villa or in-room dining and dining by design, which is tailored private dining in locations including Diana’s Point or the Royal Mountain Villa. We had breakfast and dinner at Al Maisan and lunch at the poolside Italian restaurant Belle Vista. We didn’t have the chance to try the other restaurants, but hope to return someday and try them all.

Al Maisan restaurant

The restaurant Al Maisan offers international cuisine and serves breakfast and dinner, with an impressive buffet for both meals. We enjoyed local Arabic dishes as well as a variety of other cuisines. The dining room has floor to ceiling windows facing the mountains offering more spectacular views. You can also sit outside and bask in the sunshine which made for a perfect breakfast.

Breakfast buffet at Al Maisan

If you’ve been following our blog for awhile, you know we are very thorough and take tons of photos. Here is what to expect for breakfast at Al Maisan, which is included in the room rates. There’s an incredible selection of breads, pastries, sweets, waffles, pancakes, eggs, made to order omelettes, salads, sausages, baked beans, fresh fruit and more! They also have fresh squeezed juice in almost every color of the rainbow, coconuts they cut open right in front of you, tea, and coffee served anyway you like. You are sure to get your day off to a good start with breakfast buffet here.

Dinner buffet at Al Maisan

We opted for the dinner buffet at Al Maisan so we could sample a variety of different foods and international cuisine. Our favorite part was trying Omani food, since we love to eat what locals are eating when traveling. The restaurant also had a salad bar with Arabic spreads and specialities, a nice selection of desserts, and many kinds of breads. We were pleasantly plump after dinner.

Lunch at Belle Vista Restaurant

We also enjoyed lunch at Belle Vista restaurant, which has both indoor and outdoor seating near Diana’s Point. The steak and mashed potatoes were very flavorful and the seafood was fresh and delicious. There are heat lamps outside for cold days and nights in addition to wool ponchos the restaurant loans to guests. That poncho saved me since I didn’t pack warm enough clothes for winter on Al Jabal Al Akhdar.

Other restaurants at Anantara

There’s another restaurant called Al Qalaa located in the fort that we didn’t get the chance to try during our stay. Al Qalaa serves dinner and offers Arabian grill, a lounge and shisha lounge. We took a peek at the lounge and think its a nice chill place to grab a drink after dinner.

For a quick bite or a cup of coffee, you can try Al Baha which is next to the courtyard. Al Baha serves a la carte deli food from 10:30am to 6:30pm. We didn’t eat here so can’t attest to its food.

Resort activities and places to visit in Jebel Akhdar

The resort offers so much more to do than enjoy the beautiful view and delicious Omani cuisine. I mentioned earlier that there’s a tennis court, basketball court, kids club and teen club. There are plenty of activities both within the resort and beyond it to stay active, experience Oman culture, and enjoy the treasures of this region. Guests can choose from movies under the stars, stargazing from the top of the fort, archery, bicycling, tennis, yoga, photography classes, painting lessons, hiking, cultural walks to nearby villages, the rock wall, and driving tours and excursions. Some of the must visit places in Oman that you can tour with Anantara include Wahiba Sands, Wadi Bani Khalid, Nizwa Fort, Nizwa Souk, Bahla Fort, Jabreen Castle, and Oman’s Grand Canyon on Jebel Shams. If you don’t have a 4×4 vehicle or prefer to let someone else do the driving, then taking a guided excursion is a great way to see more of this beautiful sultanate.

We tried the Jabal Activity Wall where we went rock climbing and abseiling. It scared the crap out of us but it was one of the most exciting things we’ve ever done. Check back on the blog soon for more about our rock climbing adventure at Anantara!

Conclusion of our Anantara Jabal Akhdar review

We’ve shown you just about every corner of Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar resort, so you can see why we absolutely loved this resort. There’s so much to do for every kind of traveler, from adventurous thrill seekers (try the activity wall) to spa junkies who are here primarily to relax and unwind, and everyone in between. Even if all you do is stare out at the glorious views, you’re sure to walk away from your stay fully invigorated and relaxed. You can’t help but feel peaceful here.

This family-friendly resort has a kids club, teen club, children’s pool, playground, trampoline, and tons of activities to keep kids entertained on your Oman vacation. There’s also so much to do for couples on a romantic getaway, like a couples massage, private cliff-side dining, and hiking to nearby abandoned villages. If you’re looking for a unique mountain luxury retreat, then this is your place.

Anantara delivers luxury, refined elegance, excellent service, and superb hospitality at this Jabal Akhdar resort. Make sure to save up for your luxury retreat because prices are not cheap, but are absolutely worth it. Rates start at 175 Omani rial ($454 US dollar) for a canyon view room and go up to 2525 Rial ($6,558) per night for the 3 bedroom Royal Mountain Villa. Staying at the royal villa is my dream if we ever win the lottery! 😉 Here’s one last look below at the resort from the Royal Mountain Villa, the best suite in Oman.

For a completely different scenery and experience in Oman, check out our post about glamping in Wahiba Sands. If you’re considering a visit to neighboring UAE (like the popular Dubai and Abu Dhabi) (just 5 hours by car), check out our posts about Dubai’s famous landmarks, the best shopping in Dubai, record-breaking Miracle Garden, the cultural gem Global Village, Jumeirah Beach Residence, Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Emirates Palace, Etihad Towers, Heritage Village. Trying to decide which airline to fly to the Middle East? Check out our reviews of Etihad Business Class and Emirates First Class on the Airbus A380 and the Boeing 777, both of which are fantastic. If you liked this post, please pin it for later and share it on social media. Sign up for our email newsletter for more travel tips and inspiration to explore the world!

**Disclosure- Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar provided us with a complimentary stay in exchange for an honest review, but as always all opinions are our own. In fact, we loved it so much that we paid to stay an extra night.

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