Opera di Natale Escape

We stayed at Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar for part of our honeymoon. Overall, we had a lovely stay, but there were a few areas where we felt the experience fell short of what you would expect from a luxury five-star resort. Upon arrival, we were warmly greeted by the staff, although there was some confusion locating our reservation. Once this was resolved, we were offered an upgrade to a villa at an additional cost, which we declined. We then asked whether a complimentary upgrade from our Premier Room to a Deluxe View Room was possible, and the staff kindly accommodated this, which we appreciated. Our room was lovely and cosy, and the views were absolutely breathtaking! However, the bathroom felt slightly outdated, and the towels were surprisingly thin and not quite the premium quality we would expect from a hotel of this standard. The Italian restaurant was a highlight of our stay. The food was delicious, and the staff were fantastic! Unfortunately, the buffet was less appealing. The selection and presentation looked fairly average and didn't seem to justify the price. Instead, we decided to visit the bar and asked whether we could order from the room service menu. Although this isn't normally permitted, the staff kindly made an exception, which we really appreciated. The food was lovely. One of our biggest disappointments was the lack of information and guidance about activities available at the resort. During check-in, we were simply shown our room, the swimming pool and the restaurants. Nobody took the initiative to explain what experiences or activities were available, either within the resort or in the surrounding area. We had to actively ask and enquire, and only later discovered that the hotel offered cooking classes and other experiences. Unfortunately, by then it was too late to book anything as we were due to leave. This was particularly disappointing given that we were visiting for our honeymoon and would have loved to make the most of our stay. The resort itself is beautiful, peaceful and lovely to walk around. However, its remote location means there is very little to do outside the property unless you enjoy hiking. There are no readily available taxis, and dining options outside the resort are extremely limited. For this reason, I feel the hotel could do much more to provide activities and entertainment for adults, particularly for guests staying several nights. We also looked into the spa treatments, but found the prices extremely expensive, even by luxury hotel standards. I would like to emphasise that all the staff we encountered were friendly, polite and accommodating. However, I feel there is room for improvement when it comes to being proactive, engaging with guests and anticipating their needs. At a resort of this calibre, guests shouldn't have to repeatedly ask to discover what is available. Overall, we enjoyed our honeymoon stay, particularly the stunning scenery, peaceful surroundings and excellent Italian restaurant. However, for a resort positioned at the luxury end of the market, I feel more attention should be given to the overall guest experience, including better communication, more activities for adults and a more personalised service. A beautiful property with plenty of potential, but the experience could be more memorable.

Expensive one in a lifetime hotel Positives- Outstanding location, welcoming staff, overall efficiency, superb breakfast Slight niggles- Sadly one of the 3 restaurants shut during our stay and steam room out of action but overall experience was first rate

Top-notch stay! The view from the hotel is magnificent. Very friendly and attentive staff! We stayed there as a family for my birthday and I received lots of little surprises from the team. Thanks again.