Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Majan Continental Hotel$$
BUSINESS HOTEL
OFFLINE MAP
( 24 592900;
www.majanhotel.com
; Al-Ghubrah St; s/d OR40/50; )
Perched on top of a hill
overlooking the pearly white suburbs of Muscat, this comfortable, Arabic-style hotel is
popular with Omanis. If you think of Muscat as a prudish city, then think again: quiet and
decorous by day, the hotel reinvents itself at night into the city's liveliest nightspot. Best
suits male travellers wanting to feel the pulse of local life.
Beach Bay Hotel$$
BOUTIQUE HOTEL
OFFLINE MAP
( 24 692121;
www.beachbaymuscat.com
; Way 3040, off Al-Saruj St, Shatti al-Qurm; s/d OR65/76; )
Fun
and quirky, and with a nautical theme, this ship's-bow-shaped hotel is only a seagull's
glide from the sea. With sailor-suited staff and compass-patterned carpets, ships' wheel
banisters and a dhow-shaped reception, guests will be glad to learn that rooms bear little
resemblance to cabins.
The Chedi$$$
LUXURY HOTEL
OFFLINE MAP
( 24 524400;
www.ghmhotels.com
; Way No 3215, off 18th November Street, Al-Ghubrah North; r from OR230;
)
With a hint of the
kasbah
(desert castle) combined with Asian minimalism, the
Chedi has been designed to make the best of its mini sand-dune location. Don't let the oc-
casional groan of aircraft at Muscat International Airport put you off: usually, the only
audible sound from the poolside of Muscat's most stylish hotel is the chink of wine
glasses.
The gardens, rhythmically punctuated by Zen ponds, raked pebbles and a pool virtually
contiguous with the sea, are satisfying to the soul. Hanging suits and accommodating the
etceteras of working life may be difficult in the minimally furnished rooms, but if all you
brought is a swimsuit and a good book, then very little will intrude on your sense of get-
ting away from it all.
Hotel InterContinental Muscat $$$
RESORT
OFFLINE MAP
( 24 680000;
www.ichotelsgroup.com
; off Way 2817, Shatti al-Qurm; s/d OR140/150; )
If anything
is 'happening' in Muscat, chances are it is doing so at the 'InterCon' - an excellent hotel
in terms of service and amenities. While not the prettiest building in town, this hotel has a
fine interior, quality rooms, shady gardens and access to the beach. Jawaharat Al-Shatti
