Originally Posted by
khabah
You should know, you used to live here!
Honestly though, here are my thoughts:
- InterContinental Muscat has renovated its rooms, and it's beautifully done. Still looks like a parking garage outside, but the rooms and bathrooms are finally decent. Service is solid, food is fairly good and the location is as good as it gets. Consider this one.
- W Muscat is the hip new kid with great rooms and service that's good but can veer hit-or-miss. Food is good but can honestly be better, and the facilities [spa, pool] are excellent. Location next to the InterCon is convenient. Think about staying here, but note that the boom-boom W vibe is not to everyone's liking.
- Grand Hyatt Muscat is the same as you left it: green carpets, clashing patterns, stained glass and all. It feels like the oldest of the five-star hotels in the city, and is surprisingly well-maintained given how wildly dated it is. Service is good if impersonal, food is good and I prefer the location due to the nice beachside promenade it sits on and the walking distance to the new Waterfront mall, with a cluster of restaurants and good people-watching.
- Crowne Plaza Muscat has a wonderful vantage point and stunning views as it's perched on a cliff above Qurum, and they did a gorgeous job transforming their dingy outdoor pool into a tiered infinity arrangement. The lobby is nicely redone but the rooms haven't been renovated, sadly. The food is great, however, and there is a private beach so I'd consider this one.
- The other Crowne Plaza at the OCEC is a nice hotel that opened in 2017, with sterile design but spacious rooms, nice staff and a fantastic Thai restaurant. You're sort of in the middle of nowhere if you stay here, but it's easy to get around and the price is often right.
- No point in staying at the Sheraton as it's marooned out in Ruwi, but the bang for buck is fantastic at ~75 USD a night given its decent renovation.
- As discussed earlier, I would entirely avoid the pretentious Al Bustan.
- I've had lunch at The Chedi and the grounds are impeccable, but it feels dated and the staff are up themselves attitudinally. I'd give this one a pass.
Hope this helps. Happy to go into more detail if you need anything.
khabah
Hah thanks!
Last time I was at the Chedi in 2017 for about 3 weeks. I had booked the most basic room and they stuck me in that building next to the kids pool. Not great.
Before that I was at the Chedi in December 2016 and had a deluxe room that was super nice. Closer to the parking lot end of the property.
And before that I was at the Chedi in December 2015 and had a deluxe room that was amazing and closer to really nice pool everyone likes to use.
So on one hand, seems like the Chedi is going downhill. On the other hand, I'm wondering if I'll still get a good product if I book something like the Club Suite? What do you think?
Intercon I just have way too many childhood memories of to stay there. I don't like Ws. And the Grand Hyatt is a bit too long in the tooth for me to consider I think. I think it would be between the Chedi and Kempinski for me. And I'd also obviously want to go to Salalah to try the new Alila.