I am often asked about the story of Mountain Breeze; how it started, when it started and why we chose Jala’ad as a location. So let me tell you how it all began 22 years ago.
The land was originally bought by my father-in-law as a city escape for his wife, who had recently moved to Jordan with him. Coming from the amazingly beautiful Italian north, she longed for greenery and nature. At the time, he thought where would be a better place than the great Jordanian countryside.
The part of the land from where Mountain Breeze is currently operating wasn’t used by the family. Seif (their son) thought it would be the perfect space to start an outdoor paintball field. It was a passion of his and something new to Amman. We had recently been married and with our first child, so we thought this could be a great getaway for our family as well. We called it The Jordan Paintball Club and it was the first and only paintball field in Jordan. Paintball was quite popular. We had regulars that came in every weekend to play. They were full of excitement and played with so much eagerness that they were famished after every game. I started cooking snacks in the tiny room behind the paintball counter (which is now our sales office) and I made it my kitchen. Everything happened around this counter built under a 200 year old Oak tree. We were literally famous by it then that everyone called us “the place with the Oak tree in the middle”. It’s now where we all gather to cool down from the hot summer heat.
A year passed by, and we became more popular. Everyone in our families and a lot of our friends jumped in for support. Some cooked, some were referees inside the paintball field, some helped with taking bookings and some in prepping players for the game.
In his free time Seif went on with the kids and built things. A lot of what you see around now was individually made. People often come and ask us about the name of the architect who designed Mountain Breeze but, there is no one. It was just done step by step, and it grew slowly. Every corner was designed with comfort and serenity in mind and most importantly with the determination of not cutting down any trees. That’s why sometimes you see buildings that look a bit funny. Our fondness for nature encouraged us to plant over 10000 trees over the years, to help ease our guests into that peaceful and heart lifting feeling they experience now as they enter. Throughout the years we started adding to the project. First, a bigger restaurant and kitchen, then came the lodges, then the pool and finally the meeting room. All this made Mountain Breeze what it is now, the perfect place to relax, unwind and enjoy nature.
Recently I have been working hard to implement a concept, I truly believe in, at Mountain Breeze. One which emphasizes the importance of embracing a lifestyle that helps manage the stresses of daily life. The Italians call it “Il Dolce Far Niente” which basically translates to “the Sweetness of doing Nothing”. Many of us find it difficult to go on a day out, a short break or a holiday without having a full list of planned activities. Most of the time, this leaves us exhausted and wanting a holiday from the holiday! I hope to be able to help our guests avoid that and encourage them to take their time to enjoy the simple pleasures of life. So why not indulge in a freshly prepared meal overlooking amazing views of the countryside while creating memories with family and friends, make S’mores around a bonfire, wine and dine under a 200-year-old tree, read a book in a tree house, experience sunrise from the lodge’s balcony, listen to music or admire nature sitting by a scenic pool.
Saying that, I know that some people will always have the need to be active and for them, we have created a list of exciting activities too. How about a hike in the wildness, a heart pumping game of paintball, venting out in a creatively designed target shooting range or spending some zen time practicing archery techniques?
Whatever it is that you enjoy doing, we hope that your visit to Mountain Breeze will be a happy one, that you will love it as much as we do and that you will always return for new experiences.
See you around!
