Opened in 2003, the Chedi Hotel is one of the Leading Hotels of the World. It occupies a 21-acre site at Al Ghubra, about 13 miles north of Old Muscat and 8 miles from Muscat International Airport.
Unlike the other 5-star hotels in Oman which often have vast atriums and opulent decor, making them seem more like palaces than hotels, its theme is understated minimalist elegance.
Asian-Zen Design
The Chedi’s architecture and design, based on the Asian-Zen style, make it an oasis of calm for both the spirit and the eye. The interior is deliberately uncluttered with calming elements such as neutral colours, low furniture, recessed lighting, water features, lots of wood and stones and plenty of natural light. The idea is to help the guests relax totally.
The hotel’s low-rise buildings stand in gardens of symmetrical simplicity in which pools and lines of manicured hedges lead down to a 350-metre private beach. All the 156 rooms have a view across the gardens to the Hajjar mountains or sea.
Five Restaurants
With tables both indoors and outdoors in five restaurants, guests at the Chedi have plenty of eating options. The Arabian Courtyard serves a Middle Eastern buffet, while both pools have their own and Asian-inspired Thai fruit cake made with coriander and mango.
The Beach Restaurant which specialises in seafood is a particularly romantic place to dine, being approached along a candlelit walkway through the hotel’s gardens. Colonial-style fans, wooden screens and silk drapes add to its charm.
Alcohol is Available
Alcohol is available in the hotel’s restaurants between noon and 1am, except during the holy month of Ramadan when it is only served in the lobby-side restaurant after 7pm. Guests can also get it from their mini-bar or room service.
With a wine list of nearly 600 types, the Chedi offers connoisseurs the opportunity to taste wines from virtually every wine-producing country in the world, including France, Germany, Austria, Italy, Spain and the New World.
Two Swimming Pools, Tennis and Golf
The Chedi has two swimming pools, a calm adults-only infinity pool surrounded by cabanas and sun loungers and a black-mosaic canopied one for families. Tennis players have the use of two floodlit courts while golfers can play at the 18-hole Muscat Hills & Golf Country Club nearby.
The Chedi’s spa has a health club and twelve therapy rooms. Its speciality is Balinese treatments and holistic beauty rituals based on aromatherapy, traditional Ayurveda medicine from India and herbalism. Those wanting something really special can opt for a Himalayan crystal body polish, a Balinese bathing ceremony or jade massage.
Altogether, guests are certainly assured of a memorable stay when they book into the Chedi.
Gillian Thomas - Having left the BBC's Paris news office to return to England and get married over 20 years ago, I have freelanced as a journalist ever ...
