By the Best Mountain Hotels editorial team ·
Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar is one of the highest luxury resorts in the world, perched on the edge of a vast canyon on Oman's Green Mountain. Its heated infinity pool seems to hang over the gorge, its glass walkway leads to Diana's Point, where Diana, Princess of Wales, once admired the view, and its rooms and pool villas look out over a dramatic landscape of cliffs, terraces and ancient villages.
Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar is one of the highest luxury resorts in the world, perched on the edge of a vast canyon on Oman's Green Mountain. Its heated infinity pool seems to hang over the gorge, its glass walkway leads to Diana's Point, where Diana, Princess of Wales, once admired the view, and its rooms and pool villas look out over a dramatic landscape of cliffs, terraces and ancient villages.
Location: Jebel Akhdar, Oman
The resort stands on the rim of a great canyon on the Saiq Plateau, near the terraced villages of Jebel Akhdar.
Jebel Akhdar, the 'Green Mountain', rises to around 3,000 metres in Oman's Hajar range, and its high Saiq Plateau, at around 2,000 metres, is far cooler than the coast, even in summer. Terraced villages cling to the edges of deep gorges, growing pomegranates, walnuts, apricots and the famous Damask roses, harvested each April to make rosewater. Muscat International Airport is around two to two and a half hours away, and the historic fort town of Nizwa less than an hour. The final mountain road passes a police checkpoint where only four-wheel-drive vehicles are allowed, so most guests use the hotels' transfers.
Jebel Akhdar is a superb base for exploring the interior of Oman. The terraced villages of Wadi Bani Habib, Al Ayn and Al Aqr are reached by walking trails along the gorge edge, and the abandoned old village of Wadi Bani Habib is fascinating to explore. Nizwa, with its great round fort and its Friday livestock market, is less than an hour away, and the UNESCO-listed fort at Bahla, the mountain village of Misfat al Abriyeen and Jebel Shams, Oman's highest mountain, with its 'Grand Canyon of Arabia', are all within reach.
Rooms and villas at Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar
There are 82 canyon-view rooms and 33 private pool villas, including cliff villas with heated private infinity pools facing the gorge. The design blends Omani architecture, with arches, stone and carved wood, with contemporary luxury.
Many rooms have balconies or terraces overlooking the canyon, and the cliff villas, with their private infinity pools, are among the most dramatic hotel rooms in the Middle East. Interiors are calm and warm, with Omani textiles and natural materials, and the views are the focus of every room.
Facilities at Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar
The heated infinity pool, with a hot tub nearby, overlooks the canyon. The spa has separate thermal suites for men and women, which should be booked in advance. There are five places to eat: Al Maisan for buffet breakfasts and dinners, Bella Vista for Italian food on the cliff edge, Al Qalaa for Omani cuisine in the fort tower, Al Baha courtyard café and Al Burj rooftop lounge. Private dinners can be set up on the glass platform at Diana's Point, and activities include guided hikes, a via ferrata, stargazing with an astronomer, cooking classes and an outdoor cinema.
The mountain moment
The Anantara moment is sunset at Diana's Point, standing on the glass platform above the canyon as the cliffs turn red and gold and the first stars appear in one of the clearest night skies in Arabia.
Why Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar is one of the best mountain hotels
Anantara earns its place for one of the most dramatic settings of any hotel in the world, with a superb pool, excellent dining and a fascinating mountain culture on the doorstep. It is large and popular, and the spa's thermal suites book up quickly. But for a mountain escape in Arabia, it is spectacular.
For a design-led alternative on the same mountain, see Alila Jabal Akhdar.
Two or three nights is ideal, combining walks in the rose villages, a visit to Nizwa and time to relax by the pool. Pack warm layers for the evenings, especially in winter, and modest clothing for visits to villages and forts. Many travellers combine Jebel Akhdar with Muscat, the Wahiba Sands desert and the coast at Sur or Musandam.
When to go to Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar
The best time to visit is from October to April, when the coast is pleasantly warm and the mountain days are sunny and mild, though winter nights can be cold. The Damask rose harvest, in late March and April, fills the terraced villages with blossom and the scent of rosewater. Summer, from May to September, is when Omanis escape the heat of Muscat for the cool of the mountain, while the lowlands swelter.
Mountain Muses
New hotel listings and inspiration each week, direct from the mountains to your inbox
Questions, answered
- What is Diana's Point?
- A viewpoint at the resort, reached by a glass walkway, where Diana, Princess of Wales, admired the view of the canyon.
- Does Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar have a pool?
- Yes, a heated infinity pool overlooking the canyon, plus private heated pools in the cliff villas.
- Do you need a 4x4 to reach Jebel Akhdar?
- Yes. Only four-wheel-drive vehicles are allowed past the checkpoint, so many guests use the resort's transfers.
- How far is Jebel Akhdar from Muscat?
- About two hours by road.
