Oman

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ARRIVING AT THE NEW Zighy Bay resort in Oman has a spy-thriller quality to it. My boyfriend Wesley and I were bundled from our chauffeur-driven 7-

Series BMW into a dusty 4x4; the changeover happened at the foot of a vertiginous mountain range as the first rays of an Arabian dawn lit the sky. The reason became clear as the 4x4 negotiated hairpin bends through rocky foothills, before arriving at the ocean-side resort of the Six Senses Hideaway. Built in the style of a local village, it lies between the mountains and a mile-long sandy beach at Zighy Bay, its unspoilt purity complemented by a turquoise ocean.

We arrived the straightforward way. Guests can also opt for a speedboat or jump off the mountain in tandem with the resort’s professional paraglider.

Later we had the chance to paraglide. I recommend it as views of the hotel’s date palm orchard and the Indian Ocean are stunning – and the beach landing soft. The hotel staff offered a simple snack of Arabic coffee and syrupy dates before taking us down the sandy pathway to our villa.

I noted with amusement the striking similarity of our surroundings to the Flintstones cartoons, yet it is this rustic simplicity that makes the resort so appealing. I half expected to see Fred Flintstone hurtling through this Bedrock in his foot-powered car. Instead, his-and-hers bicycles were parked outside each villa for those who chose not to explore by foot.

The Ultimate Escapist Retreat

The doorbell was a dangling handle with a rope that ended at a small bell inside the door, which rang shrilly each day when our butler arrived with breakfast. Our beachside villa was simply furnished. It had a stone floor, lots of chunky wood and bamboo, and a fun touch was the large shower joined to an outdoor shower.

Use of local materials shows a green philosophy. Yet a top-end coffee machine and fully stocked wine bar, plus wireless internet, made us feel more at home. Outside, comfortable sunloungers faced the villa’s private pool: an L-shaped eternity design lined with unusual pearlised grey, gold and navy tiles. A covered seating area with huge cushions and a chess table was perfect for evening drinks or quiet reading.

A bamboo hut raised to encourage cool air flow, furnishedwith cushions, provided a further seating area intended for shelter from the daytime heat. Guests are even treated to an extra hour of daylight at the Six Senses Hideaway. The resort operates an hour ahead of the rest of the country – ‘Zighy Time’. It is this quirky individualism, coupled with its remote location, that make the resort the ultimate escapist retreat in a chic yet unpretentious and friendly atmosphere.

Although I found it ideal for loved-up couples like us and honeymooners who delight in beach walks and gazing into each other’s eyes by candlelight, I was happy to see a number of families with children enjoying themselves, too. The beach is clean and private. The sea was calm with no strong currents, although there were a few non-poisonous jellyfish.

Being a vegetarian who does not eat fish, I am always concerned when travelling that the menu will be limited or boring. I needn’t have worried. Zighy’s Deli and the Dining on the Sands restaurant offered some of my favourite meze staples – houmous, tabouleh, tzatziki, baba ganoush and grilled halloumi cheese to name a few.

Luxury of our own Pool

Breakfast was our favourite meal. We loved the tropical fruits, smoothies and freshly squeezed juices. I also recommend the frozen yoghurt pots and bircher muesli, and Wesley decided the organic porridge with runny honey was the best he’d tasted. From the à la carte breakfast menu we enjoyed eggs Benedict and mushrooms on Arabic toast, luxuriously enhanced with just a drizzle of truffle oil.

The hotel’s Chill Bar was, as the name suggests, very relaxed and we sampled exotic cocktails. The wine tower here is a truly impressive building. It takes nerve, however, to descend the steep winding staircase after a glass or two at the top under the stars.

The birthday of the prophet Mohammed fell in the middle of our trip and the hotel placed a 24- hour ban on alcohol in restaurants or bars. However, it was perfectly acceptable for tourists to enjoy a drink in the privacy of their villa.

An antidote to the culinary temptations comes from a wellequipped gym – or the large swimming pool, which is close to the restaurants and bars, creating a meeting point. We enjoyed a dip and admired the babbling waterfall between the restaurant buildings. But we still preferred the luxury of our own pool.

A Wrench to say Goodbye

A five-star resort is not complete without an impressive spa, and the one at the Six Senses Hideaway is just that. This holistic haven was a sensual experience from the moment we stepped into the fragrant reception and were handed chilled facecloths. On the walls sit six large, arty shapes in metal, five of which represent the body’s senses – touch, taste, smell, sight and hearing.

The sixth is a question mark, to encourage the visitor to ponder what they personally think of the philosophy. The spa’s menu of treatments focuses on holistic and pampering therapies using only natural products. The treatment we both chose was the Fusion, a very popular 90- minute massage combining Swedish and Thai methods.

We were led into separate treatment rooms where ceiling fans cooled us. Sweet oils were used as knots and tensions were rolled out.

My limbs were gently stretched and the masseuse finished off the treatment with a divine head and face massage. Hot ginger and honey tea finished off what was, for me, a truly sensual experience. Deep-sea fishing, snorkelling and scuba diving allow access to the fabulous marine life influenced by the tropical Indian Ocean, and a trip out on a traditional Arabic dhow really lets you appreciate the stunning scenery of the northern Musandam Peninsula.

Early one morning we enjoyed a trip out on the bay and watched as fishermen practise their centuries- old tradition, casting out many metres of netting. Jogging and walking trails, mountain-biking and off-road trips are available, as are beach barbecues and private cookery lessons. It was a wrench to say goodbye to a place which we had found so refreshingly unusual.

As it is less than two hours drive from Dubai through a desert landscape, you can make it a twocentre break: a few days taking in the bustle of the fast-moving city would be perfectly offset by a week of eating, drinking, pampering and chilling in the superb style of the Six Senses Hideaway.