Since visiting the dramatic canyons of Jabal Akhdar in 2018, we’d been wanting to return to this breathtaking Oman mountain, part of the Hajar Mountains range. We were thrilled when Alila hotels joined the World of Hyatt program. That meant we could use points to stay at Alila Jabal Akhdar, one of the best Oman hotels, for free. We stayed 2 nights at this ultra luxurious Oman resort with our kids for 25,000 Hyatt points/night. It is truly a haven of serenity and relaxation and is the perfect place to unwind and connect with your loved ones. Read our Alila Jabal Akhdar review to see why this Oman Green Mountain retreat is one of our new favorites. In fact, it’s one of just a handful of resorts that earned a perfect 10 WTA Score. With a fantastic (and free) kids club and a plethora of complimentary activities, this exquisite Alila hotel is one of the best hotels in Oman for families.

Alila Jabal Akhdar Review

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

Booking our stay on Hyatt points

We reserved our stay at Alila Jabal Akhdar, the newest Oman Hyatt, using World of Hyatt points. Alila Jabal Akhdar is a Category 6 hotel, requiring 25,000 Hyatt points per night. Since Hyatt is a transfer partner of Chase, we were able to instantly transfer Chase points to Hyatt to have enough points to cover our stay.

Rates for this hotel are typically over $500 per night for a standard room and even higher for an upgraded suite or villa, so this was an excellent use of points.  A standard room would have cost $729.35 per night after taxes and fees for the date of our stay, giving us a value of almost 3 cents per point on this redemption.

We used one of our confirmed suite upgrades (that Bertaut received as a Hyatt Globalist) to reserve a Jabal Terrace Suite, which goes for over $800 per night or $972.47 after taxes and fees. This made our points redemption an even better value at nearly 4 cents per point.

Unfortunately we omitted the kids from our reservation (while switching dates around at the time of the booking), which we learned upon arrival would mean we could not stay in the Jabal Terrace Suite. Only adults are allowed to stay in those suites due to safety concerns since the balcony overlooks the canyon, which is 2,000 meters above sea level.

So if you’re making a reservation with kids, make sure to include them so that you don’t end up having to switch rooms upon arrival. It turned out not to be a problem since Alila is an all-suite resort, so even the standard room that we ended up staying in was very nice with a breathtaking view. In all honesty, I preferred the view from the Mountain View Suite that we ended up with, although it was about half the size of the Jabal Terrace Suite.

Alila Jabal Akhdar Location

Alila Jabal Akhdar is located 2,000 meters above sea level on Jebel Akhdar, the famed Green Mountain of Oman. Its remote location with breathtaking views makes Alila Jabal Akhdar an oasis of tranquility. Jabal Akhdar weather is about 15 degrees Celsius cooler than temperatures in Muscat, making it a popular getaway in summers to escape the oppressive heat. In winter, Jabal Akhdar temperatures drop into the 40’s Fahrenheit, so pack accordingly. It is a 2.5 hour drive from Muscat or 1 hour drive from Nizwa, and requires a 4-wheel-drive vehicle to access. The hotel can arrange transportation for a fee if needed.

Preserving the natural beauty of Jabal Akhdar

As we pulled into the entrance for Alila Jabal Akhdar, we barely noticed the buildings because they blend so seamlessly into the environment. The resort is designed to resemble a traditional Omani village and preserve the natural beauty of the region, which is jaw dropping. Alila incorporated natural stones and materials into the design so that it creates harmony with the environment and a calming aesthetic. A falaj, the traditional Omani water irrigation system, runs throughout the property and enhances the peacefulness of the environment.

A warm Omani welcome with dates and coffee

As soon as we drove up to the reception building, doormen dressed in traditional Omani dishdashas greeted us and welcomed us to the hotel. They took care of our luggage and invited us into the elegant lobby for a seat, which was a pleasant change from standing at the reception desk to check in. Another member of the team brought a gorgeous platter of dates and cardamom-flavored Arabic coffee, staples of Omani hospitality. Omani dates are insanely delicious, so we happily nibbled while beginning our check-in process.

Inviting Lobby

We took in the stunning contemporary decor in the lobby while nibbling on our welcome treat. A giant fireplace is the centerpiece of the room and warmed us up on the chilly mountain nights. The lobby also has an Arabic majlis area with red cushions near the stairs leading to the guest rooms. Two-story floor-to-ceiling windows reveal the mesmerizing landscape and falaj waterway outside. We instantly felt welcome and relaxed and couldn’t wait to explore the rest of the hotel.

