# Hatta Fort Hotel & Fujeirah



## stevieboy1980 (Sep 9, 2008)

Hi,

anyone stayed in hatta fort hotel? whats it like and is there much to do?

Also anyone stayed in hotel in fujeirah (or however you spell it!)? again, much to do? been reading some reviews but hard to work out.

Taking my wife away for weekend, but first night wont check until late, maybe 7.30pm, but would of been nice for 2 different places...


help


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## Jumeirah Jim (Jan 24, 2011)

Not stayed at the Hatta Fort but have stopped there for lunch and it looked nice, although the food was not good. Not much to see or do around Hatta so one night would be enough I reckon. Make sure you take your passports and there are checkpoints just before you get to Hatta (where the road goes through a bit of Oman). Drove that way yesterday and there was a 15 minute queue to get through the check point back into the UAE/Hatta probably security has been stepped up after the protests over the border in Sohar.

The road from Hatta over the mountains to the Sharjah-Kalba road is a great drive. Its not well signed but if you drive out of the Hatta Fort Hotel turn left towards the main Oman border post and its the first signed turn on the left (can't remember the names of the villages on the sign but think its the only road - if you hit the border you've gone too far and need to do a u-turn). 

The side road over the mountains is very windy but is sealed. At one village you hit a roundabout and need to take the left turn signed Masafi. You'll then drop down a bit and come to an tunnel under a main road. You need to take the slipway on the right before the tunnel. You're then on a great two lane road which takes you right over the mountains and through a tunnel to Kalba on the east coast. Its perhaps 45 minutes drive from Hatta to the coast.

Fujairah is a better place to spend time than Hatta IMO. Fujairah City is a bit grim so you're best headed right up the coast to the hotels just before Dibba. Have stayed at the Rotana, Miramar and JAL and they are all good and fairly comparable. Some people have strong opinions about which is best but I'd say they're much of a muchness. I'd avoid the Meridien Al Aqua however as its high rise and over the top glitzy, just like a lot of hotels in Dubai. I think that's what most people who would go to Fujairah want to get away from. 

There's not a great deal to see and do once there. Some off road tracks in the mountains behind the hotels if you have a 4x4 and great diving and dhow trips from nearby Dibba. Most people are just happy to lounge around the hotel pools/beaches for a couple of days


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## stevieboy1980 (Sep 9, 2008)

thanks for your comments, most appreciated...
was thinking wether to bother due to the prices for 2 nights, we have a lovely private pool and villa etc, but wanted to see some new things/places mainly, but also somewhere to do a few things really.
the meridian looked really nice for views etc


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## Jumeirah Jim (Jan 24, 2011)

stevieboy1980 said:


> thanks for your comments, most appreciated...
> was thinking wether to bother due to the prices for 2 nights, we have a lovely private pool and villa etc, but wanted to see some new things/places mainly, but also somewhere to do a few things really.
> the meridian looked really nice for views etc


Know what you mean about prices and having pool/villa at home. If you want a change of scene though it's worth a night or two. You'd get more out of Fujairah I'd think. You mentioned arriving at 7.30pm maybe after a day at work. A suggestion might be to set off early the next morning. You'll then get the benefit of the views if you drive via Hatta. There'd be point going this way at night - take the shortest route up Emirates Rd. The hotel might not let you check-in but would let you leave your bags and use the beach/pool until your room's ready. Same thing the next day - they let you use the facilities after you have checked out. That way you get two days away and only pay for one night's accommodation. 

Haven't stayed at the Meridien but I'd really recommend JAL, Rotana and Miramar over it. It was full of Russian package tourists when I had dinner there last year. Everything is gold and very glitzy - closest thing I can describe it to in Dubai would be a VERY, VERY downmarket version of the Burj Al Arab. The beach there also isn't as good as the others.


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## stevieboy1980 (Sep 9, 2008)

not a bad idea about the 1 night.
which of the 3 would you say is best?
what things are there to do in the days


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## Jumeirah Jim (Jan 24, 2011)

stevieboy1980 said:


> not a bad idea about the 1 night.
> which of the 3 would you say is best?
> what things are there to do in the days


I prefer the JAL or the Rotana but that's just personal preference. Both are fairly simple places but comfortable. The Miramar is more Arabic, perhaps a bit like a mini Madinat Jumeirah or Souk Al Baha, but also nice.

During the days most people don't leave the hotels but there's off road driving in the moutains, boat trips and diving from nearby Dibba. Enough for a relaxed couple of days.


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## Maz25 (Jul 6, 2008)

I've stayed at JAL in Fujairah and would thoroughly recommend it. Very clean & modern and worth every penny.


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## stevieboy1980 (Sep 9, 2008)

oh look its maz, hows it going mazza?
what things are there to do there? how long did you stay?


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## Maz25 (Jul 6, 2008)

stevieboy1980 said:


> oh look its maz, hows it going mazza?
> what things are there to do there? how long did you stay?


Very funny, Stevie! 
There isn't a lot to do there aside from going to beach, snorkelling and diving. If you hire a 4x4, you can explore some of the wadis nearby. Stayed there for one night only. 
Spend the day at Snoopy Beach Hotel (I think it's AED100 to use the beach & snorkel around Snoopy Island - whatever you do, don't stay there!!!) and then checked into JAL in the evening. Spent the next day on the beach swimming & snorkelling!


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## stevieboy1980 (Sep 9, 2008)

hmmm, still not sure.
any other ideas for a weekend away?


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## Mr Rossi (May 16, 2009)

I like the JAL but the Rotana is good too, tend to just always go to the JAL as they do offers. And don't be put off by how it looks from the road, it's nice inside. Avoid Sandy Beach hotel, proper 70's throwback.

All the dive centres are independant of the actual hotels so if you want to do diving or snorkelling from a boat you don't actually need to be staying in that hotel.


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## Maz25 (Jul 6, 2008)

stevieboy1980 said:


> hmmm, still not sure.
> any other ideas for a weekend away?


What about Muscat or Musandam? Worth considering those as well though obviously a longer drive.


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