Inspiring Climate Action Since 2009
Alila Jabal Akhdar is known as Middle East’s most luxurious and stunning resort in the world; however, if you ask me I haven’t been any other resort in the Middle East which boasts such authentic sustainability commitments. The best part about this resort is their sustainability features are blended so well in their luxury features that you almost fail to see it.
If you are not driving 4 wheeled drive, reaching there can be a bit of a hassle. We parked our car at the Izki checkpoint parking and preferred to go up in a pre-booked Alila’s car. From the checkpoint the steep slopes of the road start, which winds up to the top of the mountain.
We also hired their car service during our stay to visit nearby mountains and sights. Their driver cum guide had great local knowledge and we were glad to use the service, as we could sit back and relax on the road and could do some hikes and exploration on foot at different sights.
Alila Jabal Akhdar is located at around 2000 meters above sea levels on the breathtaking cliff of the Hajar mountains. From the resort reception when walking straight out on the terrace and there you see a huge valley in the Hajar Mountains right next to you, popularly known as the Grand Canyon of the Middle East or Wadi Ghul.
Alila Jabal Akhdar is LEED- Silver certified property and first development in Oman which received LEED certification. You can read more about ‘what are LEED green buildings‘. I have worked on many LEED projects as sustainability consultant or LEED AP and I know how tricky it is to implement the sustainable design features particularly on a luxury hospitality project. Therefore, I thoroughly admire the great job done on Alila Jabal Akhdar’s development. The resort is designed by UK-based architecture firm Atkins and Thailand’s P49 Design inspired by region’s heritage. A falaj system created around the resort main building gives a nod to Oman’s UNESCO heritage listed falaj irrigation system for terrace farms. The resort is a great example of sustainable development in the region.
The striking feature of the resort is building’s external facade, the use of natural stone makes it look rustic, luxurious and blends seamlessly with the natural surrounding. That’s why it’s difficult to spot Alila Jabal Akhdar from a distance, even from driveaway. These natural Jabal Akhdar stone used as building material were dug up on site during excavation work of the resort were re-used to divert waste. Natural materials like wood, are used on the facade and to create wooden decks in the resort as well.
The wooden deck right on the edge of the cliff, from where you feel like almost floating on the grand valley below it is the star of the decks in the property! This deck is used for yoga sessions and yes, visitor’s favorite spot for taking photos.
The landscape design around the resort and the premise are completely in harmony with the surrounding environment. Use of native species and the Jabal Akhdar natural stones in the landscape adds to the stunning beauty of the resort. The landscaping is also used to educate visitors about native species, the plant names are carved on rustic wooden signs.
The remote location adds a challenge for resort operator in terms of having a regular water supply. But instead of bringing tonnes of plastic bottles for drinking, the resort has set up their own drinking water bottling plant in the premise. That makes Alila Jabal Akhdar almost plastic-free resort! More on reduced plastic waste later. Coming back to water efficiency and conservation, use of native species in landscape not only preserve the local environment but reduces water demand. To optimize the water use, they have also kept water features limited to the falaj system and the small but beautiful stone water fountain right in front of the main entrance. The innovative water treatment facilities for use in irrigation also reduce potable water demand.
The resort has amazing views almost in every direction and the building design makes good use of view and daylight, which helps reducing energy use for lighting during the daytime. For hot water supply, solar panels are used. Energy-saving lighting and thermal control systems are used to increase energy efficiency.
The outdoor lighting is minimal in resort premise so when night falls, you can enjoy beautiful night skies. This helps to avoid lighting pollution and glare as well as to create a serene ambiance inside as well as outside the resort buildings.
Juniper Restaurant
The sustainable design and attention to the details are not only limited to building design but it is also brought inside in terms of sustainable interior design. The beautiful F& B outlets like Juniper restaurant adorn local Juniper tree trunk on the wall, this is such an intelligent and creative interior design idea.
The interiors of the resort rooms have an artistic and handcrafted touch with Omani woven baskets hanged on the wall and traditional Omani fabrics used for the curtains to the metal curtain holders. The leaves of the juniper tree, hand-painted on a wall in every suite by a local artist, bring an element of nature indoors.
