Jabal Akhdhar Hotel

We stayed here for one night as part of an Oman road trip and we wished we had stayef for longer as there is masses to do in the local area in terms of sightseeing and hiking and enjoying the outdoors. The hotel reminded me of a 1970s motel - it was dated and basic but very comfortable. The price of the stay was expensive given what it is, however the place is very remote and therefore you would expect prices to be higher. The location is unbeatable and we would definitely stay there again. The food was again basic but well cooked and the staff were very friendly. We were offered an alcoholic beverage menu with our evening meal which surprised me. At breakfast there was a breakfast buffet, but eggs and toast were cooked to order. Because of the time of year we were there, it was cold, with temperatures plummeting to single digits but the rooms had air conditioner units which were also heaters. The rooms were nice and clean and the linen on the bed was lovely, but the room lacked equipment - there was no hairdryer or tea and coffee making facilities, although free mineral water was provided and there was a TV with limited channels. However we had a very pleasant stay and would not hesitate to recommend it.

Since I cannot hand out 3,5 stars (above average), average will have to do for now. Jabal Akhdar hotel is.... well, it's a bizarre place. The hotel is comfy enough, with ok rooms, nice beds and thick blankets (it gets cold there!), but the overall feel is... India meets Arabia. The cupola in the dining room must be the weirdest thing anyone would ever dream of applying to a hotel: its fake plastic 'scenery' peeling away ever so slowly. But, the staff (all Indian) are friendly enough, the food is good and the massala chai is a welcome alternative to tea and coffee. Yes, it definitely is an eyesore, but I kind of like it!

Le bâtiment avec ses 2 dômes caractéristiques se découvre isolé au détour de la route sinueuse mais bien asphaltée qui mène au Jabal. Peu de touristes semblent s’y arrêter sauf quelques groupes attirés par les prix bas. La construction à un seul étage est soignée avec des sols en marbre et de vastes couloirs. Les chambres donnent toutes au sud vers le vaste plateau sur le côté opposé à l’entrée. Elles offrent un confort minimal avec des équipements assez ancien. Le gros problème que l’on découvre en fin d’après midi d’hiver, c’est le froid glacial qui règne sur ce coté du plateau et le peu d’isolation thermique (et phonique) de l’hôtel où les climatiseurs réversibles tournent à fond faisant un bruit incessant toute la nuit. Les repas servis au restaurant attenant sont plutôt bons avec les incontournables buffets mais les clients en polaires ou en doudounes ne s’attardent pas trop. À noter que l’établissement sert du vin et de la bière et que le prix du buffet (3,5 OMR) est très modéré. Il faut dire que la clientèle est quasi captive car on n’a pas vraiment envie de prendre son 4x4 dans la nuit pour se retrouver au restaurant d’un autre hôtel, vu le peu de choix de cette station d’altitude en terme de restauration. Bref, le tout est moyen sans plus.