Alila Jabal Akhdar

Amazingly beautiful hotel situated in the mountain. Service was amazing and the room is very beautiful. The energy at that place is super. We had dinner at the Rose lounge, it was delicious. The portion is quite large, watch out! The breakfast was also amazing. The place prides itself on being a sustainable hotel. The only thing I had issue is with google map showing us a completely wrong location. Remember to use the link the hotel sent instead, don't trust google on this one!

The hotel itself is in a stunning location, has a unique design and is absolutely amazing. Rooms are spacious and the property/location is really quiet. If you’re looking for a one of a kind hotel, this is definitely it. I suggest avoiding weekends if you can, specifically Fridays, as many local families with their kids will come up and it just gets really loud and busy. Unfortunately, given the price point the level of service was below what would be expected in this hotel category. A select 2 or 3 were great, but overall the staff were not attentive, especially at the pool, not knowledgeable about the menu so unable to extend any form of recommendation, and they got our orders wrong several times due to a lack of language skills. Lunch and dinner options are good, breakfast left quite a bit to be desired. Also recommend staying away from any local/middle eastern cuisine which was just bland and not good at all, surprising given where you are. Western cuisine also mostly wasn’t great. Indian, and other Asian cuisine options on the other hand were quite good. An unusual observation was that the executive chef was constantly roaming the hotel, chatting to hotel guests, and just hanging out when you’d think he’d be guiding his staff in the kitchen. Maybe an indicator of why some of the food was lacking. Everyone was generally super nice, the level of service education just wasn’t where it needs to be when you’re paying $500/night.

An amazing place to be, a real retreat place to enjoy a silent nature away from the traffic and the crowded life. It feels like you’re not in GCC, you feel you are somewhere totally different and unique. The air is fresh and the nature is amazing. Very nice and helpful people.

There are beautiful hotels and there is Alila. The view is breathtaking, the architecture harmoniously blends into its mountainous surroundings, the food is exquisite and the service is more than first class. A truly unique experience in Al Hajar Mountains!

