Hot List Hotels 2008
See Also
LOOKING FOR LISTS FROM OTHER YEARS?
This is the first luxury resort on Oman's mountainous Musandam Peninsula, whose breathtaking fjords, 9,000-foot-high ridges, and isolated beaches are an emerging adventure-travel mecca. Backed by peaks, the 82 freestanding stone villas, with private pools and, in some instances, spa rooms, share a mile-long white sand crescent with a fishing village; no further tourism development is allowed on the bay. Facilities include a spa and a marina (still unfinished), but the beach alone is worth coming for: Colorful coral patches shelter sea turtles and stingrays, and impressive snorkeling and dive sites are a short kayak or dhow ride away. So as not to disturb guests and villagers, motorized water sports take place in a deserted bay just up the coast. The service is exemplary, but be aware that activities such as hikes, four-by-four trips, boating, and paragliding, as well as four-hour Arabian spa rituals and seven-course meals with wine flights, can easily double your room rate.
RSS Feeds