Al Bustan Palace, a Ritz Carlton Hotel Review

By Nicole Brewer

This past weekend I had the pleasure of staying at Al Bustan Palace, a Ritz Carlton Hotel for my birthday weekend. Al Bustan Palace is a contemporary hotel that features traditional Omani elements in a “palace” setting. It was originally designed by His Majesty Sultan Qaboos in order to accommodate visiting heads of state and high level service members for GCC meetings. It was renovated under the Ritz Carlton Hotel brand and certainly lives up to the name.  They indeed know how to make you feel like royalty on your stay here at Al Bustan Palace Hotel.

Each of the 250 guest rooms come equipped with either a sea , lagoon or garden view. The rooms are furnished in continental and traditional Islamic style. Amenities include satellite cable television, DVD players, a mp3 player docking station, minibar, coffee and espresso machine. I really enjoyed relaxing in the huge, cozy bed that came with down pillows and sheets. To top it off, the deep seated bathtub was a delight as well to take a nice, long soak in. The rooms are designed to show art deco influences, as well as local traditions, making it a great fusion of both old and new.

Facilities at the Al Bustan Palace Hotel include a health and fitness center, children’s play area and children’s pool, a massage suite (with a brand new massage facility in cooperation with the Six Senses Ziggy Bay is currently being constructed, opening in the fall), four tennis courts, five restaurants and two bars.  To top it all off, it also offers its own private beach area to take a lovely stroll by or swim in near the fantastic main pool area. I had such an enjoyable time soaking in the main pool, checking out the lagoon pools and even the beach! You have your pick of it all here at this awesome resort.

Additional activities that are offered at the compliments of the hotel include snorkeling, sailing, windsurfing and kayaking. Right down the road en route to the Shangri-La is a diving center and you could even enjoy some family fun by going out on a fishing trip. There is plenty to do at and around Al Bustan Palace, a Ritz Carlton Hotel.

I had a wonderful birthday dinner at the Al Khiran Terrace Restaurant, which overlooks the main pool and beach of the hotel. Now is a perfect time to head here to check out the massive Iftar buffets that are currently available after sunset. The spread is amazing, from loads of salads to choose from at the salad bar, king fish, meat skewers and an array of traditional Omani deserts and delicious treats. You seriously can’t go wrong with a summer escape to the Al Bustan Palace, a Ritz Carlton Hotel for a getaway during Ramadan or for a relaxing retreat with girlfriends or family.

**Disclaimer: This was a hotel review stay offered by Al Bustan Palace, a Ritz Carlton Hotel. All views and opinions are my own.**