Just completed a one-night staycation for a little change of scenery, and here are my observations:

• Oman has majorly relaxed their COVID restrictions and allowed just about everything to reopen again, from shopping malls and restaurants to spas and tourist visas [tourists can come to Oman now, but can only do so if they present valid hotel bookings - this is obviously a measure for the government to force money into the hospitality sector after their mandated extended closure decimated the city's hotels].
• My partner, a Titanium, made our reservation using points about a month ago, and used SNAs to select a Marvelous Suite. With occupancy being as low as it is [sub-10 percent during the week, up to 50 percent on weekends - no occupancy caps anymore however as they're allowed to go to 100 percent], the SNAs cleared. We always get bumped into Marvelous Suites at this property anyway; Plats are put into Fantastic Suites, Titaniums and Ambassadors into Marvelous.
• Marvelous Suites at this hotel either end in -01 or -52; the -01s are in the 'armpit' of the building where the bedroom's balcony has a view into a wall, and the other balcony overlooks the hotel garden, and the -52s are located on the other end of the hallway overlooking the pool. Sea views from both.
• We were initially given 352, which was right over the Living Room bar. Around sunset, even with the balcony doors closed, we could hear/feel the signature boom-boom music and bass vibrations, guests below us laughing audibly and getting carried away as one does with alcohol - and with the bar open until 2 AM, we asked to be moved and were transferred to 301. Garden-view rooms, despite having lesser views, are infinitely quieter.
• There is a surprising amount of wear and tear; the chaise in the bedroom of 352 had several obvious tears sewn shut as did the one in 301, but that split right open when I sat on it. The leather goods [desktops, living room table] were scuffed, and wood surfaces were nicked and scratched. The ACs weren't working; the AC in 352 wouldn't allow me to change the fan settings, while the unit in 301 would function normally for some time after being manipulated and then recalibrate the temp and fan settings of its own accord when it wanted to. We also didn't get ANY hot water in the shower or bath. Running the shower for ten minutes on its hottest setting would get it up to warm, but that was it.
• We chose breakfast as our welcome amenity, and were told that it was back at the main restaurant, Harvest [it was moved up to the rooftop Siddharta Lounge for a few months, and we much preferred the setting upstairs]. Although we were initially excited to have it back at Harvest and expected more food offerings, due to COVID the hotel has dramatically scaled back their breakfast. Gone are the lavish antipasti, fruit and salad stations - now you get crudités and sliced in plastic cups, cubed cheese in plastic-wrapped plates and other stations handled by staff.
• Service is still good here, from well-intentioned staff that love their hotel.
• We didn't use the pools this time, instead choosing to spend our outdoor time walking the beautiful beach outside now that people are allowed to use them again. Do note that the rooftop pool at Siddharta is open to guests 16 and over only.
• A MAJOR detraction for me personally is the overwhelming amount of children at this hotel - I don't know if it's a sign of the times we live in now, but good LORD are children badly behaved these days: parents are too busy playing with their phones while their kids scream, kick and run amuck. This isn't even targeted to a particular group, as local and international kids were all a mess. We were in a pool cabana on our last stay, and a British couple took a cabana two down from us, and their three kids proceeded to run up and down the shallow part of the pool right behind us screaming their heads off and dragging each other into the water, and while they swam, the little monsters would splash the Hell out of the water and would spray us, our books and belongings without their parents batting a lash or telling them to behave themselves.

I do have a soft spot for the W, but I have to say it's hardening after this last stay. I understand that business has been hurting and we're not at that magical day where adults-only Ws are an option, but I wish there was an age limit, time restrictions or more proactive staff to intervene and tell parents off when kids are being a nuisance. W Muscat also needs to investigate its hardware issues, because the hotel isn't even two years old and the veneer is already starting to come undone.

khabah