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The Sultanate’s ties to the seas go as back as the stories and legends of ancient pirates and sailors. The country was once a great trading port for the ancient world. Hence, it comes as no surprise that even today most avid travelers believe their exploration of the country is not truly complete without a traditional Dhow cruises. These typical Oman cruises can be embarked for a day, just to watch the sun set, or to see the wonderful marine life in the morning from various places including Muscat, Sur and Khasab. In fact the region of Sur is still known for its shipbuilding. While there are no old triangular lateen sails or heavy wooden rudder, the boat building industry survives thanks to the efforts of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos, the ruler of Oman to save the maritime heritage of the country.
Even if you have your heart set on having a ride in every type of Dhow that sails in Oman, it is unlikely that you may achieve this goal. There are in all 12 different types of Dhows made in the Sultanate. Their designs differ in accordance to their purpose. For example, some Dhows are designed for carrying heavy loads and people, and some are fishing boats, while some are used for transportation. Each design is unique, and a local citizen may be able to identify the purpose of the Dhow by merely seeing its design from far. These vessels are made using wood and rope or nails and are known to last for about 60 to a hundred years. Dhow building is a dying art, and while they are being built even today, these vessels may slowly disappear completely in the coming years despite the attempts of the government.
If you are opting for an evening or morning Dhow cruise in Muscat, chances are that you get to sail on a traditional type of Dhow called Al Boum. This type of Dhow was typically used to transport people and heavy goods from one place to another in the olden times. The vessel is made out of Omani wood known as Simr. There is a chance that the size of the boat may vary, but usually it seats about 50 people and weighs close to 46 tonnes. The seating arrangement onboard is traditional, which means there are traditional Omani carpets laid out with majilis seating and cushions for back comfort. The deck is decorated with such seating arrangement and ethnic lanterns.
Such Oman cruises aboard the Dhow take you around the stunning coastline. Some cruises make stops at secluded bays for snorkeling and swimming in the open sea. Taking a dhow ride in Oman can be a unforgettable experience even for the most avid traveler, and should be noted on your to-do-list for your visit.
The best way to find hotels in Oman for your vacation is by searching for good options online and telling your travel agency to make the required bookings. The country is fast growing in the tourism sector, and in the last decade or so many new international hotels and resort chains have made their way into major cities. In view of the fact that accommodation is one of the primary factors affecting the fun factor of a vacation, it may be a good idea to take matters in your own hand. Since there are a large number of hotels and resorts in the Sultanate, given below are some of the best hotel and resort properties listed according to their star ratings. You can simply choose from these, depending on your holiday budget and places included in your itinerary.
The Sultanate is well-known for its five star properties that exude elegance while keeping the heritage and Omani feel intact. Some of the most preferred five star properties in Oman are Al Bustan Palace Hotel, Al Husn (Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa), Al Bandar (Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa), Al Waha (Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa), The Muscat Intercontinental Hotel, The Chedi Muscat, and The Grand Hyatt Muscat, all located in Muscat. Others include the Six Senses Hideaway Zighy Bay in Dibba, and The Hilton Salalah, and The Crowne Plaza Resort in Salalah.
The country has a fine selection of four star hotels and resorts too, designed keeping the visitors’ leisure and requirements in mind. Some of the recommended names for such accommodation needs in Muscat are The Crowne Plaza Hotel, The Radisson Sas Hotel, The Ramada, and Hotel Muscat Holiday. For your Barkha stay you can select from Al Nahda Resort & Spa, or Al Sawadi Beach Resort. The Golden Tulip Nizwa Hotel in Nizwa is also favored by foreigners. Other favourites are The Sur Plaza Hotel in Sur, Crowne Plaza in Sohar, and The Desert Night Resort for holidaying in Sharqiya Sands.
