With the Ministry of Tourism gearing up to meet the demands of the growing number of tourists to the country with newer projects and improved facilities, the hospitality industry has chalked out its complementary role with a slew of star hotels and resorts.
JW Marriott Hotel
JW Marriott is a 5 star hotel being developed as part of the Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre (OCEC) complex. It will feature a total of 304 keys, plus food and beverage outlets, meeting facilities and a health and leisure club. Once completed, the OCEC complex will include a total of four hotels, a business park, a retail shopping mall, plus the Convention Centre Precinct.
As with all hospitality projects under construction by Omran and within the OCEC, the hotel is being built according to the highest standards of environment sustainability and has been designed to meet the criteria for the prestigious Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification by the United States Green Building Council.
Kempinski Hotel Muscat
Opening its doors for business in the first quarter of 2018, Kempinski Hotel Muscat in Oman will stand in the Al Mouj community. Guests to the property will be able to enjoy two kilometres of beach; Oman’s only signature PGA standard 18-hole golf course, designed by Greg Norman; as well as the 400-berth Al Mouj Marina – Oman’s largest private yachting hub.
Kempinski Hotel Muscat will house 310 rooms with 40 suites and two presidential suites, each with a private swimming pool, as well as eight F&B outlets. Standing next to the property, the Kempinski Residences will offer 77 serviced apartments for long stays and leasing.
InterContinental Tilal Muscat Hotel & Golf Clubhouse
This ongoing project of a 9-storey hotel at Airport Heights, within the Muscat Hills, will have a total built area of 50,000sqm. Expected to be complete in 2019, the project will feature 244 spacious guest rooms, leisure facilities with two tennis courts and three outdoor swimming pools. It will also have spa facilities with gymnasium, treatment rooms, two full service specialty restaurants, one all-day dining restaurant and ballroom and fully equipped meeting facilities.
Hilton Garden Inn
Hilton Worldwide has signed a management agreement with Muscat National Development and Investment Company to open Hilton Garden Inn Muscat – Al Khuwair by 2019, marking the global hospitality company’s first hotel in Muscat and second in the Sultanate of Oman.
This hospitality project involves construction of a 4 star hotel offering 232 rooms and other amenities including meeting spaces, a 24-hour business centre and food and beverage options. The project, a result of an agreement with Muscat Municipality to develop a 16,000sqm plot in the heart of Al Khuwair, broke ground in February 2016 with plans for the hotel to welcome its first guests in the first quarter of 2019.
Located on Dohat Al Adab Street, the seven-story Hilton Garden Inn Muscat will be an architectural landmark. The hotel will feature meeting spaces and a 24-hour business centre. Food and beverage options at the hotel will include the signature 24-hour pavilion pantry for sweet treats and savoury snacks.
Cascading from the hotel arrival plaza will be the Urban Park; spanning 12,000sqm, it will include a variety of sports, entertainment and natural venues such as a square and water plaza, secret gardens, a children’s playground, and a wellness trail for jogging and cycling. It will also have a second food and beverage pavilion open to the general public. Drawing inspiration from Oman’s ancient heritage and natural beauty, the landscape will boast several water features, including a falaj, reflective ponds and water fountains.
Al Mina Waterfront Residences & Yacht Club
Barr Al Jissah organised a ground-breaking ceremony for the Al Mina Waterfront Residences and Yacht Club, at the Barr Al Jissah Presentation Centre last month. The occasion marked the beginning of the construction process for the hospitality development, which includes a residential mix of apartments, penthouses and villas, retail boardwalk as well as the Al Mina Private Yacht Club.
The sleek design of the luxurious marina apartments, penthouses, duplexes and villas take inspiration from the unrivalled Riviera sea front setting, featuring an extensive use of glass, modern clean lines, generous balconies and outdoor areas; whilst retaining the destination’s Omani roots. The development aims to deliver an unrivalled sense of place and to create a much sought-after destination for relaxation, waterfront dining, and luxury living.
The sophisticated architectural design of the residences is inspired by the latest international marina styles, with the penthouse apartments offering luxury linear living together with a dual level decking that incorporates a luxurious rooftop pool. The duplex apartments are designed with double height living spaces, creating a sense of space and a seamless connection to the bay and the stunning marina outlook. The unparalleled Al Mina villas offer three spacious floors of open plan living; with the ground floor featuring a smooth transition from living space to a landscaped garden area with an infinity swimming pool and dedicated BBQ area.
The Al Mina development also has fully Integrated Tourism Complex Status (ITC) with buyers and their families eligible to apply for Oman resident visas, making travelling into and out of the Sultanate effortless.
Read about Infrastructural developments in Oman in 2018.
