Shangri-La Al Husn, Muscat

Staying at the Shangri La Al Husn Muscat has been one of the highlights of our time in the Middle East. We decided to go for my girlfriends birthday and the team worked exceptionally well with me to deliver a unforgettable experience. Getting to the Shangri La was a bit of a challenge and taxis do not come cheap in Oman. Though it was not challenging I do wish there was a pickup/drop off option for the guests. The inclusive breakfast was wonderful and ordering off the menu assured that everything you ordered stayed fresh. There was a mixup with our order due to a language barrier but the food was still phenomenal. The in room breakfast and room service was a highlight as it allowed you to take full advantage of the room and with the inbuilt heaters in the dining table assured the food stayed hot. The value for money on in room dining was disappointing as an order of a burger and fries came with a small amount of fries, however that was fixed with our next order. The afternoon tea was delicious, highlights being the fromage and watermelon and the scones. Each afternoon tea was different and kept the palate excited. The happy hour beverages were also included and always came with a suprise canapé from the restaurant. In terms of the staycation, it was perfect. The interior and exterior of the hotel is beautiful and the sound of the ocean left you relaxed for the stay. I would like to raise that there was a lot of sealife by the beach which deterred us from swimming in the sea as we had heard a lot about the Omani coast and didn’t have much confidence in the beach patrol and lifeguards there. We noticed some playing on their phones but they were always happy to assist taking a picture for the two of us. I would suggest a more upfront approach when it comes to what you can expect in the sea there. A visitors lounge was also available allowing you to take full opportunity of the facilities till you left for your next adventure.

Al Husn hotel has a great location and all the staff are extremely friendly and attentative. However, breakfast time can be a little chaotic due to lack of staff and many tables are left uncleared causing delays for person coming in for breakfast.

This was a pleasant but slightly mixed stay at this resort. Having stayed at the Al-Bandar resort a couple of years prior to this visit and that stay being excellent, we had great hopes this time. But the longer we stayed, the more some issues came to mind. Pros: The hotel and the property were both great in terms of the architecture, the hospitality and the general overall ambience. The rooms were fantastic as was the layout. The views were excellent. The room service was fantastic as was the turn down service. The room amenities were also excellent. During our previous stay at Al-Bandar, we had some little tokens over the course of the stay which made for pleasant surprises. None were in evidence at Al Husn. There were plenty of outdoor areas which were shared between Al Husn, Al Bandar and Al Waha. The breakfast spread was frankly a little disappointing. It was titled squarely towards the western palate and made no allowances for those who come to Muscat to enjoy some of the local culture in everything, It was limited too. I have seen better. The service was good however, and the breakfast area was also pretty, and the architecture resembled a ship. It was never noisy or overcrowded. The restaurants in the hotel were not bad - albeit quite limited if looking at Al Husn. But there were quick shuttle services to the beach and the resorts. The beaches were excellent, and well maintained. I would highly recommend witnessing the turtle hatchings. It is an absolute delight to see the conservation efforts by this establishment towards the protection of green turtles and I wish many more would follow in their footsteps. These measures have been encouraged by the government and the efforts to increase awareness and the conservation efforts themselves are to be commended. This was easily the highlight of our stay and we were fortunate to witness more than one, This being an adults only resort, caters to a certain type of clientele and most get what they seek. The pools were really well-maintained, the landscaping was excellent and the service, made for a very tranquil experience. The main atrium is quite pretty. In terms of services, I must point out that this establishment also runs some tours and excursions which make things quite convenient. They also offer an airport shuttle service which was great. I did not avail of the concierge service, but it was clearly on display when we saw them looking after the other guests. There is a shuttle service to the city and the souq daily. They also have a car collection, which is definitely worth a visit for those interested. Cons: The breakfast spread. limited and imaginative but maybe gets a little too carried away by its own ambitions. Not a strength. Only one restaurant in the resort but in all fairness, a good breadth in the other attached resorts of Al-Bandar and Al-Waha. The location, we found, was a massive inconvenience if one wanted to visit the city. It is very difficult to get cabs to take you an

A great hotel. From the moment you arrive you experience a real 5 star service with lovely touches such as the evening cocktail hour in the main courtyard, it’s a wonderful nightly event that brings the hotel together. The free wine / cocktails is a nice touch and the staff make sure you are really well looked after. We avoided the private beech as it’s quite shaded, but the main beach at the sister hotel is great so we used that. You get to use all of the facilities of the 2 sister hotels but have exclusive use of Al Husn. The buffet on the HB option is good, we used the fish restaurant a couple of nights and can highly recommend it. The room was great, the room attended Suneesh was amazing - he always made sure we were well looked after and we can back to a new piece of towel art every night. We will be back. No doubt. I can’t recommend this hotel highly enough, our stay was faultless. Just sensational.