Muscat hotels and when to do the night in the desert

[bm1976]

Hi all,

Wondering if people could help with any feedback on which hotel is best, with kids in tow in Muscat and when is the best time to do an overnight stay in the desert – start of the holiday, end or middle?

My family and I are looking to return to Oman next summer for two weeks, for a joint year wedding anniversary, plus a summer holiday. Unlike our honeymoon, we will now have two children with us, aged 6 and 9 and so were wondering if anyone has any feedback on which hotel would be best with kids – Al-Bustan Palace, Shangri-La or The Chedi? The first two have lots of activities for the children to do, however, The Chedi is where we went on our honeymoon but has no activities for the children to partake in.

I’m not adverse to entertaining my children on a two week holiday but if the activities at the other two hotels are really good, it would be remiss of me not to think about it. For their sake, obvs.

Secondly, we would like to take a tour of the empty quarter and spend a night in the desert but wasn’t sure when the best time of the holiday to do it was. If we go in the middle of the stay, we’d be paying for the hotel room to be empty for one night, however, if you go at the beginning or end of the holiday, either before checking in or after checking out of the hotel, you have all your suitcases to take with you you to the desert, which doesn’t seem overly sensible.

Anyway, any thoughts or advice would be appreciated.

Many thanks.

[meta]

Summer in the Middle East?

[TGLoyalty]

Could always check out, leave your large luggage and check back in if the room cost is £££

Personally, if it’s a full two weeks why not do it inbetween and take it as a chance to also move hotel from a more central city hotel like The Chedi (it did look very construction site like around the hotel when I visited but admittedly that was nearly 5 years ago now) to one of Al Bustan or Shangri-la or the Anantara mountain properties?

There’s also a new St Regis but it’s nearer the airport and a newish W near the Opera House.

@meta is there really anything useful in your reply? I’m sure OP knows what the weather is like in the destination they’ve chosen to visit. Hardly a secret deserts are hot. Though mountains are usually cooler.

[bm1976]

@TGLoyalty many thanks for the reply. The room’s not extortionate, issue with moving around is that I’m getting a good deal via Emirates Holidays. Looks like I may have to just accept the room will be empty for a night and take the hit. Good point on The Chedi, I will contact them and find out if they’re renovating still. Do you happen to know of any good Omani tour companies that I can use for the night in the desert?

And @meta – there’s always one. I am well aware that Oman is (very) hot in summer. However, our family like the heat and it’s cheaper than a BA Holiday to Croatia/Montenegro, so win-win.

[TGLoyalty]

Emirates holidays might still be able to split into two hotels for a good deal over the phone?

I don’t unfortunately didn’t keep a good record. But I’m sure others will have more recent experience.

[Man of Kent]

We are heading to Oman in November and will be staying as follows: –

3 nights Shangri-La Al Husn – this is the adults only part but the other areas are more family friendly
3 nights Alila Jabal Akhdar – reviewed by HfP last year. We’ll be hiring a car and driving ourselves as you need a 4×4 to get there and to get into the desert
1 night Desert Nights Camp
2 nights Shangri-La Al Husn

I’m currently researching tours and Shangri-La have just sent me some information which I can update this thread with once I’ve read it.

[bm1976]

@Man of Kent, that’s great. Thank you very much. Reading reviews it appears the Al-Husn Shangri-La is of much better quality than the child-friendly one at Al-Waha. I think it now looks like it’ll be either Al-Bustan or The Chedi.

The other bonus with The Chedi, is that the room I am looking at, which sleeps 4, includes lounge access, so fruit/snacks for the kids outside of meal times included, plus my wife’s coffee addiction will also be covered.

[Olly]

@bm1976 – we’re doing a similar trip for October half-term. After several nights in Abu Dhabi we’re doing a night at the JW Marriott (2nd room half-price) before heading up to the Alila for 2 nights, then we’re off to the Al-Waha for 3 nights. Looked at lots of the other hotels but felt that for Kids facilities the Shangri-La came up tops, and as we’ll be quite full on for the 10 days or so before then, adult relaxation time swung it for me along with the spectacular mountain backdrop. The SL and more so the Al Bustan seem marginally nearer to the old town than the Chedi and others on the Northern shore

[Man of Kent]

@bm1976 as the weather here in Norfolk was shocking yesterday it gave me a great opportunity to look at warmer destinations. Shangri-La have sent me information on Zahara Tours http://www.zaharatours.com who offer 2 day / 1 night desert excursions which might suit you. Their website looks pretty good and they have positive TripAdvisor reviews and it looks like Trailfinders use them. They have been proactive in emailing back and forth today and I’ll probably use them for airport transfers and day excursions.

It seems they also have connections to most of the major hotels so they might be able to sort something competitive out for you if the Emirates Holidays isn’t flexible. I’m asking them to see what they can offer on my existing bookings.

[TJ]

Stayed at the Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar, the W and the Desert Nights Camp pre-Covid. Can recommend them all.

We drove everywhere which was very straightforward. Only piece of advice is that if you drive to the Desert Night Camp without deflating your tyres it will be slow and a bit bumpy even in a 4×4…but still doable and you don’t have to search for a garage when exiting the desert to inflate your tyres again.