We have reviewed the best luxury hotels on the coast of Oman below. The best time to visit Oman is between November and March when the cooler air lets you see the mountain scenery, and daytime temperatures average at 25°C. For the rest of the year, Oman is hot and hazy, particularly between May and August. Conversely, May to August is the time to visit if you want to pick up a bargain and don’t mind the heat.
In no particular order, here are the best luxury coastal hotels in Oman:
1. Atana Musandam Resort
Our first coastal hotel pick is the striking Atana Musandam Resort that lies on the northern tip of the Musandam peninsula, bordering the United Arab Emirates. The hotel is located just 10 minutes from Khasab Airport and 160km from Dubai.
Inspired by a typical Omani village, this beautiful resort offers 8 clusters of low rising buildings, with the majority of them providing private parking right at your doorstep. Each of the 105 well-appointed rooms and suites features a private balcony or terrace with captivating views of the waterway, where you can sit back and watch the daily routines of the fishermen or simply wonder at the stillness of the sea or mountains.
The resort enjoys temperature-controlled outdoor swimming pools, a fitness center, a diving center, a children’s play area, and meeting rooms. Guests can also visit the Spa and participate in many activities, including fishing, dolphin watching, cycling, mountain safaris, city tours, and Dhow cruises.
In terms of dining, the hotel features the Al Mawra Signature Restaurant, which offers delicious, all-day dining with international and traditional Omani and fusion cuisine, as well as Dellah Bar, which offers a wide selection of beverages and light snacks in a relaxed atmosphere.
2. Atana Khasab Hotel
The 4-star Atana Khasab Hotel lies perched on a cliff overlooking surrounding mountains and the Strait of Hormuz. This elegant resort is a 3-minute walk from the beach and 3 km from the Port of Khasab. It offers spectacular panoramic views of the beautiful Musandam shoreline below.
This resort has state-of-the-art facilities and enjoys an outdoor swimming pool, business and event facilities, and a fitness center. Guests can also visit the Spa and participate in many activities, including fishing, dolphin watching, cycling, mountain safaris, city tours, and Dhow cruises.
The resort offers access to the same restaurants as the Atana Musandam Resort reviewed above.
3. Al Baleed Resort Salalah by Anantara
Situated between a long, scenic beach and freshwater lagoon, Al Baleed Resort Salalah by Anantara is a luxury resort with a contemporary Middle Eastern ambiance framed by lush tropical gardens, 750 palm trees, and of course, a glorious beach.
There are three main restaurants that serve local Middle Eastern cuisine as well as international dishes, and a short walk away is the awe-inspiring UNESCO World Heritage Site, Al Baleed Archaeological Park.
Slip out of your beachfront villa, surrounded by towering palms, into the languid ocean. Al Baleed Resort Salalah is a serene retreat under the Oman sun.
4. Six Senses Zinghy Bay
Just a couple of hours’ drive from Dubai, the isolated but oh-so-peaceful eco-luxe hotel of Six Senses Zinghy Bay feels like a rustic, ancient Omani village with a touch of the Flintstones. Sandy paths lead between stylish daybeds and palms to villas with private pools, outdoor showers, and butlers who will buggy you around the resort.
There’s a playground, tennis courts, and an excellent children’s club (free for four-year-olds and above), which will introduce them to crab-hunting, marine biology and movies on the beach, with popcorn and more than 40 different flavors of ice cream.
For couples, the Sense on the Edge restaurant, hidden up in the mountains, offers exquisite food and expansive views for couples. For health junkies, hike or bike in the mountains, do yoga on the rooftop or choose from several hardcore health boot camps. In the spa, treatments are decadent but results-driven and holistic.
5. The Chedi Muscat
The five-star Chedi Muscat is the most elegant and stylish resort in the greater Muscat area. It is located on 21 acres of tranquil gardens at the foot of the rugged Al Hajar mountain range. The neatly manicured gardens offer an elegant mix of Omani architecture and an Asian Zen style. The resort is edged by 370 meters of pristine (if not overly attractive) private beachfront, which slopes into the turquoise blue waters of the Gulf of Oman. The resort is convenient to get to with just a 15-minute transfer from the Muscat International Airport and a 20-minute transfer to Muscat’s business center. Still, there is not much directly around the hotel.