Now in many of the sustainable resorts and hotel properties, sustainability efforts end at the building design and construction stage and you get to see ongoing sustainability efforts limited to green housekeeping and some CSR events. But Alila Jabal Akhdar stands out because of their continuous environment protection efforts during business as usual.
As part of my zero waste lifestyle, I also travel zero wa
ste. However, it was really much easier at Alila Jabal Akhdar to continue my zero waste journey thanks to their almost plastic & waste free room essentials and amenities.
Glass drinking water bottles come from the resort’s bottling plant and get replaced so you can’t find plastic water bottles in this resort! The eco-friendly body wash, shampoo, conditioner, scrub, etc are refilled in the cute containers. And the mosquito repellant provided is made out of natural essential oils. I was happily surprised & thoroughly impressed by their environmental commitment.
Juniper Restaurant is where you can have breakfast and dinner. Apart from beautiful interiors and amazing views, this restaurant offers seriously amazing food. The food is made from local produce delivered by local farmers each day. However, the resort has its own organic garden and beehive. So the ‘farm to table’ food you get here is not just fresh and healthy but is sustainable too.
The local culture & Omani hospitality is embraced so well in this resort, you experience it at every small step. The welcome traditional Arabic coffee you get at the reception is so flavourful, we accepted it almost every time we arrived from some activity.
The diverse activities offered at Alila Jabal Akhadar make this resort an Ecotourism destination in itself. Whatever your tastes and choices are, the activities cater to all the age groups and traveler needs.
Stargazing– When we visited, there was an expert with a telescope, who helped us with star gazing and night sky watching activities. If you are traveling there with kids, like us, your kids will love this experience.
Pool/ sauna– There are a few pools on the property. The infinity pool, almost on the edge of the cliff is another beautiful feature, where you can soak in water and marvel at the beautiful valley. There are also some small hot pools next to the infinity pool and indoor temperature controlled pool, so you can enjoy a dip in any season.
Now when I am saying any season, you need to remember this resort is located at 2000 meters above sea level, so it is much colder here than your average temperature in Muscat or Dubai. That explains why there is a fireplace in the reception lounge.
Fireplace– We stayed here in early March and it was chilled at night and I loved having a tea next to the fireplace at night after dinner.
Spa– There is Spa Alila, with some amazing treatments if you looking for relaxing and rejuvenating.
Kids club– A supervised kids club, where parents can drop kids and enjoy some child-free time. The kids club is equipped with some nice activities like arts, crafts, reading, etc. We even found an outdoor small but fun activity cum play area near Organic Garden.
Butterfly trail with kids- Alila Jabal Akhdar has designed a great trail around the resort where you can take kids and discover some interesting natural and geographical features. We thoroughly enjoyed this trail with our son. The trail is around 3 km, marked with a painted butterfly on rocks. Concierge provides you a map of this trail. You can learn about native plant species, enjoy some breathtaking views of the valley and most importantly find natural rocks with fossils scattered all around the resort. Because of millions of years back, these Omani mountains were under the sea. I will highly recommend enjoying the scenic sunset on this trail when the sun sets behind the mountains.
Adventure Activities– For thrill seekers, there are activities like the via ferrata experience, rock climbing, hiking, etc depending on fitness level.
Cycling– One of the evenings, we borrowed resort cycled and cycled around the resort premise.
There is so much to do and see around Jabal Akhdar or wider region of Oman, known as Dakhilia, that you will be spoilt for choices. I am sharing here some of our most favorite places. The resort concierge can help you in planning and arranging trips to these places.
You can find more information about A’Dhakhiliyah region on the Oman Tourism website.
While packing for Alila Jabal Akhdar, don’t forget to pack sturdy shoes for a hike or even walk around in the resort. If you going in winter, do take your jackets.
For Alila Jabal Akhadar I have only a few last words, there is no other match in the Middle East if you want to enjoy luxury, local culture, nature & sustainability all of it together!
Have you heard of fjords of Oman? Read here more about Musandam Penninsula Travel.
Amruta Kshemkalyani, an expert sustainability professional turned social entrepreneur, is the founder of the Sustainability Tribe, AK Sustainability
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