If you have the opportunity to come to Oman then staying at the Alila Jabal Akhdar is one thing to tick off your bucket list. ||To know before you go:|The Hotel is at nearly 2000m altitude and the road leading up requires you to have a 4-wheel drive if you do drive yourself (the hotel will inform you accordingly in your reservation). That said the road is extremely well maintained, has two lanes for traffic going up and is nearly all the way through lit (luxury even for me as a Swiss). Only the last 30km to the hotel were still being extended, but the road is in perfectly drivable condition. And if you navigate yourself, use waze rather than google maps. While it may well have been an unfortunate one time only hick-up that caused google to entirely lead us astray and made us lose 5 hours on unpaved, steep, rocky and downright dangerous Omani mountain roads, it is a risk you don’t want to take.||Arrival:|We got in way after sundown at 8.45pm (5 hours later than expected). The welcome was warm and friendly. At the center of the lobby is a huge fire place. Everything has an oriental mountain lodge charm and (I know that might be weird) but I loved the smell of the hotel. We were greeted with Omani coffee, dates and tahini which is an unexpectedly delicious combo. The check-in was thankfully quick and we were taken to our room which was in one of the buildings outside the main hotel building.||The room:|Well appointed with an entrance and storage for luggage, a big comfy kingsized bed (softer than the other hotels we had been to in Oman until then). A seating area and a desk, as well as coffee making facilities (Nespresso) complete the main room. |The bath is separated by curtains from the main bedroom. I feel sliding doors would have maybe been a more “noise cancelling” option but it did not bother me more than that. It would have maybe been nice to have more light in the WC, which is separated by a frosted glass door from the rest of the bath. Opposite the WC there is a vast shower bath. Everything is really elegant and stylish. Shower gel and shampoo are in earthen ware flacons which is cute and pretty but when it comes to conditioner a little hard to coax out of the bottle. |Outside is a terrace with what we would see the next morning a stunning view of the mountains. On each side of the bed were sockets adapted to various countries’ plugs and the alarm clock on my side had two additional USB plugs.||Facilities and Activities:|The Alila boasts various facilities that make it very easy to just spend the whole day at the hotel. There is the outdoor infinity pool that was very calm when we went to chill a bit on the sun-beds. The indoor pool is a bit smaller and more a plunge pool. Next to it is a very well equipped gym. The spa or at least the massage beds (which sadly we had no time to test) were built on platforms right at the edge of a cliff so that was pretty stunning. There is a nature walk, the Butterfly trail with many activities, viewpoints and info boards. We did that on our sadly only one day stay and really liked it. I think it would do great for trail running with interspersed fitness activities that it offers. But there is also the option to hire bikes. We played a round of Pétanque, even though the “cochonnet” (small ball) was missing. We used a small rock.|Then there are the paid for activities that can be checked daily on the guest menu on the room TV. We decided to do the Omani Coffee preparation, which I have to be honest was not that interesting or engaging. We were the only ones and the girl - though very nice - seemed at least initially to struggle with the set-up and clearly needed some time to warm up to us. For the afternoon we joined the geology walk with three other guests. It was very informative not only on the geology but also on history of the area and local plant live, as well as the hotel’s efforts to be sustainable and grow their own vegetables and herbs. |And I am pretty sure there are additional activities we may not even have seen.||Food glorious food:|There is one main restaurant at the Alila Jabal Akhdar, the Juniper. We enjoyed the room service the first evening as we had come in so late and the food was magnificent. Arabian Mezze platter, a club sandwich and the Omani lamb shuwa. The lamb was fabulous. My favorite was the labne with honey. The service took way longer than initially promised and they offered us the drinks as an apology.|The breakfast is à la carte which I genuinely prefer to the buffet style breakfasts. It was a great selection of various dishes and I did not feel anything was missing, from fresh fruits to french toast, from sourdough to Japanese style omelette. The only thing we felt was a little too dry was the waffle and the crêpes we had for breakfast. |The dinner menu offers an equally diverse and plentiful choice of dishes. There are the Middle Eastern dishes, Asian and finally also European options. The only thing I could remark on a bit negatively was that service slowed down considerably when we had finished our main dish and it took them a long time to come back to us and clear the table.|On the day of our departure they brought a fruit platter with a thank you note written in chocolate on the plate (never seen that anywhere else and it was very sweet). I also found it remarkable that we only had to give them our room number on the first day, they had it memorized the day after. |There is also a café next to the pétanque area and the Rose Lounge for drinks. We had the happy hour there and the negroni was generously sized. ||Final remarks:|I can very honestly say that I have never stayed at a hotel that was quite so exceptional (and we have stayed at many luxury hotels and resorts). Their attention to detail and excellent service distinguishes them and makes for a truly unforgettable stay. I was sad to leave and would have loved to stay another night.

For me, this is the best hotel in Oman. The outstanding landscape surrounding the hotel makes it look beautiful and unique. The dinner and breakfast were delicious and up to standard. The room was comfortable and spacious. Most importantly, the service from all the staff was excellent. I forgot my portable makeup bag, and the staff kept it safe for me — they were incredibly thoughtful.

This resort is just stunning and every single staff member is so welcoming and cannot do enough for you. The views are insane and we cannot wait to visit again. Thank you to everyone at the Alila for making our visit so special. Also not to forget to mention the Pomegranate harvest was great fun along with the most amazing fresh juice and desserts.

We had a memorable time at Alila Jabal Akhdar. The stay included activities like stargazing, yoga and meditation. During your stay do not miss the sound healing meditation with Ms. Tini. Also, the stargazing session is a must for stargazing enthusiasts. I would also like to specially mention the hospitality of Mr. Shahdat, Mr. So hail and Ms. Rimi from Juniper restaurant who ensured our vegetarian preferences were properly addressed. All food was freshly prepared from home grown produce which made it a perfect delight. Overall, Alila is a great place if you are looking for a relaxing vacation with fantastic view of Jabal Akhdar!!

