The studio accommodation at the resort
The 30-acre resort is set amidst lush green farm with hundreds of mango and guava trees dotting the expanse. Ornamental flowers, shrubs, coconut and date palms welcome the discerning guests on the pathways too. Chirping of birds, feathered friends of all shapes and sizes…it can’t better than this.
Hoping for a lazy and relaxing weekend, we landed in the resort on a Thursday evening. While the cheerful front office staff took care of the formalities, we were served watermelon juice as a welcome drink. Soon, an attendant led us to a golf cart or buggy and we headed to our accommodation, a studio villa. Guests and staff use buggies and bicycles inside the resort to move around. This is an eye-catching concept, quite eco-friendly in these times of modernity.
Buggy or golf cart
Like my daughter, I too couldn’t resist for long to catch hold of a bicycle to familiarize with various attractions around the Al Nahda resort. Mrs too showed keen interest to learn cycling, but somehow couldn’t manage in two days that we spent at the location. To make her happy, I’ve promised to teach her cycling during our next vacation.
The main cycle stand
The same evening, we walked/cycled to check our various facilities around the resort. From swimming pool to jacuzzis to steam tunnels to yoga to spa baths, Al Nahda offers a host of health and wellness packages for guests. If you are a fitness freak, then you can head to the high-tech gym. There is a personal trainer at your disposal.
Later in the evening, tired and hungry, we had a relaxing bath and headed to Khalab restaurant, which serves international cuisines all day long. Being a Thursday, it was seafood night, and I had my plate full of prawns and lobsters, while my wife being a temporary veggie, had a tough time, meandering helplessly through a host of fish items. Vegans have very little choice in lavish buffets all across Oman, my wife grumbles always. That is the truth too. Daughter dear had some grub from ‘Kiddies Korner’ at the buffet, which had her favoutrite chicken nuggets in varied shapes. She had a plateful of yummy looking desserts, only to sample bits and pieces in the end. I must confess the food at the Khalab was very good all through our stay at the resort. Their dinner, lunch and breakfast buffets have many plenty of dishes to suit Arabic, Asian and European palettes.
Inside shot of Khalab restaurant
Seafood special
Now more on accommodation. Al Nahda has 109 rooms which includes studio rooms, studio villas and two-bedroom villas. Studio villas, which are in clusters across the resort, have a contemporary look to it, including the furniture. The rooms are very spacious.
Inside view of a studio villa.
Exterior look of studio villas.
Friday morning we woke up late, had breakfast, and made our way towards the pool. The pool is the major attraction for the young and the old alike, and it is one place where there is some activity from dawn to dusk. I did a few laps and daughter had her share of fun (she never misses a chance to play in water, including rough beaches in Muscat). At 11am, as per prior appointment, I went to have my share of spa treatment in the form of a relaxing oil massage (Al Nahda Signature Massage). A hot shower later was like icing on the cake, and sparked off a soothing effect on mind and body.
Swimming pool at the resort.
Details of different massages.
Post-lunch we had a quick nap, and again yielding to my daughter’s persistence went for a quick swim. As sun was planning to fade, we were in tennis court only to realize that backhands and volleys were different ball game all together. In total, it was an exhilarating experience for us, a much needed break from the humdrum of routine life.
Since the resort invited us, I didn’t bother to check in detail about room rates. But I guess a studio room costs RO 144 per day (which includes breakfast, dinner and two complimentary spa treatments), a studio villa RO 140 per day (which includes breakfast and dinner) and two-bedroom villas RO 234 (which includes breakfast and dinner). The spa treatments are in the range of RO 25 to RO 40 per treatment that lasts for 50 minutes.
Rating:
Ambience: 5/5
Spa: 4/5
Service: 4/5
Food: 4/5