Flashback Friday Travel 38 – Oman

Oh – man, or ooo – man – whichever way you say it, Oman is an incredible place to visit – a stunning coastline, beautiful mountains and dunes and some incredible hotels.  We rounded off a busy year of travel in 2012 with a week in the Sultanate of Oman.  Oman, well more accurately, The Chedi hotel in Muscat, had long been on the ‘must-visit’ list.  Mr P met the Chedi team at a travel show and we were booked in for 3 nights.  I then went about finding us a few nights elsewhere (we stayed at the Shangri La too) and as a special treat we flew our first First with British Airways.

Starting the trip in the Concorde Lounge and then flying first class – it sets an awkward precedent for future trips (thankfully the rate of accrual of airmiles has been able to keep pace…).  We had a mid-morning flight and so thought nothing of arriving at sunrise and enjoying champagne with our eggs benedict.  The lounge is the nicest I have seen (although I rather like the new first class ones springing up in the US), a world away from the airport hubbub just metres away.

Our first stop was at the Shangri-La.  We stayed at the cheapest of the 3 because I struggled to choose between them and had heard good things about the brand in general.  The room was perfect, the facilities great and the space plentiful – use of pools and restaurants across the site is possible regardless of which hotel you are in.  The service is what marks this hotel brand out for me though – attentive but not simpering – we were incredibly well looked after.  The area where the hotel is located is a way out of Muscat city but as a result it is just gorgeous – stunning cliffs and mountain scenery and gorgeous clear air.  It definitely was a little slice of paradise and once we’d found the quiet spots by the pool we were very happy indeed!  It is a big hotel complex – so there is a balance to be had between great facilities and avoiding the other people!

We had a real treat on one of our days in Oman.  One of our friends moved over to Oman with work and took us sailing for the day – out to the stunning coral Daymaniyat Islands.  Not many people are afforded the chance to visit these – there aren’t arranged tours as they are a protected natural habitat.  So sailing out there for the day was fantastic – gorgeous and unspoilt scenery.  It was a day of firsts – never have I seen sea snakes before (nor do I want to again) and never have I seen coral or beaches so white and untouched.  It was of course a shame to leave – but we had a glorious champagne sail home in perfect evening breeze conditions.

We also took at day trip to the Wahiba Sands and to Wadi Bani Khalid.  We arranged this through the hotel – although I would recommend doing this locally instead if you have contacts.  Dune-bashing is something I would say everyone should try, once.  And try it before lunch too!  I have an A in A-Level physics and understand perfectly well how gravity works, but put me on the edge of a steep sand-dune in a car driven by someone else and I sound like a whistling kettle….  The wadi was much more sedate – an incredible oasis with so much vegetation.

Our next stop was the ‘main-event’ – 3 nights of bliss at the Chedi.  I have written about our stay before so won’t wax lyrical about it again….  Suffice to say its swimming pools are incredible and don’t give other hotels a fighting chance to complete.  The hotel is quite incredible – there is so much space, such great design, attentive staff, great food and drink options.

We did a little exploring of Muscat during our stay at the Chedi.  The Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque is breath-taking and I am so glad we visited.  We arrived just after morning prayers, before most tourists are awake (choosing to take breakfast on our return) and so saw the mosque largely empty.  The architecture is beautiful, such a peaceful place to explore.

I loved our time in Oman – far less high rise than other Arab states and with an incredible luxury hotel business gathering pace all the while.