Amazingly beautiful hotel situated in the mountain. Service was amazing and the room is very beautiful. The energy at that place is super. We had dinner at the Rose lounge, it was delicious. The portion is quite large, watch out! The breakfast was also amazing. The place prides itself on being a sustainable hotel. The only thing I had issue is with google map showing us a completely wrong location. Remember to use the link the hotel sent instead, don't trust google on this one!

The hotel itself is in a stunning location, has a unique design and is absolutely amazing. Rooms are spacious and the property/location is really quiet. If you’re looking for a one of a kind hotel, this is definitely it. I suggest avoiding weekends if you can, specifically Fridays, as many local families with their kids will come up and it just gets really loud and busy. Unfortunately, given the price point the level of service was below what would be expected in this hotel category. A select 2 or 3 were great, but overall the staff were not attentive, especially at the pool, not knowledgeable about the menu so unable to extend any form of recommendation, and they got our orders wrong several times due to a lack of language skills. Lunch and dinner options are good, breakfast left quite a bit to be desired. Also recommend staying away from any local/middle eastern cuisine which was just bland and not good at all, surprising given where you are. Western cuisine also mostly wasn’t great. Indian, and other Asian cuisine options on the other hand were quite good. An unusual observation was that the executive chef was constantly roaming the hotel, chatting to hotel guests, and just hanging out when you’d think he’d be guiding his staff in the kitchen. Maybe an indicator of why some of the food was lacking. Everyone was generally super nice, the level of service education just wasn’t where it needs to be when you’re paying $500/night.

An amazing place to be, a real retreat place to enjoy a silent nature away from the traffic and the crowded life. It feels like you’re not in GCC, you feel you are somewhere totally different and unique. The air is fresh and the nature is amazing. Very nice and helpful people.

There are beautiful hotels and there is Alila. The view is breathtaking, the architecture harmoniously blends into its mountainous surroundings, the food is exquisite and the service is more than first class. A truly unique experience in Al Hajar Mountains!