For those of you who are looking for a good three star hotel, some of the favourable options are The Ramee Guestline Hotel, The Golden Tulip Muscat, Al Falaj Hotel, The Falaj Daris Hotel in Nizwa, The Ras Al Hadd Beach Hotel in Ras Al Hadd, Al Sharqiya Sands Hotel in Sharqiya, The 1000 Nights Camp in Sharqiya, and The Jebel Akhdar Hotel in Nizwa.
Some of the mentioned hotels may not have their official websites online. This is the reason, it may be best to ask your travel agency for suggestions. Especially, if you have specific needs like handicapped facilities, spa treatments, swimming pool, pick up and drop facilities, etc. Another advantage of booking your accommodation through a travel agency is that they can book the hotels in Oman that are more convenient in relevance to your itinerary. Plus, a majority of travel agencies have tie-ups with hotels and can provide you with rooms at a better discounted price.
Some of the celebrated spa hotels in Oman are located in the capital city of Muscat. Being the commercial capital of the country the city welcomes an inflow of thousands of businessmen each year. The city also happens to be one of the major entry points for most tourists and visitors for the country, as it houses the Muscat International airport. With people from all over the world visiting this city known as Arabia’s Jewel, it comes as no surprise that is has the best of hotels and other modern amenities demanded by today’s avid traveler. The most well-known spa hotels in Muscat are The Chedi Muscat Hotel (The Spa), and the Shangri La’s Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa, which is a luxurious three-hotel resort village comprised of Al Husn (The Castle), The Al Bandar (The Town), and the Al Waha (The Oasis).
The Shangri La’s Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa guarantees a holiday full of leisure, adventure, and rejuvenation amidst natural beauty. Their in-house spa named CHI – The Spa is the largest spa of its kind in the Sultanate of Oman. The place offers an enticingly wide array of luxury treatments designed to please and relax. Each treatment is carried out in one of the twelve private spa villas that are specifically designed to enhance the whole experience and allow the indulgence of all your senses in a spacious yet private and beautiful environment. The resort is located merely 15 minutes away from the centre of the city, along the bay of Al Jissah with clear pristine water on one side and a dramatic desert scene of rugged mountains on the other. All the rooms and suites at the resort are designed to reflect the Omani heritage and Arabian spirit, to make your stay all the more enjoyable and special.
The Chedi Muscat Hotel is a 20 minutes drive from the Muscat International Airport. This 5-star beachfront property is spread over twenty one acres and houses one of the best new spas in the country, The Spa. The spa and fitness centre is a state of the art facility that promises an indulgent and tranquil experience by the Gulf shores. The Spa offers personalized and discreet services from the region’s finest wellness professionals in addition to treatments including Balinese therapies, Indian Ayurvedic treatments and massages, indulgent oriental rituals, therapeutic massages, nurturing envelopment rituals, rejuvenating beauty rituals, romantic bathing ceremonies, etc. The treatments are endowed in the thirteen spa suites that are a blend of Omani architecture and Asian interior design.
If you are planning a leisure holiday to this amazing treasure in the Middle East, consider booking your accommodation at one of the above mentioned spa hotels in Oman. Rest assured that you will not be disappointed.
Far and wide travel for leisure has become somewhat of a norm in the present day. People from different parts of the world want to experience new countries and cultures in a luxurious fashion nowadays. This is now easily doable thanks to wide use of resources like the Internet, which not only provide comprehensive information about the unending number of destinations from across the globe, but also help you get in touch with travel agencies operating in various countries to assist you in planning your holiday there, book air tickets, and make hotel reservations for accommodation and fun activities. If you are planning such a chilled-out vacation in the heart of Middle East, Oman is the best bet for you. There are a number of good spa hotels in Oman that you may want to choose from, before you embark on your dream vacation.
The Sultanate of Oman is described as the Jewel of Arabia and appropriately so. The country is truly one of the most beautiful places on earth. Even the hotels here are strategically placed to showcase its magnificence and grand scenic design. While you may come across plenty of 5 star properties and 4 star hotels online that give out some spa services to their guests, there are only a handful of exclusive hotels that can be called spa hotels. These spa hotels and resorts provide an elaborate list of spa services and also have the environmental and design setting needed to enjoy a relaxed holiday. For instance, the latter may boast a unique Omani décor, palms, water fountains near the spa, gardens, organic food menu, etc, while other properties that merely house a spa may be set in hotels that target business clientele.
