The mountains of Arabia are one of the great surprises of travel. Oman's Hajar mountains rise to around 3,000 metres, with canyons, terraced villages and rose gardens on the Green Mountain, and they plunge into the sea in the fjords of Musandam. In Saudi Arabia, the granite peaks of the Hejaz stand behind the Red Sea coast, and in AlUla, sandstone cliffs and canyons surround the rock-cut Nabataean tombs of Hegra.
A new generation of hotels has opened up these landscapes, from resorts on the edge of a canyon to villas carved into a granite massif. These are the 5 mountain hotels in Arabia in our collection, all with dramatic settings, and most with their own pools.
The best mountain hotels in the Middle East at a glance
- Best for design and canyon views: Alila Jabal Akhdar
- Best for one of the world's highest resorts: Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar
- Best for mountains and beach: Six Senses Zighy Bay
- Best for villas carved into the rock: Desert Rock
- Best for AlUla and Hegra: Banyan Tree AlUla
Oman: the Hajar mountains
1. Alila Jabal Akhdar, Jebel Akhdar
Best for: design lovers and couples
Built like a traditional Omani village, Alila Jabal Akhdar's stone buildings are scattered along the edge of a deep gorge at around 2,000 metres. Calm, minimal and beautifully crafted, it has a curved infinity pool looking straight down into the canyon and a spa with seven treatment rooms, and it is about two and a half hours from Muscat. Read our review of Alila Jabal Akhdar.
2. Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar, Jebel Akhdar
Best for: couples, families and adventurers
One of the highest luxury resorts in the world, Anantara is perched on the edge of a vast canyon on Oman's Green Mountain. Its heated infinity pool seems to hang over the gorge, a glass walkway leads to Diana's Point, where Diana, Princess of Wales, once admired the view, and there are five places to eat, including Omani cuisine in the fort tower. Read our review of Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar.
3. Six Senses Zighy Bay, Musandam
Best for: couples, families and adventurers
At Zighy Bay, guests can paraglide down from the mountains onto the beach. The resort's 82 villas, each with a private infinity pool, sit on a curving bay at the foot of the Hajar cliffs, and Sense on the Edge, about 300 metres up the mountainside, is one of the most spectacular restaurants in the Gulf. Dubai is about two hours away by road. Read our review of Six Senses Zighy Bay.
Saudi Arabia: the Hejaz and AlUla
4. Desert Rock, Red Sea
Best for: couples, design lovers and adventurous travellers
Desert Rock is carved into a granite massif of the Hejaz Mountains, a short drive inland from the Red Sea coast. Opened in late 2024, it has 64 villas and suites, some hanging from the cliffs, some tucked into crevices and some carved into the rock as caves, each with its own pool, and The Observatory, at the top of the resort, is a place for sunsets and stars. Read our review of Desert Rock.
5. Banyan Tree AlUla, Ashar Valley
Best for: couples, honeymooners and culture lovers
Hidden among the sandstone cliffs and dunes of the Ashar Valley, Banyan Tree AlUla is a resort of tented villas inspired by the nomadic life of the Nabataeans. Most villas have their own pool facing the rock walls, the spa has a rock pool set between two mountains, and Hegra, Saudi Arabia's first UNESCO World Heritage Site, is about 22 minutes away. Read our review of Banyan Tree AlUla.
When to go to Arabia's mountains
The best time to visit is from around October to April, when days are warm and sunny. The mountains are much cooler than the coast: on Jebel Akhdar, nights in winter can be cold, and late March to April is the season of the rose harvest, when the terraced villages fill with the scent of damask roses. AlUla is at its best from October to March, which is also the season of its festivals. From May to September, the lowlands and the coast are extremely hot, though the high mountains of Oman offer a cooler escape.
How to plan a mountain trip in Arabia
Jebel Akhdar is about two to two and a half hours from Muscat, and a 4x4 is needed for the final mountain road, so many travellers combine a few nights in the mountains with Muscat, Nizwa and the desert. Zighy Bay is an easy escape from Dubai. In Saudi Arabia, Desert Rock is about 20 minutes from Red Sea International Airport, and Banyan Tree AlUla about 50 minutes from AlUla airport, both reached via Riyadh or Jeddah, so the two can be combined in one trip.
For more ideas, see our guides to infinity pools with mountain views and the most romantic mountain hotels, or explore all our hotels in Arabia. For the Atlas Mountains of Morocco, see the best mountain hotels in Africa.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the best mountain hotels in the Middle East?
Our favourites are Alila Jabal Akhdar and Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar on Oman's Green Mountain, Six Senses Zighy Bay in Musandam, Desert Rock near Saudi Arabia's Red Sea coast and Banyan Tree AlUla.
Where should I stay on Jebel Akhdar?
Alila Jabal Akhdar for calm, design-led style, or Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar for a larger resort with more restaurants and the glass walkway to Diana's Point. Both have infinity pools above the canyon.
Are there mountains near Dubai?
Yes. Six Senses Zighy Bay, on Oman's Musandam Peninsula beneath the Hajar mountains, is about two hours from Dubai by road.
When is the best time to visit Oman's mountains?
October to April, with the rose harvest on Jebel Akhdar in late March and April.
