The Hatta fort hotel is nestled in the foothills of the Hajar Mountains, about an hour from the Dubai airport, in 32.4 hectares (80 acres) of gardens. It has very pleasant, spacious rooms, with chalet like wooden ceilings, decorated in warm, earthy tones – ochre, sienna, teak, coral and bronze – with pretty rugs, lovely dark wooden furniture, clean modern bathrooms with walk-in showers and wonderful mountain views.

The Deluxe Chalets have a private terrace and can accommodate two adults and two children under age 12; the suites also have a spacious lounge, an extra bathroom and two terraces, and also sleep two adults and two children under age 12, or they can interconnect for larger groups.

Villas accommodate the whole family, contain a hot tub, have a master bedroom en suite and include a second bedroom with a guest bathroom, a private garden, a kitchen and a lounge and dining area.

And if you’re feeling really alternative, you can rent a Winnebago: it is 11.6 metres (38 feet) long by 2.6 metres (8.5 feet) wide and features a master bedroom, kitchen with microwave, toilet and shower, TV and sunshade canopy. It is fully equipped, fully furnished and air conditioned, and the Winnebago gives you complete freedom to take off and travel in the mountains independently.

The hotel’s half-decent restaurant – Jeema – has an International à la carte menu and live music each evening, and the pretty, glass-enclosed Café Gazebo, with an open terrace that overlooks one of the swimming pools, serves a buffet breakfast, lunch and snacks. The Roumoul Cocktail Bar has vintage leather seating and wooden panelling (more wood), and at the Sunset Terrace, you can enjoy drinks ordered from Roumoul’s and – guess what – watch the sunset. You can also enjoy a drink at the Gazebo Pool Bar.

The two lovely swimming pools – Gazebo Pool and the garden rock pool – are both temperature-controlled, with sun loungers, parasols and beautiful views, as well as a children’s pool. Alternative facilities include a golf driving range, mini-golf and an archery, and the hotel organizes four wheel excursions into the Hajar Mountains and through the wadis, as well as a variety of road trips within the region. This is also a great hotel for families with children, as various organized activity programmes are available for different age ranges. The gym is well equipped, and a health club offers a wide range of treatments.