Some of the properties you can check out are the Al Husn (Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa) Deluxe 5 star hotel, The Al Bandar (Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa), and the Al Waha (Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa). All three hotels are conveniently located in the Capital city of Muscat, which may be your point of enter into the country especially by air, as the Muscat international airport that welcomes the majority of visitors is situated here. The latest entry into the spa arena has been made by The Chedi Muscat Hotel, which has recently opened The Spa. Another interesting spa hotel that may catch your fancy is the Al Nahda Resort & Spa placed at Barkha. This is a unique 4 star property that is second to no other in hospitality or service.
Such hotels offer spa menus that offer romantic bathing services, indulgent oriental rituals, therapeutic massages, reviving body polish rituals, nourishing envelopment rituals, etc to truly relax and rejuvenate your body and mind. You can book your accommodation at one of the spa hotels in Oman through a good travel agency of the country. This is a popular practice as it ensures that the bookings are in tune with your itinerary, in addition to the travel agency making other hotel suggestions that may suit your requirements and budget.
The Sultanate of Oman is situated in southwest Asia, on the southeast coast of the Arabian Peninsula. Strategically well connected to the rest of the Middle East, Oman has three prominent geographical landscapes: the plateaus, mountains, and the coastline. Today, the country is comprehensively enjoying the boom in the number of tourists visiting each month. No matter what interests, budget, or nationality, Oman has a lot to offer. With the large number of hotels available in Muscat, Oman no traveler needs to compromise on accommodation or amenities and can enjoy his holiday to the fullest.
You can book the hotel of your choice by researching your options on the Internet. This method of booking your stay is popular for two very advantageous reasons. The first being, that you can look for the perfect hotel for you as and when you please. You can make the bookings in advance by using your credit card in a safe and secure manner. And the second benefit is that you can take advantage of the many schemes and offers that hotels provide for online clients, such as discounted prices on rooms or even day tours of the city, etc. If budget is not a concern, there are quite a good number of 5 star and 4 star hotels too in Muscat. These hotels are known for their great locations and fabulous facilities that enhance the joys of visiting Oman.
Oman guards within its boundaries an abundance of treasures like historical and cultural heritage sites, exotic flora and fauna, ancient wadis, fishing villages, dhows, deserts, beaches, mountains, forts, palaces, and friendly people to make your travel pleasurable. You can book and enjoy activities like camping in the desert or mountains, skiing in the desert, scuba diving, camel racing, turtle watching, game fishing, horseback riding, sailing, trekking, desert safaris, tribal dancing, shopping at the traditional souks, etc., by asking your hotel to make the proper transportation or guide arrangements. Hotels in Oman are equipped to assist the many tourists in whatever way needed, so do not be shy to ask and take advantage.
Muscat Oman hotels are the best bet when you want to travel around the country, as this is likely to be your point of entry and exit from Oman. You can choose from spa hotels, 5 star or 4 star properties or budget hotels. And even though the price of rooms may differ, one thing you can count on is the friendly hospitality of the Omani people who work at these properties, not to mention the good food and comfortable accommodation they provide. Some of the well-known hotels here are Shangri-la Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa, Al Bustan Palace Hotel , Six Senses Hideaway Zighy Bay, and The Chedi Muscat.
The most vital aspect of planning any vacation abroad is having comfortable accommodation. Countries that are making a mark on the traveler’s map around the world have realized the importance of having good accommodation facilities for all segments of people coming into the country. In fact, some of the hotels in many countries are so popular with the tourists that people visit the country only to stay in luxury boutique or spa hotels. Spa hotels in Oman, luxury hotels in Muscat, boutique hotels and the like are capturing the spotlight for service and comfort commanded by the modern traveler regardless of the purpose of traveling.
