If you have been following me on Instagram, you already know where I’ve been last weekend. Lucky me, I was enjoying a chilled-out staycation at Oceanic Khorfakkan Resort & Spa.

Set on the East Coast of the UAE, Khorfakkan is a quaint little township sandwiched between the scenic beauties of the Arabian Sea and the Shumayliyah Mountain range.

Oceanic Khorfakkan is the only hotel stay in this vicinity, and has a 4-star rating.

We have stayed here before, and last weekend’s escapade was a reminder on why we need to do this more often! We all need some downtime away from the hustle-bustle of city life, even a one-night stay can do wonders for the body and soul.

Set by the coast with serene views of the mountains and sea, Oceanic Khorfakkan is a welcome escape from the bustling urban jungle.

The reception staff are courteous, and what I like best is we were not kept waiting for too long. Given the weekend rush, three counters were on duty, and we were swiftly ushered into our room with the bell-boy taking the lead with all our luggage.

We checked into a ‘Deluxe Sea View Room’. The room itself has ample natural light, and is spacious enough for a couple with a young child. There is ample storage space, and includes all the hotel amenities we take for granted including a mini fridge, electric kettle, a stock of tea and coffee and a few snacks that can be paid for at checkout.

There’s something magical about hotel beds. They make you want to jump on them and take a deep long slumber under all those layers of bedding (with the aircon on full gear ofcourse!). The beds at Oceanic are very comfortable, and on checking in, we were almost tempted to snooze and miss out on the pool!

The room has a pair of comfy lounge chairs by the window. The view from the window is beautifully serene. The deep blue sea lulls the mind into a peaceful trance as we downed a few cups of coffee.

The bathroom is small and compact. Bathroom amenities include the usual mini hotel bottles of shampoo, conditioner, soaps and lotions. The towels are luxuriously fluffy and smell freshly laundered. Bathroom gadgets include a weighing scale (I dare not stand on this during a weekend getaway!) and a hairdryer. The only downside of the bathroom is the tub, which is quite narrow and small.

We spent most of the day by the pool and the private beach. A lifeguard is on duty at both areas at all times, and I felt quite comfortable letting my daughter play around in the baby pool by herself while I did a few laps.

A number of couples and young families were out taking a dip. I was a little perturbed seeing two ladies, fully clothed in what appeared to be their bedroom pajamas, entering the pool. Not very hygienic at all! I think the hotel needs to be a little more rigid on their pool decorum rules.

On a happier note, we were served chilled strawberry slushes in the pool, on the house! The server said they were also serving these to the gardeners who were sweating it out while doing up the hotel lawns. Oceanic is a hotel with heart!

The private beach is stunning. Sorry I was too busy soaking it all in to take photos! I spent quite a few idle hours by the waves helping my daughter build sandcastles and collect seashells. There’s nothing quite a therapeutic as digging your feet into wet sand as the waves gently wash over them.

By the time we got back to the room, we were famished. The hotel has a number of restaurants, and there are many fast-food joints in the vicinity.

We decided to go for an evening stroll to discover the neighborhood, and ended up downing a bucket of KFC (naughty food, I know!).

KFC is just across the road from Oceanic.

Our booking included breakfast at Al Murjan, Oceanic’s all-day dining restaurant. Breakfast is served between 6 to 10 am, and we managed to get there by 9.

Eating breakfast with stunning views of the Arabian Sea pretty much propelled me into eating a little cleaner (and ofcourse it was also related to the guilt-trip of eating KFC the night before).

The breakfast buffet has all the variations of breakfast you can ask for. Fresh juices, tea and coffee, cereals, fruit, yoghurt, pancakes, sausages, a counter for eggs the way you want them, an array of breads and condiments. They even have fried rice for people who prefer a heavier meal.

I had a huge helping of fresh fruits, and followed it up with a serving of foul medammes. 

My daughter loved their fluffy-soft pancakes, and had them with generous swirls of maple syrup.

Hubby was very satisfied with his cheesy omelette, cooked just the way he likes it.

Checkout time is 12. The reception staff were kind enough to extend our checkout to 1.30. Even after checkout, guests are welcome to use the pool and beach.

Right after breakfast, hubby went into snooze mode. I’m telling you these beds are snooze-magnets! I took my little cherub to the beach, and we got busy rebuilding more sandcastles. By daylight you can actually see tiny little fish circle your feet as the tide hits. I felt like a little girl again and squealed with delight in unison with my 4 year-old.

Sad how quickly a holiday ends. We had to bribe my daughter with ice-cream to leave the room!

With summer well and truly here, we are hoping to make a trip back to Oceanic Khorfakkan Resort & Spa very soon.