Check In

During check in the front desk team informed us that we had accidentally omitted the kids from our reservation and as a result would not be able to stay in the Jabal Terrace Suite. Hussam kindly offered to show us the suite (to quench our curiosity about what we would be missing) as well as a few other rooms that were available so we could decide on one. Sadly there were no other upgraded suites available since we were visiting during peak season, just days before Christmas. However, Hussam promised us that we would like the suite he was going to show us.

In the meantime, he took us on a tour of the hotel while explaining all the exciting programs and activities available for guests, most of which are complimentary. He gave our kids their Children’s Passports. This is a fantastic program that had our kids bursting with excitement to do EVERYTHING the resort offered. Kids get stamps when doing different activities at the resort and then earn prizes like colored pencils, milkshakes and friendship bracelets.

Jabal Terrace Suite

The first stop on our hotel tour was the Jabal Terrace Suite, which would not be ours. The spacious 1,120-square-foot suite has its own private entrance and 2 enormous terraces with cozy couches and a daybed for taking in the view. This suite offers one king bed, a sitting area with a couch and table, a spacious and bright bathroom, and dramatic views of the gorge.

What impressed us the most about this suite was the amount of outdoor space. One of the terraces was large enough to throw a party. It had a cozy daybed with a canopy for lounging and a table for eating. The second terrace also had a couch and looked like a perfect place to cozy up with a book. However, we knew it couldn’t be ours and headed off to see the next stop on our tour.

Mountain View Suite

Next we saw a Mountain View Suite, room 26, which is surprisingly the resort’s standard room at 560 square-feet. However, there is nothing standard about this suite and especially not the view! Our suite overlooked the azure infinity pool and dramatic gorge, allowing us to watch the sunset from our private terrace. Hussam was right- we loved this suite and had no more regrets about missing out on the larger terrace suite.

Since the property is all-suites, even the standard rooms are exquisite. Minimalist decor is accented by ethnic Omani elements like fort-like solid wood doors, copper plates, and locally made clay pottery. Hand-painted murals of Juniper trees, which grow in this region, decorated the walls of our suite, bringing a subtle element of nature inside.

Our suite included a king-sized bed and a daybed big enough for one of the kids to sleep on. They brought a rollaway bed (free of charge) so our kids didn’t have to share a bed, which was appreciated.

Next to the sitting area was a desk area with plenty of space to lay out all our camera equipment and electronics. We travel with a ton of equipment, so appreciated having space for everything to charge. On a small table they left a welcome gift for us of fresh fruit and bottled water.

The luxurious and spacious bathroom featured dual vanities, a separate room for the toilet, and a separate room for the rain shower and large freestanding bathtub. A jar of rose bath salts and refillable porcelain jars full of luxe shower gel, shampoo and conditioner were available for the bath products. Alila makes their own bath and spa products out of natural ingredients. The toiletries smelled so good I secretly wished they weren’t so eco-friendly so we could take home some extras. 😉

The suite had a walk-in closet with a bench for luggage, space to hang clothing, and drawers to unpack. We had a lot of luggage and still had enough space for everything.

Play Alila

After we decided that room 26 was the suite we wanted, Hussam took us to the next stop on our tour. We visited the complimentary Alila kids club called Play Alila. It was conveniently located in the same main building and on the same floor as our suite. Once the kids saw the incredibly fun kids club, they didn’t want to leave. So we signed them in under the care of Rea, who was outstanding with kids and took such great care of them during our stay.

Play Alila is open daily from 8am to 8pm and is completely free, which is always a huge plus in our books. They have a schedule that changes daily including engaging activities like baking cookies, archery, adventure walks, face-painting, and crafts. Our kids would have spent all day there if we had let them, but we wanted to spend some quality family time together as well. When they weren’t at the kids club, we enjoyed family pool time, meals, and some of the other fun activities like riding bikes and exploring the resort to get stamps on their passports.

We took full advantage of the kids club one lazy afternoon while indulging in a couples massage at the spa, watching the sunset from our private terrace, followed by a soak in the heated indoor pool. While the kids were happy making new friends, flying kites, and playing video games, we savored our romantic time as a couple. It was sheer perfection! Alila Jabal Akhdar has mastered the delicate balance of ultra luxury and family-friendliness, which is exactly what we’re looking for in a resort.