In the Middle East, Oman is a destination that is growing fast in popularity for its scenic beauty and friendly hospitality. Packed with plenty of sightseeing options, relaxation activities, recreational sports options, etc, the country is witnessing an enormous inflow of tourists and visitors every month from the surrounding countries as well as the rest of the globe. The country is already home to some of the best hotels in the world, and making way for many more in the coming years. From budget lodging facilities to top of the line 5 star hotels that exude style and elegance, the Sultanate of Oman boasts of satisfying the needs of every vacationer entering the country. While the budget accommodations can be found by asking around once you enter the country, some of the top class hotels that you may want to consider are listed below.
The best 5 star hotels in the country include the Al Husn (Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa) Deluxe hotel in Muscat, the Al Bustan Palace Hotel Deluxe in Muscat, the Six Senses Hideaway Zighy Bay Deluxe in Dibba, The Chedi Muscat Deluxe in Muscat, the Al Bandar (Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa) in Muscat, the Grand Hyatt Muscat, the Al Waha (Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa), and the Muscat Intercontinental Hotel in Musact, and the Hilton Salalah, and the Crowne Plaza Resort in Salalah. The well-known 4 star hotels in Oman are also celebrated by most tourists that want to enjoy the luxury of star living without bearing the premium costs of a 5 star hotel. The 4 star hotels list includes the Crowne Plaza Hotel, the Radisson Sas Hotel, the Ramada, and the Hotel Muscat Holiday from Muscat, the Al Nahda Resort & Spa, and the Al Sawadi Beach Resort in Barkha, the Golden Tulip Nizwa Hotel in Nizwa, the Crowne Plaza in Sohar, and the Sur Plaza Hotel. So, take advantage of the great deals offered by some of these star hotels to make your holiday in Oman a memorable one.
Oman is thoroughly enjoying the boom thanks to the thriving tourism industry in the country. It is a well-known fact that the Sultanate has something unique on offer for every traveler, no matter what his interests, budget, or nationality. Full of scenic magnificence and exclusive treasures that combine with the traditional lifestyle here, it leaves no visitor disappointed. With the government stepping in to do the needful in terms of infrastructure, connectivity, and promotion, Oman is set to floor the world with unlimited amenities, sites, and luxurious 5 star hotels.
Thriving on the tourism sector, the Sultanate’s hoteliers witness strong profitability each year. The continuous rise in occupancy rates has nudged world-class chains to set-up shop here. Even though Oman has resorts and accommodation options to accommodate the budget tourists, it houses some amazing 5 star properties that are sure to bump up your vacation experience here.
These properties are not just perfect for honeymoons, family vacations, romantic breaks, and special occasions; they are a well-liked choice for business travelers as well. With state of the art conference facilities and business centers, the hotels make a convenient base for meetings, socializing, and conferences. Listed below are a few of the best 5 star accommodations available in Oman right now. - Al Bustan Palace: Called a jewel of Oman, this Muscat hotel is one of the best hotels in the world. With a backdrop of dramatic mountains, and facing the serene sea, it offers comprehensive luxury and exclusive sporting facilities.
- InterContinental: Situated in the heart of Muscat, it provides the traditional hospitality of Oman coupled with ultra modern amenities. Ideal for a business traveler, it is also a good choice for tourists who want to enjoy perks of the city without too much commute.
- The Chedi Muscat: Equipped with an amazing spa, and seaside dining, this hotel is located at the edge of the Gulf of Oman. Surrounded with fountains and gardens, it is a popular choice for honeymooners.
The Shangri-La’s Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa, Al Nahda Resort & Spa, and the Grand Hyatt are also thought to be trendy, having a blend of sophistication and scenic beauty.
Such lavish 5 star hotels in Oman are proof that the country is aware of the incoming leisure and business travelers, and is thus expanding and improving the tourism requisites by accommodating new hotels, and connectivity through airport links. The country is now all set to take on the world, by fast becoming a tourist hub as well as a popular business travel destination.
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