Must-see hotels in Oman

  • Desert Nights Camp

    Sharqiya Sands

    This luxury camp offers what has been described as 'shabby sheikh' for those who want to see the sands but don't really want to engage with them. The…

  • Ra’s Al Hadd Holiday

    Oman

    Offering good-value accommodation wedged between a calm lagoon full of waders and a sea bobbing with turtles queuing up to come ashore after dark, this…

  • Al Ashkara Beach Resort

    Oman

    Located 15km south of Al Ashkharah, this small resort has been tastefully designed with modern furniture and quality bathrooms. Most rooms have a verandah…

  • Hilton Salalah Hotel

    Dhofar

    This hotel lies within view of Raysut Port, but despite cargo boats queuing up on the horizon, it represents a retreat from the city and camels…

  • Beach Hotel

    Muscat

    Few hotels in Muscat offer a genuine Omani experience, but this family-owned hotel, opposite the Opera House, is an exception. With Omani receptionists,…

  • Jibreen Hotel

    Hajar Mountains

    With sky-blue roundels in the ceiling, rag-rolled walls, Egyptian gilt-edged furniture and luxurious drapes in the wi-fi–equipped bedrooms, this hotel is…

  • Jebel Shams Resort

    Jebel Shams

    Offering cosy stone cabins with bathrooms, verandas and heaters, plus some Arab tents popular with Omanis at weekends, this camp is so close to the canyon…

  • The Chedi

    Muscat

    With a hint of kasbah (desert castle) combined with Asian minimalism (including lack of wardrobe space), the Chedi makes the best of its beachside…

  • Juweira Boutique Hotel

    Dhofar

    In the middle of Salalah Beach, some 13km from town, this attractive hotel is surrounded by luxury apartments, shops and restaurants clustered around…

  • Sur Plaza Hotel

    Sur

    This hotel, with comfortable rooms and giant oyster-shaped sinks in bathrooms, is popular with tour groups despite being inland. The hotel's Oysters…

  • Tanuf Residency

    Nizwa

    With a sparkling white marble lobby and bright corridors, this hotel (refurbished in 2018) has had a complete overhaul. The result is a modern, well-run…

  • Marina Hotel

    Muscat

    Balanced like an eagle's nest overlooking the Corniche, this hotel has an enviable bird's-eye view across Mutrah Harbour and Muscat's famous merchant…

  • Al Wadi Hotel

    Oman

    With a lively atmosphere (partly because of the popular 'taxi bar' – frequented exclusively by male taxi drivers), Al Wadi has nicely refurbished poolside…

  • Sama Al Akhdar Hotel

    Jebel Akhdar

    This large hotel, built in the local grey stone and with paths that are constructed from the distinctive fossilised pavement that is a unique feature of…

  • Al Ayjah Plaza Hotel

    Oman

    Ayjah boasts its own hotel, and it's not just a little local guesthouse: it's a grand multistorey affair, located on the edge of the lagoon. Offering good…

  • Al Husn Guesthouse

    Hajar Mountains

    The tallest of several guesthouses capitalising on the success of the original, this multistorey restoration project requires a bit of fitness just to…

  • Ibra Motel

    Oman

    It’s cheap and central but best of all, the owner epitomises Omani hospitality. The custard-yellow walls of this modest hotel need a repaint, but there's…

  • Al Nahda Resort & Spa

    Oman

    A night spent in a luxurious low-rise chalet amid the 30 acres of verdant gardens at this well-established resort, off the Barka–Nakhal road, may trick…

  • Kairaba Mirbat Resort

    Dhofar

    Bringing comfort to the coastal experience for those who’d rather not camp, this resort and dive centre, a 10-minute drive east of Mirbat, is located on a…

  • Beach Resort

    Salalah

    Located in a not-particularly-attractive block, this hotel nonetheless offers simple but large rooms with unparalleled sea views from the balcony. All…

