Wonderful Shangri-La
The Shangri La is actually made up of three hotels, all in the same bay along a lovely stretch of sandy beach. The Al Waha is the more family friendly of the three hotels and has inter-connecting rooms, a splash park and great kids clubs. Our choice was the Al Bandar, probably more suited to families with older children or couples, and also great for conferences and events. The more deluxe option is the amazing Al Husn Hotel, with its private beach, and although families can stay here it really is more suited to adults.
I cannot fault our stay, the food was amazing and we ate in the buffet restaurants but also tried the fish restaurant, the Moroccan option in the Al Husn and the Asian Restaurant. However what really made the stay was the staff; they were wonderful, very charming and couldn't do enough for you. Congratulations have to go to the Shangri La group for their staff training.
Without any hesitation I would recommend this resort to any of my clients. Flying time from the UK is just over six hours and the transfer time is approximately 45 minutes. There are lots of things to do in Oman including city tours, boat trips and visits to the souks. The hotel has a range of trips on offer and even has a Turtle Ranger who looks after the turtles who nest on the beach. Children love this and often get the chance to see the hatchlings. Muscat also has a world class opera house which regularly hosts top musical artists.
It would be a perfect option for top quality winter sun, and is much more of a genuine and traditional Arabian destination than Dubai or Abu Dhabi. Highly recommended!