Rose Lounge

After dropping our kids off at the kids club during our hotel tour, Hussam continued to show us around the resort. He walked us through the Rose Lounge, which is a popular place for happy hour in the evenings with a killer view of the sunset. The Rose Lounge also has live music in the evenings for 2 hours and is illuminated by candlelight, making it incredibly romantic and cozy.

We listened for a few minutes to the musician playing the Arabic guitar, called an oud. The music was so enchanting that we could have sat there for hours listening, but we were too eager to continue exploring the resort.

Outside on the terrace there are heat lamps and fire pits to keep guests warm on those chilly winter nights. We wandered over to a wooden viewing platform along the rim of the gorge and stood in awe over the sunset. We peered down into the gorge and noticed the via ferrata path and cave that we would be exploring in a few days.

Pools and Hot Tubs

Just past the Rose Lounge is the pool terrace with a stunning heated infinity pool, two hot tubs, and an indoor heated pool.  There are several plush pool cabanas open for grabs, and this is another great spot to enjoy the sunset, relax with a book, or just cuddle up with your family. We appreciated that the cabanas did not require a reservation and additional charge, as is often the case at luxury hotels.

The views from the pool terrace are jaw-dropping and it is worth braving the cold temperatures (when you get out of the heated pool) to take a swim there. We had so much fun swimming with the kids in this breathtaking setting the next day.

The indoor pool is another great option, especially in the evenings when it gets colder. The views aren’t quite as spectacular, but thanks to the floor-to-ceiling windows you can still enjoy sunset over the gorge from the indoor pool. The indoor pool feels more like a hot tub than a pool and is blissfully relaxing.

Alila Spa

Another stop for blissful relaxination is Spa Alila. There are separate spa areas for men and women with a steam room, showers, jacuzzi, and changing room. I made use of the relaxing atmosphere after our couples massage, which melted away all our tension. They started our treatment with a warm foot soak and washed our feet and calves. Our couples massage was exactly what we needed to unwind, and did I mention that the kids were in the free kids club? 🙂

Fitness Room

The fitness room is located next to the indoor pool and has floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the gorge. Not a bad view for a workout. There was a small selection of cardio and strength equipment and complimentary fresh fruit and water. I would guess that most people who come to Alila Jabal Akhdar are here to enjoy nature and prefer to exercise outdoors on one of the hikes or on the via ferrata instead of in the fitness room. Hiking to nearby villages is a popular activity at Alila.

Juniper Restaurant

Alila Jabal Akhdar has just one restaurant, Juniper Restaurant. The Rose Lounge also serves light bites for lunch and dinner. The restaurant has both indoor and outdoor seating with a retractable awning that is open for breakfast when the sun heats the space. There are heat lamps outside since temperatures up in the mountains get chilly during the winter. We loved being able to eat outside for breakfast and enjoy the beautiful views of the gorge. We dined indoors for dinner.

As Hyatt Globalists our breakfast at Juniper Restaurant was complimentary, although it seems that many guests book their rooms to include breakfast. The breakfast buffet offered a selection of pastries (including donuts for the kids), salads, fruit, Arabic mezze spreads, cereals, nuts, cheese, meats, yogurt, breads, and fresh juices. Guests could also order hot items off the menu to supplement the buffet, such as egg dishes and Arabic breakfast options. We tried the Avocado Toast and Jabal Breakfast, both of which were quite tasty. The kids ordered the Blueberry Pancakes and Brioche French Toast, which I sampled and both were delicious.

The resort offers a half board option when booking that includes breakfast and dinner, which it what we recommend. For dinner we opted both nights for the Omani Tasting Menu, which was 4 courses and more food than we could eat. Children eat for free off the kids menu when dining with parents, so that’s a nice perk for families. The kids raved over the mini hamburgers and chicken nuggets. They also got free milkshakes after getting 8 stamps on their Play Alila passports, which were almost too pretty to eat and oh so tasty. The restaurant serves delicious non-alcoholic drinks as well alcoholic options.