  • Ras Al Jinz Turtle Reserve

    Oman

    Don’t be put off by the ugly facade of the visitors centre at the turtle reserve: the sea-facing part is in keeping with the weather-eroded cliffs that…

  • Al Sharqiya Sands Hotel

    Oman

    Arranged around a simple, unlandscaped pool, this hotel, set within its own grounds, is in need of refurbishment, but the rooms are clean, and it makes a…

  • Hormuz Grand Hotel

    Muscat

    If you can forgive the fact that the exterior is pink, this good-value hotel, close to the airport with pleasant landscaping and views across the…

  • Crowne Plaza Sohar

    Oman

    Tiers of bougainvillea lead to the domed porch and grand foyer of this predominantly business-oriented hotel. Rooms are functional rather than elegant and…

  • Ibri Oasis Hotel

    Hajar Mountains

    The ever-friendly Ibri Oasis Hotel is on the Buraimi side of town. With a marble staircase, stained-glass windows and clean rooms, the hotel is mainly…

  • Masira Island Resort

    Masirah Island

    This attractive, landscaped resort is a 10-minute walk across soft sand to the water’s edge; turtles nest on the beach. Large, comfortable rooms are…

  • Al Misfah Hospitality Inn

    Hajar Mountains

    Joining the growing number of accommodation options in this tiny village, and securing a future for a way of life that is slowly ebbing away as the…

  • Saqla Resort

    Oman

    Windsurfing, horse riding and hiking are activities organised from this desert hotel off the wild coastal highway. Rooms, some of which have magnificent…

  • Al Buraimi Hotel

    Hajar Mountains

    One of several simple places to stay in town, this hotel is located along the Sohar road on the edge of town. It’s dated, with a mini fort as a lobby and…

  • Shorfet Al Alamin Hotel

    Hajar Mountains

    Despite commanding a ledge at the top of the mountain beside one of the most celebrated vistas in Oman, this modest hotel has been oddly designed to miss…

  • Park Inn & Residence

    Al Wusta

    One of several planned hotels along the beach south of the port complex, the individual chalet-style rooms here lend themselves to longer-term stay and…

  • Nizwa Residence Hotel Apartments

    Nizwa

    This brand-new hotel, in a modern block on the way into town, advertises an eight-minute walking time to the souq and indeed, a view of Nizwa's grand trio…

  • Al Diyar Hotel

    Nizwa

    There is some charm in the gypsum-and-marble foyer with its hand-painted lozenges on wall and ceiling, but it doesn’t extend to many of the plain, large,…

  • Khasab Hotel

    Khasab

    Located 1km inland, near the airport, this traveller-friendly hotel, with its wacky mini-fort entrance, offers bright rooms with views of the mountains…

  • Wakan Guesthouse

    Oman

    With only three rooms available, this tiny, newly opened guesthouse is likely to be booked up for most of the year so call ahead. The rooms are small but…

  • Salalah Rotana Resort

    Dhofar

    Often full, this enormous, chic, marble-clad hotel plays on its Arabian Nights theme with lanterns, pointed arches and majlis (reception room) seating on…

  • Al Bahjah Hotel

    Northern Coast

    Right in the heart of town, this simple hotel has basic but spotless rooms (a tad on the dark side) within easy walking distance of the old souq and the…

  • Salalah Gardens Residences

    Salalah

    At the heart of the city's busiest shopping enterprise, this hotel offers easy access to all the amenities of Salalah Gardens Mall. It is also a short…

  • Arabian Oryx Hotel

    Al Wusta

    On the opposite side of the highway from the town of Haima, this basic hotel, arranged around a courtyard, offers a clean bed for the night. The English…

  • Al Jazeera Tourist Guesthouse

    Oman

    Given its location in the middle of almost nowhere, this well-run desert hotel in Mahout (also spelt 'Mahoot' and 'Mahouth') is a surprise find. With…