Damani Lodges at Hatta Resorts by Dubai Holding — Hotel in Dubai

This place could be incredible. It is in a superb setting at the door of the Hajar mountains with lots of activities available and imaginative accommodation options. However it is let down by multiple minor issues, service and a lack of attention to detail.

There is no shade at all around caravans and domes . The caravans face south which is great for the mountain views but means that even with the awning fully out there is almost no shade. This meant that for large parts of the day (during our stay in October) we had to sit inside our caravan to avoid the heat rather than enjoying the atmosphere and views outside. There is also little shade around the resort in general which means walking from your accommodation to the central hub and around this area was often very hot and unpleasant for large parts of the day and difficult for children. During our stay it felt like we were constantly trying to seek shade from the relentless sun. This could be fixed fairly easily by large canvas sails being placed over the caravans & outdoor spaces. There is almost no lighting for the outdoor barbecue areas at both the domes and the caravans which made cooking and eating difficult. Bring head torches and lots of candles! Ironically they were filming for advertising while we were there and had strung up lots of fairy lights around the caravan outdoor area. This looked beautiful and made a massive difference. Could we suggest that every caravan and dome outdoor area gets the same lighting as for the adverts! We have seen this in other similar resorts. There was a lack of information on the website and following booking which meant we arrived generally unprepared. For example there is no crockery or cutlery provided ( apart from 2 mugs) in the caravans; I had seen that there were hobs in the caravans but these cannot be used and the only internal cooking facility is a microwave. It would have been helpful to have provided information on this when booking. The walking trails are variably marked, those on the lower lands nearer the resort were well marked & clear while the majority higher in the mountains were poorly delineated, unclear and sporadically marked. The best way to find the trails was often from the plentiful litter left along them. As there are not high quality maps of the area this resulted in getting lost frequently. While we were there 5 of the activities were closed. The information provided on their reopening was inconsistent and inadequate. Booking of horse riding was poorly organised There is a lack of blinds or curtains in some of the bedrooms of the caravans which meant our kids were waking at sunrise every day. Signs to indicate housekeeping need would be useful.

Positives: The Mountain bike trails were superb, incredibly well maintained & marked with both family-friendly easy trails & some testing more advanced trails. The guys in the mountain bike shop were helpful, provided us with helmets & a rucksack for carrying water bottles. They even cycled us out to the start of the trails to ensure we went the right way. Jerome at reception was friendly, helpful and very responsive to...

If you want to escape the busy city in style, this is probably your opportunity. However, be aware, (almost) like with camping, it's best to be prepared as the service is very limited (until now)...

The lodges themselves are much more spacious than one would expect, with a perfect balance between bathroom, living / bedroom and veranda. The interiors are on brand Meraas - minimalistic, straight forward, yet very hipster with an industrial charm.

Just utensils to prepare food are missing, so are dishes / cutlery, which is a problem as there is no room service (during my second stay I found a sign that actually needs ro be placed outside, I assume) - and the options in / close to the main building are limited to a coffee shop and two food trailers. Also, bring tissues and extra toilet paper as those seem to be in short supply - and nobody came to re-stock or clean the room for the second day / night.

There are various comfortable BBQ facilities across the resort. But apart from the grill itself, bring your own tools and supplies as if you were camping in the desert...

The most amazing part is clearly the typical Hatta mountain view, especially enjoyable during sunset. Also, the vast network of MTB / hiking tracks keep the adult guest entertained, while most of the built attractions (zip line, climbing wall, water slide, catapult etc.) are still under maintanace / to...

My recent time at Damabi Lodge wasn't as peaceful as I hoped. The place sounds nice, but the reality didn't match up.

First, the breakfast was a letdown. Even though I booked a room with breakfast included, when I called to check, they said I didn't have it. After arguing, they admitted their mistake. But the breakfast itself wasn't great—no juice, no good coffee, and the food was too greasy. Plus, they made us wait an hour to eat, even though we were a group of five staying in two lodges.

Also, the rooms didn't make us feel like we were in nature. They faced the road, which wasn't what we expected. And they charged way too much for firewood—175 AED for just three hours! It felt like they were trying to cheat us.

The bike trail was okay, but it could be better. There weren't enough signs or information to tell us where to go.

Overall, Damani Lodge didn't live up to its promise. The breakfast, accommodations, and prices were all disappointing. I hope they listen to feedback like this to make things better for...