We loved the Omani tasting menu since it allowed us to try so many different dishes that are local specialities. It consisted of a first course of Arabic mezze served with flat bread and soup, 2 main course dishes, and dessert. The tasting menu changes daily and is served family style at 28 OMR (about $73 USD) per person. Lamb Shuwa is a must-try Oman food and luckily was on the menu during our stay. Everything we ordered was absolutely delicious.

We were so full both nights that we couldn’t even eat dessert, so they offered to send it to our room later that night after we’d had time to digest. The resort is so eco-friendly that they don’t have disposable takeaway boxes, so they sent up our desserts as room service, without a charge. We were really impressed by that gesture, which is another example of the top notch service at Alila.

Complimentary Activities

Alila offers many complimentary activities all throughout the day and evening which keep guests entertained. We took advantage of a few including stargazing, a movie under the stars, and sunrise yoga with epic views. We had planned on attending the 3 hour guided nature hike but it was unfortunately cancelled due to rain, so we were forced to relax instead. 😉 Some of the other complimentary activities at Alila include a cooking class, spa kitchen – which is learning how to use natural materials to make your own spa products, and riding bikes.

Via Ferrata

There are additional activities that cost extra but are definitely worth including on your itinerary. One we highly recommend is the Via Ferrata, a must-do for adventure travelers and thrill seekers. However, if you have a fear of heights, don’t even think about it.

Alila’ s via ferrata is the highest in the Middle East. It includes a path down the side of the cliff, into a cave, over a suspended rope bridge, and back up the cliff. It is both terrifying and exhilarating, and we are so proud of ourselves for accomplishing the 90 minute adventure. Yes, there were moments that my legs were shaking and I wished I was at the end of the course. Yet I pushed through my fear and did it anyway, and what an accomplishment. If you like hiking, rock climbing, and the great outdoors then don’t miss it.

 

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Impeccable Service

We have to rave about the service at Alila Jabal Akhdar. Everyone that took care of us, from the moment we arrived to our final goodbye, was kind, friendly, and helpful. The staff were so warm and engaging with our children, which is not always the case in ultra-luxurious hotels. We’ve noticed that Omani culture is extremely kid-friendly, and it was no exception at this peaceful luxury retreat. Alila Jabal Akhdar will be forever remembered by our kids thanks to all the fun they had at Play Alila, where they made friends that we are still in touch with now.

We especially want to give a shout out to Hussam for showing us around the resort and helping us find a great suite after the mix-up with our reserved suite. Rea in Play Alila was amazing with the kids as well as Sarah at Juniper Restaurant, who was also incredibly kind to the kids. Tariq- thanks for making our first Via Ferrata experience unforgettable and keeping us safe. There are so many more people who took great care of us whose names we did not get, including the housekeeping staff.

We want to mention turndown service, which was another area Alila shined. They brought gifts at turndown each night- bite-size sweets and a small clay pot filled with mountain herbs for tea.

My favorite part of turndown service though was the heated water bottles they placed under our sheets to warm the bed. When I crawled into that warm bed at the end of the chilly night, I was in heaven. Oh how I wish I had someone to put one of those under by sheets at home every night in the freezing winter. 😉

Final thoughts on Alila Jabal Akhdar

In conclusion, we absolutely LOVED Alila Jabal Akhdar. As mentioned earlier, it is one of only a few hotels that has earned a perfect 10/10 on our WTA score. The setting is incredibly serene, the views are breathtaking, the suites are gorgeous, the food is delicious, activities are complimentary, and the service is impeccable. As a family with young kids, this resort stands out especially for being so kid-friendly.  The free kids club and staff who go out of their way to make kids feel welcome truly make for the perfect family getaway.

We are already thinking about planning yet another trip to Oman and want to stay longer at Alila next time. We stayed 2 nights and wished we had at least 2 more. There’s so much to do just within the resort and the atmosphere is so tranquil that it’s hard to leave. Until the next time…

To help you decide where else to stay on your Oman itinerary, read our review of the Grand Hyatt Muscat, another great option for using Hyatt points in Muscat that is incredibly family-friendly. Couples seeking tranquility should consider The Chedi Muscat, another Oman luxury resort in Muscat. We also reviewed Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar from our first Oman vacation if you’re curious about how it compares to Alila. Make sure to check out our post about the best places to visit in Oman too.

*Disclosure- We paid for our accommodation with Hyatt points but Alila gifted us the massage, Via Ferrata, and dinner. All opinions are our own as always.

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