Arabian Escape

With a slew of new five star hotel openings in the last few years, Oman has signalled its intent to take on the neighbouring UAE for the affections of Northern Europeans in need of some winter sun.

Oman has over one thousand miles of beautiful coastline with a backdrop of mountains, compared to a few dozen over-crowded miles of coast (and that’s including the man-made bits) and not much else in Dubai, so we know which camel we’re backing. Not that Dubai doesn’t have its benefits – what it does it does very well – but Oman is the one to watch.

There are now three top quality hotels to consider near Muscat – the slick Chedi, the recently revamped Al Bustan and the three-in-one Shangri-La Barr al Jissah, and between them they cater to everyone from honeymooners to winter sun-hunters and families equally well. And there’s more to come with plans afoot for several of the big guns in the hotel trade to muscle in on the action.

Further afield, in the remote exclave of Musandam (reached from Dubai rather than Muscat), Six Senses have dipped their toe in the Omani water as well, with the opening of the Six Senses Hideaway Zighy Bay in a secluded bay and within easy reach of some of the world's best diving.

More on the individual hotels in the Where to Stay section, but suffice to say we at Original Travel know each and every option extremely well, and can heartily recommend a stay in Oman, particularly with the inclusion of a few days exploring the country beyond the confines of your immaculate hotel.