Oman is a melting hub of culture, stunning landscapes and beautiful foodie places to discover. And it needs to be top of your 2020 travel list. Find out about our stay at Sahab Resort & Spa Oman and why you need to head there yourself…
Oman introduced the Arabic term wadi to my vocabulary; a dry ravine that only contains water after heavy rain. It may also mean a valley in some instances. You’ll see why this is relevant in a moment. But for now our car is travelling along a pristine highway contorting itself through an impossibly rugged landscape of brown and purple-hued rocky mountains on either side. I’m on my way to the Sahab Resort & Spa Oman and anticipation is building. I look around because I’m entranced by the landscape. Having done no research on the destination before my arrival I hadn’t expected to find mountains here. So despite the red-eye I’d just gotten off I’m looking up like a deer in the headlights.
The driver is speeding ahead to get us up to Sahab Resort & Spa; our mountain hideaway. As we leave the shadow of Muscat behind I begin to notice cars parked on the right side of the highway. A sparse crowd is scattered along the length of the road but I can’t see an apparent reason why they’ve stopped. The urban-dweller in me is looking for the familiar; an accident, an ambulance or the police. But I notice only people looking at something I can’t see. Until I see it. A great gush of caramel-coloured water, perfectly disguised by the landscape, speeding its way ferociously over rocks and stones, beside the highway, escaping somewhere very fast. It’s at least three meters wide in places maybe more. “Pull over,” I say to, Omar, our driver. He looks confused in the mirror. I point at the crowd, “Stop.”
Omar follows instructions but remains inside. I, with two others, jump out of the jeep and stare in amazement at this potentially deadly flood of water. Its size, speed and indistinctness has a palpable air of danger. It’s difficult to see where it’s coming from. The landscape cloaks it so well that it’s impossible for my simple human eye to detect a path let alone an origin. With Omar’s limited English and my non-existent Arabic we make no headway as to what exactly it is that we’ve just witnessed. It was, as I was to find out later, my first brush with a wadi.
Back in the jeep our journey resumes. We are but less than an hour in to the three and a half required to climb 2040 feet above sea level to Sahab Resort & Spa in the Al Hajar Mountains. As the jeep climbs higher the scenery becomes ever more rustic. Mountain goats clamber down from rocky cliffs, jagged slopes of quarries make an appearance and the air becomes noticeably cooler.
We arrive at the humble entrance of the Sahab Resort & Spa Oman resort which by no means prepares you of what lies beyond. The lobby of the hotel leads out to an open courtyard complete with restaurant, swimming pool and an unimaginable panoramic view of Omani mountains. On either side of the courtyard chalets make up split-level accommodation. Both mornings I spent here a considerable amount of my time was employed staring at the view in awe.
Rooms
There are a mix of studio rooms, family suites and deluxe suites at the resort. The best thing about it all is that no matter where you choose to stay everyone is treated to the same view because all the rooms face the sun and mountains. En-suite bathrooms, tea, coffee and complimentary fruit are standard. The Queen-size bed with soft linen sheets in my studio room did me just fine. I had one of the most restful nights of sleep here.
Dining
With the resort being family-friendly the menu reflects the same. There is a dedicated kid’s menu with winners such as fish fingers, mini burgers and pasta. However, Sahab’s chefs shine with the a la carte dining menu. Warda Restaurant will serve food inside or outside on the terrace. I certainly went for eating outside. For me, nothing beats sipping a glass of wine under the stars in cool air with great company. That’s exactly what I did. The menu is a combination of Eastern and Western dishes with a twist. The sharing Mediterranean Platter was a stand-out. As was the spicy calamari.
URU Spa – Not to be missed
URU Spa at the Sahab Resort & Spa Oman resort is a destination of its own accord and counts Omani Royals as clients. The URU Signature massage (45,000 OMR) is a deep tissue massage combining the ancient practices of Ayurveda and Thai Shiatsu. I had mine just after breakfast and floated on cloud nine for the rest of the day. From scalp massages (20,000 OMR) to reflexology (25,000) it’s all here. I suggest booking the spa together with the hotel reservation as as it’s popular with guests.
Things to do around the resort
Perfectly fed, rested and pampered I wondered if there was much else to do near Sahab Resort & Spa Oman. The answer was, “plenty.” A 20 minute drive a little further up the mountains took us to the abandoned village of Bani Habib. It was last occupied 150 years ago. Most of the dwellings made of sticks and clay have survived remarkably well despite being open to the elements. The flat-roofs, typical of early Arabian homes, sitting against the mountainside, are barely visible in the distance. A little closer and the village gave me a snapshot of everything that makes Oman deeply enchanting; a profound connection to its past. There was a mosque, small dwellings and signs of a much simpler time when the nearby river and forest must have provided everything anyone needed.
We drove still more around the mountain against impossibly scenic views and hiked to a waterfall through another ancient village, with narrow passages and low arches, past a rose garden. It’s hard to believe that these are phrases I’d use for describing a country in, which many may consider, an arid part of the world. But there you have it. That’s Oman.
Cox & Kings (0203 642 0861, coxandkings.co.uk) offers five nights at Sahab Resort & Spa on a full board basis from £1,795 per person (two sharing) including private return transfers from Muscat airport and return economy international flights with Oman Air.
