Dubai isn’t the only destination to visit in the Middle East: Anantara opened two hotels in Oman this year worth visiting. Just to the southeast, Four Seasons opened a new hotel in the Indonesian capital, putting a focus on its spa.
Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar Resort
The five-star resort, situated 2,000 meters above sea level on a canyon rim, opened to travelers looking to experience the culture and “Green Mountains” of Oman. The 115 guest rooms and villas overlook either the canyon or the gardens, and the 82 Premier and Deluxe Canyon View Rooms have larger bedrooms and spa-inspired bathrooms. The 33 villas come in one- and two-bedroom varieties, all with private infinity pools. Six restaurants and lounges should keep foodie travelers satiated: “Dining by Design” allows guests the chance to dine on a cliff-edge platform; Spice Spoons is a cooking school.
Outside, guests can use the ferrata climbing route to scale the cliffs. Mountain biking, hiking, and climbing are also very popular options off-resort. For the less-adventurous outdoorsy travelers, mountaintop yoga and stargazing are also options. Anantara offers “gurus,” who educate guests on the resort, terrains, and culture.
Al Baleed Resort Salalah by Anantara
Located in the Dhofar Governorate in Southern Oman between the beach and a lagoon, Al Baleed Resort Salalah was designed to mimic the region’s coastal fortresses. It’s composed of 40 rooms and suites, eight one-bedroom villas, and 88 pool villas, ranging from one to three bedrooms and surrounded by lush tropical gardens. The resort will have a swimming pool, tennis/volleyball/basketball courts, gym, children’s club, spa, library, diving spots, and water sports on the beach. Guests even have the option of taking a boat across the lagoon to visit the Botanical Garden and Al Baleed Museum of Frankincense.
Dining options include a “Middle Eastern beach bar” and a signature Asian restaurant. Al Baleed Resort Salalah will also offer Spice Spoon for guests eager to learn Thai and Middle Eastern cooking.
Four Seasons Jakarta
The centerpiece of the new Capital Place development in the Sudirman Central Business District is the all-suite Four Seasons Hotel Jakarta. Amenities include two restaurants, a bar, a patisserie, and a café, a luxurious spa, an outdoor pool and landscaped terrace, and 24-hour fitness center. The spa offers a “Relax, Recharge & Reconnect” signature treatment, as well as soaking, beauty, hair, and massage treatments. The suites were designed by Alexandra Champalimaud, a member of the Interior Design Hall of Fame, and boast Chinoiserie wall panels, original Indonesian artwork, Italian marble bathrooms, and wall-to-wall windows.