Sparkling waters, vibrant gardens and dramatic mountains can be enjoyed through the grand windows in all 158 of its tasteful, well-appointed guestrooms and suites, offering panoramic views of the gardens or the Gulf.
There is also a stunning signature spa, diverse cuisine and attentive service at this luxury resort. Three outdoor temperature-controlled swimming pools, with two of them being adults only, will tempt you into the water, including the infinity Chedi Pool and the 103-meter long pool (pictured above), the region’s longest pool and a brilliant pool if you like to swim for exercise, as you can just keep on swimming!
6. Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah Resort And Spa, Muscat
Oman’s largest hotel encompasses three hotels set around one uninhabited bay. All 680 rooms have sea views and private balconies or terraces; there are pools, restaurants (including the Middle Eastern-themed Al Tanoor, a South American restaurant Samba and ship-themed restaurant Sultanah), watersports, bars, a nightclub, a promenade area and designer shops. This is very much a bustling resort town created around a single hotel brand.
Activities here include a spa, scuba diving, snorkeling, dolphin and whale watching trips and strolling around the marina.
7. Kempinski Hotel Muscat
The five-star Kempinski Hotel Muscat is the other Muscat hotel with the best club lounge and only recently opened in 2018. Designed with a variety of local Omani influences, the hotel is one of the most impressive in Oman, with an incredible lobby with a triple-height ceiling, stalactite style pillars dropping down to the marble floor, and floor to ceiling glass windows that offer views out over the pool and out to sea.
The hotel is surrounded by over 6 km of stunning coastline within the Al Mouj community and is near Muscat International Airport. The Kempinski Muscat Hotel features 3 stunning swimming pools: A kids’ pool, an infinity pool (main pool), and the cascade pool (adults pool). It also has a fully equipped gym and spa, which guests can use during their stay. The beach is stunning, offering golden sands and loungers grouped under umbrellas.
Rooms are smart and stylish with stand-alone baths in the bathrooms, and guests in the Executive Rooms and Suites gain access to the club lounge throughout the day.
8. Al Bustan Palace, A Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Muscat
Tucked away between the rugged Al Hajar mountain range and the Sea of Oman, Al Bustan Palace, A Ritz-Carlton Hotel is a beachfront retreat set in wonderful gardens. Arab and art deco influences infuse the resort with an elegant ambiance, most notably in its majestic 38 m (124 ft) high, domed atrium lobby.
From each of the hotel’s 250 guest rooms and suites’ private balconies, guests can gaze upon magnificent mountain, sea, or garden views. The hotel is located on the most beautiful stretch of beach in the vicinity of Muscat. In 2015, a phenomenal Six Senses Spa was added to the hotel and built into the surrounding landscape of towering stone and rock cliffs.
9. Grand Hyatt Muscat
The Grand Hyatt Muscat is a luxurious hotel that is located on the other side of Muscat from the Shangri La and Al Bustan, en route to the airport. There is lots to do within walking distance of the hotel, which is a nice feature of this hotel, particularly when compared to the remote Chedi, which is out of town.
The lobby area is nicely designed with three huge glass windows facing towards the pool area, a statue of a falconer on a horse with steps leading down to the Moka Cafe, and the mezzanine level with shops. Zahara tours in the lobby offer a city tour and a tour to Nizwa and Oman’s “Grand Canyon”. There is a dive shop right next to the hotel where you can book a great scuba dive at Fahal Island. It’s only a 15-minute boat ride from the hotel, and you can see loads of fish, etc.
The pool area is a bit small for such a large hotel, but it is nice with a lazy river going around from one side to the other. The pool is open until 9:00 pm. A footpath leads to the public beach and there is a shower facility to wash off the sand when you return to the hotel grounds.
The Grand Club lounge is excellent. Very large, with a number of rooms and a large outdoor area. At night, there is soft lighting and music, and the atmosphere is like a nice bar. There are great spreads at breakfast and in the evening and lots and plenty of booze.
10. W Muscat
W Muscat is a resort situated in the upbeat Shatti Al Qurum beachfront, offering insider access to what’s up and coming in the city. Step inside one of 279 luxury hotel rooms and suites where Omani heritage meets contemporary design. All rooms offer breathtaking views of the azure waters of the Gulf of Oman. Five tantalizing restaurants offer an exciting experience for every foodie. Savor mouthwatering steaks at CHAR, dine in style at Harvest, mix and mingle at Living Room and live it up at the WET Deck.
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