Gold Travel Counsellor's trip to Muscat

We travelled from Heathrow to Muscat with Oman Air. The check-in at Terminal 3 was swift and Oman Air were very good. The seat pitch in economy is 34" and the seat back TVs are a good size. The in-flight service was good and there was a pre-dinner drinks service and drinks served with dinner. The flying time was 6.75 hours.

We took at coach transfer to the Al Bustan Palace which took 50mins. Check-in was efficient. The first impressions were of the wonderful marble lobby with huge crystal chandelier. I was given a sea view room with balcony. The room was in traditional Arabic style on the 2nd floor. Some of the rooms are contemporary in style. The bathroom did not have a separate shower cubicle but there were plenty of clean towels.

There is a large pool area with plenty of wooden sunbeds, well spaced out on the grassy area towards the beach. There were also sunbeds on the beach. The hotel is in a beautiful spot with mountains as a backdrop but it is rather isolated. It is ideal for a relaxing holiday or honeymoon.

The buffet lunch we had at the hotel was excellent, with great choice and delicious desserts. The breakfast was also very good with a choice of hot and cold dishes.

On our first morning we had a tour of the city and we went to the Chedi hotel for lunch. This is a contemporary hotel which would suit a younger client or business client as it is near the embassy and business area. The food and service was excellent and the infinity pool looked inviting and is chilled in the hot weather (40 degrees celsius when we were there). The rooms here do not have any balconies or terraces but are tastefully furnished.

We visited the Grand Hyatt for dinner. This is a large, traditional hotel with a welcoming feeling. The bedrooms were very spacious and the bathrooms had a separate walk in shower. The suites were very luxurious. The pool area was more compact than at the Al Bustan Palace.

We did a tour of the Souk the following morning and visited a shopping area. The souk was good for buying local crafts and pashminas at reasonable prices. The shopping centre was disappointing and was not on the scale of the ones in Dubai.

On our last evening we had a Gala Dinner at the Shangri-la hotel. The food and service was excellent. It was a shame that we did not get time to look round the rooms.

Muscat is a tranquil resort, with low rise buildings and friendly people. It is much more relaxing than Dubai and would be suitable for a short break or stopover. There are good family facilities at some of the hotels and it would also make a good honeymoon destination. For the more adventurous there are the mountains to explore and scuba diving is also popular. The prices for drinks etc. seem cheaper than in Dubai. The food is of good quality and the scenery is stunning. Dress is more conservative and you need to cover your shoulders when out of the hotels.

Muscat is an ideal destination for couples, families and businessmen. The best time to visit would be in our winter months because in our summer the temperatures are around 40 degrees.