FIRST-PERSON
JUST DESERTS
David Minton tells us what he got served up on his tour of three resort spas in the sandy landscapes between Oman and Abu Dhabi
DAVID MINTON » DIRECTOR » THE LEISURE DATABASE COMPANY
sure, however, I also have a love for spa and following the buzz of the race, decided to take a two- week busman’s holiday with my wife to relax at three properties in the desert – starting at the Musandam Peninsula in Oman, driving down into the UAE and stopping off in Ras Al Khaimah and the outskirts of Dubai. I picked a Six Senses, Jumei- rah and Banyan Tree resort – all brands I hadn’t experienced before, but had great expectations of.
I
’m an avid fan of Formula 1 and recently took myself off to Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, to watch one of the races there. With my background in lei-
1 Six Senses Zighy Bay, Oman
I’m surprised that Zighy Bay on the Musan- dam Peninsula is not on a protected list, as it’s totally surrounded by mountains and until recently was home to just a few fi sh- ermen. T e coastal area is famous for its f ords and the dhow – a traditional fi shing boat powered only by the wind and which is now used by tourists to admire the plen- tiful wildlife including dolphins and turtles. So far Six Senses Resort & Spa got a thumbs up for location from me. From the resort gateway, there was a
choice of three dramatic arrivals. For the more adventurous, this included a paraglide tandem jump from the mountain top. T ere was also a very scenic boat trip or a 4x4 drive over 6km of white-knuckle mountain roads. I tried all of them and I’m not at all sur- prised that this resort clinched the award
for Amazing Arrival Experiences by Travel and Leisure magazine in 2010. T e whole design of the resort has been
very well thought through. Wherever possi- ble the 82 local-style villas and spa had views of the 1.6km sandy beach and yoga sessions were held on one of the spa rooſt ops while the sun set – stunning! People were positively encouraged to walk barefoot on the sandy pathways, or cycle, which emphasised the connection with nature and was a pointer to the resort and spa’s unwavering commitment to the environment. Other simple touches included using local ingredients, building with natural materials, banning plastics – giving out free re-usable glass bottles instead – and having its own water plant. T e resort reception had a welcome feel
and I immediately felt at home and relaxed. Likewise, at the spa I was greeted by someone as soon as I walked through the door who –
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