Oman is… total indulgence

Oman is… total indulgence
By Hannah Edensor


Open a door to Oman, step over the threshold and you’ll feel the very real privilege of being invited into Omani opulence.

Expect the very best, for you have arrived in a country that has generous hospitality in its DNA, an attribute intrinsically connected to the customs and traditions of its Bedouin people.

After all the adventure and colour of a trip to Oman, it’s time to take a breath. Oman caters for the discerning traveller with a range of properties indeed fit for a Sultan. Try these on for size.

First up, it’s The Chedi Muscat – a symmetrical bastion of palm trees, pools, water features, sun loungers and white walls. Minimalist design suits the setting, as it faces the Gulf of Oman and backs the Al Hajar mountains. It is home to a spa, six restaurants and three swimming pools – one more than 100 metres long.

From a distance, Alila Jabal Akhdar looks like a trick of the high mountain light, as if it has grown stone-by-stone from the plateau on which it sits. The fusion is so seamless you will double-take. The ethos here is sustainable and local, on the inside as well with local Bahla pottery and copper details and finishes a distinctive feature.

Perched 2000 metres above sea level, it’s also a lot cooler up here. It looks down into a gorge with more jut than a model’s hipbones. You’ll never feel further from the real world than when you sit on your private balcony overlooking that staggering view.

In Musandam, there’s a resort with an almost mythical reputation for seclusion, luxury and style – Six Senses Zighy Bay. Renowned for its optional paragliding arrival transfer from the peaks that rear up from the water’s edge, we can think of no better way to arrive.

Oman is also wild at heart, a local treasure, a grand adventure, and full of ancient paths.

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