I have to change planes in Muscat (not flying Oman Air, either in or out) and instead of spending 15 hours at the airport, I thought of spending the night at a hotel and seeing something of the place.

Keeping a lid on costs, which hotel would you recommend (pref SPG or IHG - in that order) where I can walk around and get a feel for the place? I know there are a couple of IHG properties close to the airport, but I don't want to spend all my time holed up in my room, far away from the downtown area.

Also, what can one do by way of sightseeing - inexpensively, I might add. Shopping or beach time holds no attraction for me.

Thanks for any suggestions!

These are not in any major chain but you might try the Al Falaj in Ruwi or the Naseem Hotel in Mutrah. The later is a very local place. Clean and definitely a budget place, but in the most atmospheric part of the city, right on the Corniche on your right on the road in from Ruwi. I doubt the Nassem has a way to book online so you'd need to call or email. The Al Falaj is a more normal 3.5-star place.

I'd much rather stay in Ruwi or Mutrah than out by Seeb airport.

The souk in Mutrah is the best one on the whole Arabian peninsula.

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Re...vernorate.html

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Re...vernorate.html

On such a short visit I'd go for Shatti al Qurum or Mutrah.

Chalk and cheese really. Both delightful in their own way, and both on the coast. Shatti is a smart beach and residential area, even boasting the new Muscat opera house. Mutrah is the old port and commercial zone, including a vibrant souk.

Shatti has an IC and a Crowne Plaza. The IC is the better located. Both are pricey, but there are other, less expensive places.

Muttrah has non-starry, non-chain, hotels and guest houses. Look on trip advisor.

Ruwi is the inland business and commercial part of the city. Can't see any tourism joy staying there.

One consideration might be transport. Shatti is closer to the airport; but if you are uncluttered with bags there's a bus from (close by) the airport that will carry you to both areas.

If you do end up in Ruwi, Camilia Restaurant (often called Cafe Camilia) is a good local place for kebabs and such near the Sheraton. They are open 24/7. It's no problem to walk around Ruwi at any hour.

Thanks, DesertNomad and IAN-UK for your recommendations, very useful indeed.

Under 'normal circumstances' I would have jumped at a Muttrah hotel to absord the local flavour. Many years ago I visited Sanaa & Kuwait extensively and would love to explore an area such as Muttrah. However, I can get all IHG hotels on points and an advance purchase rate at the Sheraton (with complimentary breakfast and evening lounge access) is OMR 52 + tax at present. Hence I am inclined towards one of these.

Using a bus sounds attractive; can one take a Samsonite roller bag + a small computer bag into the bus? Also, how far is the bus stop from the Sheraton? Are the taxis at the airport amenable to negotiating prices or do they all stick to elevated prices at the airport as in Bahrain?

DesertNomad, thanks very much for the restaurant recommendation; will certainly try to fit in the Camilla. Also, any recommendations for a good Persian restaurant? Being so close to Iran, would love to gorge on some good Persian food.

The long distance bus station is not all that far from the Sheraton... 10 min walk? just down the road perpendicular to it. I would imagine there are buses to the airport from there but I only used that bus station for trips to Nizwa, Ruataq and Salalah. I can't recall any particular Persian restaurant. It's been a while since I used the Muscat airport but all taxis were a "negotiate the fare" within town but I think the airport ones had meters. Sorry, can't recall.

You should still grab a taxi over the hill to Mutrah and walk along the corniche to the souk. A couple hours would be enough time to get a look.

The Sheraton and the area it's in is depressing for an overnight visit: and spending time in the lounge doesn't count as local flavour

If you have the points, the IC is an excellent choice. Its relatively cheap in points but can be sky high for money (and remember tax puts almost 20% on the cash bill). The area's on the sea, lively with tons of cafes, eating places and shops.

Taxis from the airport are metred. Last month i paid OMR11 from the airport to the IC. Considerably less going back (use the local "uber" equivalent). The bus option is possible, but a bit of a hike with a bag to and from the the highway - but the weather's lovely right now, so you won't get too scorched on the walk.

As for restaurants, try one of the apps, look in tripadvisor or let the concierge do his thing

Which is why I normally stay at the Naseem in Mutrah. I stayed at the Al Falaj on my first visit to Oman in 1994... Oman has changed a lot in 23 years.

I had a good meal at Persepolis: https://goo.gl/maps/VwsvFGveEvk

The restaurant was oddly deserted when I went there; empty when we arrived, almost empty when we left, but food was good and service was efficient. Midrange style/price.

I have also eaten (assuming I've found the place correctly, it looks like I remember it and is in the right area) at Sadaf Iranian Restaurant: https://goo.gl/maps/2Kbp1B8nmZr Protip: if you want a handy meal and are passing by, get the cold lunch buffet. All sorts of Persian and general middle eastern salads and so on, and as much Iranian bread as you can eat. They have a hot buffet too, but I filled up on the cold one just fine. Slightly less style and price than Persepolis.

If you're intent on as much Iranian food as possible, perhaps do Sadaf for lunch and Persepolis for dinner.

For local culture, it's definitely worth a look around the Mutrah souk. While it's got tourists, especially near the entrance, one must bear in mind that Oman, and Muscat in particular, has a culture with a long trading history. Selling stuff to visitors is not a new activity for modern tourism, it's an ancient activity in those parts.

Go beyond the entrance and the first few passageways to look around; you can get most any portable house or food goods there. Down on the second left or so there is a shop selling a fabulous array of gas burner cooking rings There are many places selling shawls, as well as other clothing. Obviously plenty of people selling frankincense, and other spices. If you want to look like you know what you're doing, ask for green frankincense - this is the highest grade, not usually on display, meant to be eaten or burned. The lower grades are for burning as incense.

Bearing right from the main entrance, or in its own entrance a little to the west of the main entrance is the Gold Souk and the related Silver Souk. Gold is ridiculously overpriced these days so only buy if you want it; the silver goods are more finely made and better priced. Goods are sold by weight, the amount of work (detail), and how much profit the seller thinks they can make. Polite bargaining can get you a discount, I tend to get 10-30% off.

If you don't want to go far to eat from the souk, the second schwama-and-juice place to the right as you leave the main souk entrance (towards the nearby fort) is tourist-priced but pretty tasty.

The Sultan Qaboos mosque is also worth a visit, especially if you haven't been to a lot of mosques: it's quite traditionally styled and very completely finished and decorated. It's only open to non-Muslims in the morning (to about 12:30 I think) and you will have to wear Islamically-modest clothing: trousers and longer sleeved shirts for men, long sleeved top and long skirt or trousers for women, headscarf for women. The custodians are polite but the dress code is enforced. They have loan clothing in the form of a general cover-all if you are deemed to be unsuitably dressed.

If you go out the back of the souk, keeping generally to the left from the front there is a tasty schwama/kebab place too. It's on the right once you get outdoors and reach the small road that has cars on it. They have really good black tea with mint leaves.