January 9, 2008

Africa & Mideast | Oman

Over-the-top Oman

By Nicole Cotroneo

Chauffered limo from the airport? So passe. Parachute straight into this Zighy Bay hideaway.

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You don’t merely arrive at Oman’s newest retreat, Six Senses Hideaway Zighy Bay — you make a grand entrance. That is, (if you’re feeling brave), the resort will arrange for you to paraglide in, swooping over the dramatic fjord-style cliffs that have earned this area’s nickname, “Norway of the Middle East.” Set on the Musandam Peninsula (which is isolated from the rest of Oman by a chunk of the UAE), Six Senses opens January 15 with 82 villas featuring private infinity pools, all of it nestled between mountains and sea. The first Six Senses built outside Southeast Asia, this Small Luxury Hotel offers quarters that are swank and swankier: Opt for a spa villa with a private wine cellar, for instance, or splurge on the $15,000-per-night Reserve — three connected villas with a live-in butler and personal chef as well as its own secluded beach. But it’s the signature Six Senses spa that’s got an entrance as grand as yours: guests pass through a grotto-style tunnel and walk over water (on stepping stones, of course) to get to nine treatment rooms with mountain views, two Arabian-style hammams and a steam shower that overlooks the gardens.