Sama Wakan Heritage Homes

I was the only guest for two days during my three nights stay. If you enjoy serenity, solitude, and near zero pollution (the internet is perfect up here!). Hike was easy and had AMAZING views. I greatly appreciate the staff did everything to make my stay felt at home. If you are a city person, this place is not for you.

This lodge has the most spectacular setting high up on the side of a mountain with uninterrupted views of Wadi Mistal. The altitude is around 1500m so the days and nights are nice and cool. The outdoor eatery is set out on different levels, all providing amazing views. There is a ~1km long stairway that goes up through the village and the beautiful oasis following a small water canal, terminating at a peaceful overlook – well worth doing. The drive up Wadi Mistal to the lodge is beautiful, and the last 3km adventurous as the road turns into a rough and steep 4WD road. The lodge itself is fairly rustic and basic, formerly village houses that have been renovated. Our 2-room suite was spacious and nicely renovated, however there was only one very small window, so almost no natural light. The resulting dimness made it a not very inviting place to hang out. It’s cool that it is an old Omani house, however a bit more natural light would be nice. The other problem was that the rooms had little sound-proofing - we had some noisy neighbors and we could hear all their conversions as we were trying to sleep. The steep pathway leading up to our room and up to the road was just loose cobbles and boulders, so very poor footing especially in the dark. Our AC and hot water were both great There is no Wifi connection but the 5G cell signal was quite strong and fast. The bed was nice and comfortable and the place was reasonably clean. The staff however didn’t bother to clean our room or provide fresh towels during our stay which was annoying. We had half-board and the meals were somewhat disappointing. The main problem was that the meal/portion size was extremely small, not nearly enough food for active people, but we were lucky that we had some of own food with us to supplement the meager meals. The meals were basic and tasty, but just too small! Overall we had a great stay and would definitely recommend it to other travelers. Our main complaint was the food. For the amount we paid for the room, I would’ve expected far better (and far more abundant) food.

We stayed only one night at the hotel, but we loved both the interiors, as well as the view. The hotel merges in a very nice way the traditional style with modernity. The rooms are spacious and well equipped. The staff was very friendly and helpful. We had the chance to eat our breakfast at a terrace with an excellent view over the valley. I do recommend - if you are looking for peace and quiet and you appreciate rustic style. For those who need to stay connected at all times - no WiFi available, though.