If you have the opportunity to come to Oman then staying at the Alila Jabal Akhdar is one thing to tick off your bucket list. ||To know before you go:|The Hotel is at nearly 2000m altitude and the road leading up requires you to have a 4-wheel drive if you do drive yourself (the hotel will inform you accordingly in your reservation). That said the road is extremely well maintained, has two lanes for traffic going up and is nearly all the way through lit (luxury even for me as a Swiss). Only the last 30km to the hotel were still being extended, but the road is in perfectly drivable condition. And if you navigate yourself, use waze rather than google maps. While it may well have been an unfortunate one time only hick-up that caused google to entirely lead us astray and made us lose 5 hours on unpaved, steep, rocky and downright dangerous Omani mountain roads, it is a risk you don’t want to take.||Arrival:|We got in way after sundown at 8.45pm (5 hours later than expected). The welcome was warm and friendly. At the center of the lobby is a huge fire place. Everything has an oriental mountain lodge charm and (I know that might be weird) but I loved the smell of the hotel. We were greeted with Omani coffee, dates and tahini which is an unexpectedly delicious combo. The check-in was thankfully quick and we were taken to our room which was in one of the buildings outside the main hotel building.||The room:|Well appointed with an entrance and storage for luggage, a big comfy kingsized bed (softer than the other hotels we had been to in Oman until then). A seating area and a desk, as well as coffee making facilities (Nespresso) complete the main room. |The bath is separated by curtains from the main bedroom. I feel sliding doors would have maybe been a more “noise cancelling” option but it did not bother me more than that. It would have maybe been nice to have more light in the WC, which is separated by a frosted glass door from the rest of the bath. Opposite the WC there is a vast shower bath. Everything is really elegant and stylish. Shower gel and shampoo are in earthen ware flacons which is cute and pretty but when it comes to conditioner a little hard to coax out of the bottle. |Outside is a terrace with what we would see the next morning a stunning view of the mountains. On each side of the bed were sockets adapted to various countries’ plugs and the alarm clock on my side had two additional USB plugs.||Facilities and Activities:|The Alila boasts various facilities that make it very easy to just spend the whole day at the hotel. There is the outdoor infinity pool that was very calm when we went to chill a bit on the sun-beds. The indoor pool is a bit smaller and more a plunge pool. Next to it is a very well equipped gym. The spa or at least the massage beds (which sadly we had no time to test) were built on platforms right at the edge of a cliff so that was pretty stunning. There is a nature walk, the Butterfly trail with many activities, viewpoints and info boards. We did that on our sadly only one day stay and really liked it. I think it would do great for trail running with interspersed fitness activities that it offers. But there is also the option to hire bikes. We played a round of Pétanque, even though the “cochonnet” (small ball) was missing. We used a small rock.|Then there are the paid for activities that can be checked daily on the guest menu on the room TV. We decided to do the Omani Coffee preparation, which I have to be honest was not that interesting or engaging. We were the only ones and the girl - though very nice - seemed at least initially to struggle with the set-up and clearly needed some time to warm up to us. For the afternoon we joined the geology walk with three other guests. It was very informative not only on the geology but also on history of the area and local plant live, as well as the hotel’s efforts to be sustainable and grow their own vegetables and herbs. |And I am pretty sure there are additional activities we may not even have seen.||Food glorious food:|There is one main restaurant at the Alila Jabal Akhdar, the Juniper. We enjoyed the room service the first evening as we had come in so late and the food was magnificent. Arabian Mezze platter, a club sandwich and the Omani lamb shuwa. The lamb was fabulous. My favorite was the labne with honey. The service took way longer than initially promised and they offered us the drinks as an apology.|The breakfast is à la carte which I genuinely prefer to the buffet style breakfasts. It was a great selection of various dishes and I did not feel anything was missing, from fresh fruits to french toast, from sourdough to Japanese style omelette. The only thing we felt was a little too dry was the waffle and the crêpes we had for breakfast. |The dinner menu offers an equally diverse and plentiful choice of dishes. There are the Middle Eastern dishes, Asian and finally also European options. The only thing I could remark on a bit negatively was that service slowed down considerably when we had finished our main dish and it took them a long time to come back to us and clear the table.|On the day of our departure they brought a fruit platter with a thank you note written in chocolate on the plate (never seen that anywhere else and it was very sweet). I also found it remarkable that we only had to give them our room number on the first day, they had it memorized the day after. |There is also a café next to the pétanque area and the Rose Lounge for drinks. We had the happy hour there and the negroni was generously sized. ||Final remarks:|I can very honestly say that I have never stayed at a hotel that was quite so exceptional (and we have stayed at many luxury hotels and resorts). Their attention to detail and excellent service distinguishes them and makes for a truly unforgettable stay. I was sad to leave and would have loved to stay another night.

For me, this is the best hotel in Oman. The outstanding landscape surrounding the hotel makes it look beautiful and unique. The dinner and breakfast were delicious and up to standard. The room was comfortable and spacious. Most importantly, the service from all the staff was excellent. I forgot my portable makeup bag, and the staff kept it safe for me — they were incredibly thoughtful.

This resort is just stunning and every single staff member is so welcoming and cannot do enough for you. The views are insane and we cannot wait to visit again. Thank you to everyone at the Alila for making our visit so special. Also not to forget to mention the Pomegranate harvest was great fun along with the most amazing fresh juice and desserts.

We had a memorable time at Alila Jabal Akhdar. The stay included activities like stargazing, yoga and meditation. During your stay do not miss the sound healing meditation with Ms. Tini. Also, the stargazing session is a must for stargazing enthusiasts. I would also like to specially mention the hospitality of Mr. Shahdat, Mr. So hail and Ms. Rimi from Juniper restaurant who ensured our vegetarian preferences were properly addressed. All food was freshly prepared from home grown produce which made it a perfect delight. Overall, Alila is a great place if you are looking for a relaxing vacation with fantastic view of Jabal Akhdar!!