When checking into Six Senses Zighy Bay, I was eager to deep-dive into the eco-friendly initiatives I’d heard so much about at this MICHELIN Guide resort and it’s fair to say I was not disappointed. With so many luxury hotels struggling to strike the balance between sustainability and splendour, it’s refreshing to witness the Zighy Bay team’s commitment to running a seamless more planet-friendly operation, without compromising on five-star standards.
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Upon Arrival
The dusty winding drive into Six Senses Zighy Bay (reachable only by four wheel drive) provided the perfect slumber into relaxation mode as the mountains enclosed on us and our phone signals began to dwindle. Upon reaching the hotel entrance, we were welcomed by lush surroundings, warm staff and an immediate sense of tranquility that pervades the 82-room resort and stuck with us for the entire duration of our stay.One refreshing tea, delicate henna and traditional Omani headscarf later, we were part of the Six Senses family and on first name terms with the attentive staff.
Rooms With a View
Our open and airy pool villa stepped out directly onto the beach (watch out for the scuttling crabs!), overlooking the Musandam Peninsula complete with show-stopping sunset over the bay. Natural stone flooring and timber beaming created a traditional Omani-style interior with organic bedding, indoor and outdoor showers and a cushioned living area providing the perfect place to unwind with a sundowner before dinner.
Image credit: Six Sense Zighy Bay
The private plunge pool, outdoor patio and plush sun loungers meant we barely wanted to leave our villa walls, but when we did, we hopped on our villa bicycles or our assigned Guest Experience Maker (read: butler for which no ask is too great) was just a WhatsApp away with a buggy.
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In The Kitchen
Naturally as a food editor, one of the first places I explored was the kitchen, where I met the passionate Director of Sustainability, Armand Thieblemont. He shared how Executive Chef Walter Butti has implemented a firm zero-plastic policy. “He’s completely stopped ordering cling film, vacuum seal bags, all this kind of stuff,” Thieblemont explained, “it’s an abrupt approach but one that yields results.”This innovative thinking extends to the resort’s own organic farm and garden (open to wandering guests), ensuring farm-to-fork freshness at meal times. Any leftover food is fed to the onsite goats and chickens, and the rest is transformed into pure compost in their industrial compost machine. “We can transform 250 kilograms of food waste – rice, veggies, noodles, anything – into pure compost in two days,” Thieblemont said. Seeing this closed-loop system in action was truly refreshing and – most importantly – impossible to detect from the uncompromised quality and opulence of the beautiful breakfast buffets and daily menu.
We started each day with fresh smoothies and detox water, followed by the granola station of all granola stations. Every nut, seed and yoghurt you can think of, complete with homemade jams, honey comb and plenty of organic milks. Hot traditional Arabic dishes were also available to order, as well as omelettes, eggs, and we had to squeeze in some fresh pastries to finish on a sweet note.
On-Site Tours
Should the placid fresh-water swimming pool, tranquil spa or beachfront walks leave you wanting more from your stay, a regular sustainability tour of the hotel was available to all guests. The energy conservation efforts kept on coming; in-house water irrigation, glass recycling and industrial composting to name a few. “We have reduced 25% of electricity since I joined,” Thieblemont proudly mentioned, achieved mostly through simple measures like standardising temperatures in vacant villas and pool leak detection.There was something about staying in a resort with such dedication to green values that really enriched the stay for us. We could feel the collaborative mission of each member of the team, from bar men to room service.
Activities With a Twist
Extending beyond the wicker gates of the beachfront villas, the resort’s initiatives reached the surrounding marine life too which guests are invited to learn about. We helped with Zighy Bay’s coral reef restoration project by planting new coral grids into the marine ecosystem. Whilst kayaking, mountain hikes, paddle boarding, tennis, archery, cinema nights and more were also on the agenda, eco-friendly activities such as soap-making, candle classes and organic farm tours added a twist to the typical beach resort experience.
Image credit: Six Senses Zighy Bay
For something a little different, we loved the ‘Once Upon a Star’ experience on the main beach. After a delicious dinner, we mooched down onto the sand to meet the astronomer and other guests to learn all about the stars above Zighy Bay and even got to inspect them ourselves through a refracting telescope.
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Illustration Image: Six Senses Zighy Bay
