Jebel Akhdar, Oman

Staff in traditional garb proffering dates and cardamom coffee greet new arrivals at this splendidly situated four-star hotel, which sits on a high natural balcony in the Hajar Mountains overlooking a magnificent sweep of canyons and craggy tops. Only 4WD vehicles are permitted to make the winding, half-hour journey from Nizwa – an awesome drive. Chances are once installed you’ll stay put for the duration, luxuriating in the pool and soaking up the views and rays on your private sitout. Styled in clean whites with dark, tropical wood floors, the rooms are a good size and comfortable without distracting from the panoramic vistas. If you do venture out it will probably be on foot to hike to one of the nearby mountain villages, draped in pomegranate orchards and damask rose bushes. The must-do here, however, is an early morning dip in the hotel’s perfectly placed hot tub, when the sun is clearing the ridges to the east and turning the whole range an amazing molten red colour.