Through the cut-out in the fence on the sandy path, off the Maleha Road, Sharjah, Mysk Moon Retreat is exactly what you are looking for if you want to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life.
Prepare to quiet your mind as you pass the camels and the Ghaf trees along the sandy path to the retreat. Once you arrive at the location, you are met by the friendliest staff in the check-in area. With check-in over, you are off on your buggy ride to your luxurious pod or tent.
Mysk Moon Retreat has 10 domes—seven with private swimming pools and three without—and 6 family-sized tents, all equipped with their own swimming pool. Tents have two or three bedrooms along with a sofa bed in the living room space.
Now back to where we stayed: a dome with a private swimming pool. Once you enter the dome, you continue to feel the serenity of the location. Domes have one bedroom with a large bed facing the swimming pool, separate shower and loo, as well as coffee-making facilities and a minibar.
Head around to the back of the dome to your deck, infinity pool, barbeque station, and views of the desert and mountains—pure bliss.
Once you take an afternoon dip in the temperature-controlled pool and rest on the sunbeds, it's time for dinner. Here is where Mysk Moon Retreat really stands out.
Let's head back to before you arrive at the location for a second. When you book a stay at Mysk Moon Retreat, you are contacted by a member of staff who welcomes you, brief you about the location and gives you the menu to choose your meals. For dinner, you have a choice of meat and chicken, fish or vegetarian options, and for breakfast, you can choose an Arabic-based or international breakfast.
Let's start at dinner. Meals are delivered to your pod in minutes once you send a message to concierge notifying them that you are ready to prepare your meal. Yes, you have to prepare some of it on the easy-to-use barbeque outside the pod. Your dinner package is big, it's a lot of food! The menu says dinner is enough for two, however, it could easily serve three.
In your seafood package, you'll get pre-seasoned mussels, calamari, fish, and shrimp skewers, along with rice, a varied breadbasket, salads, dips, and brownie for dessert. For the meat option, there are chicken skewers, chicken legs, as well as cut and minced meat skewers.
Now, let's cook. At the time of your food delivery, your charcoal is lit, and the grill prepared for you, or you can choose to do it yourself. With the charcoal ready, you go ahead and prepare your already well-seasoned meat or seafood to your preference.
Charcoal-ready pots are also provided to heat your pre-cooked rice. Then, enjoy your meal on the deck table by the pool. Mysk presents a unique experience and a great opportunity to bond, especially over the grill.
Dinner over, walk down to the communal area under the stars to enjoy a range of entertainment, including live music, artery, stargazing, moon watching (through a telescope), and/or a movie on the big screen as you sit by the bonfire.
Retire to your pod for a peaceful, comfortable night's sleep to get rested for the 5:30 am trek up the mountains or down the signposted path. Don't be alarmed, this is completely optional. If you choose, you could lay in until you are ready for breakfast.
Again, breakfast is delivered to you at a time of your choice, however, the retreat suggests around 7 am. This is completely understandable, as this gives you enough time to prepare your meal before it gets too hot.
International breakfast includes eggs, sausages, turkey bacon, onion, tomato, mushroom, and capsicum, ready to be cooked. Along with this, there is baked beans, cornflakes, milk, fresh fruits, cheese platter, fresh vegetable crudités and olives, and a bread and bakery basket along with a variety of jams, butter, marmalade, and honey.
Dangle your feet in the pool or recover from a food coma on the sunbeds as you gaze into the desert.
We give the Mysk Moon Retreat a solid 9.5/10
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