Resort
Muscat, Oman
9.1
Al Bustan Palace, a Ritz-Carlton Hotel
Oman's ceremonial palace-hotel of 1985, set between the Hajar Mountains and its own bay, with one of the Gulf's most magnificent domed lobbies.
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Oman
Muscat
Muscat is the Gulf capital that chose restraint. Low white buildings trace a coastline of jagged ophiolite mountains, the corniche curves past forts and a dhow harbour, and building codes have kept the skyline human. Oman's deep seafaring history and easy courtesy give the city a warmth that no amount of marble can manufacture.
Luxury here means resorts folded into private bays beneath the Hajar mountains, gardens of frangipani running down to quiet beaches, and excursions that reach wadis, turtle beaches and dune seas within a day. Muscat is the Gulf for travellers who prefer landscape and heritage to spectacle.
The best hotels in Muscat
Best areas to stay
Al Bustan & Bandar Jissah
Mountain-backed coves south of the city hold Muscat's grandest resorts, with private beaches and dramatic coastal scenery.
Shatti Al Qurum
The city's embassy-and-beach district offers established hotels, a long swimmable beach and easy access to restaurants and the opera house.
Mutrah & Old Muscat
The historic harbour quarter, with its corniche, souq and forts, is the place to absorb the capital's maritime character.
Dining & nightlife
Muscat's dining spans Omani shuwa and seafood grills, polished Indian and Levantine rooms and refined hotel restaurants overlooking the Gulf. Evenings are gentle: shisha terraces, a stroll along the Mutrah corniche and performances at the Royal Opera House rather than late-night clubbing.
Travelling as a family
Families snorkel the Daymaniyat Islands, watch nesting turtles at Ras Al Jinz and splash in wadi pools an easy drive from town. The beach resorts run generous pools and kids' clubs, and Omani hospitality extends warmly to children.
Travelling as a couple
Couples should book a bay-facing suite beneath the mountains, take a sunset dhow cruise along the coast and reserve a private dinner on the sand. A night in the Wahiba Sands or a day in the green terraces of Jebel Akhdar completes a romantic Omani itinerary.
Cultural highlights
- The Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque and its vast prayer hall
- Mutrah Souq and the harbour corniche
- The Royal Opera House Muscat
- The twin Portuguese forts above Old Muscat
The Browntravels Edit
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