Al Bustan Palace, A Ritz-Carlton Hotel

Our friend who lives in Oman recommended The Al Bustan Palace because of its location away from the hustle bustle of the centre of Muscat and because of its amazing private beach and gardens. She wasn’t wrong! What she didn’t know was how fantastic the food and staff are. We ate a couple of times in Il Palazzo (good homemade pasta) and 3 times at The Pavilion (special mention for the tomahawk steak!) Our only minor gripe was the confusion over our “Half Board Plus” basis (2 drinks per person each night). On the 1st night, Adnan in the Al Khiran Kitchen sorted it out and made sure all the other restaurants knew about us. We even had a visit from Sharifa (Quality Manager) at our first breakfast to make sure everything was sorted out. So thank you. Apart from that, everything was perfect and the main reason was the incredible staff. I apologise for missing people out but a special shout out to Adnan and Andi on the front desk in The Al Khiran Kitchen who were ably helped by waiters Mr Ali (who helped me learn a few words of Arabic and made sure I had Omani breakfasts) Mohammad Saad & Brian; Arun, manager of the Il Palazzo & Blu Bar; Doga, manager of The Pavilion; Khalid who made sure we had the best sunbeds; and last but not least, Roshan who’s Sri Lankan cricket team kept losing to England! Apologies if I’ve misspelt any names. It was certainly a holiday to remember and I’m sure we’ll be back.

Currently here in a suite 752. Have a walking disability. Staff are great, but facility is not. Examples: three steps up to lobby, no ramp or hand rail. Kids pool steep slope with no handrail. All toilets in beach are up steps. Ordered twice from family pool for lunch and service is absolutely awful especially given price of food. First time took almost 2 hours to get served. Second time had to turn waiter away we had waited so long. Third time waiting over an hour. Walking is not easy for me.

Had an enjoyable 2 night stay at the Ritz Carlton, with a 2BR suite with fine beach views. The best part of this grand slightly dated hotel are the grounds,pool & restaurants at the rear. Buffet breakfast is excellent. The lobby is particularly impressive, with its cavernous space & glitzy chandeliers.But not so cosy for seating. We had afternoon tea there, which was below par. The lifts are less convenient, with the need to change lifts at the Lobby floor, to move from the upper floor guests rooms to the 1F Restaurant/Pool. Location is somewhat out of the way, & it is at least a 15 minute ride to Muttrah(old port area), or more to other parts of the city.

This was a really nice hotel which was a great contrast to the Chedi, also a great hotel. This one is further away from the city center and is more of a traditional high-rise hotel. My room was beautiful and cheerful facing the sea (when I first checked in they tried to put me into a mountain facing room overlooking the parking lot). The shaver outlets did not work to recharge a cellphone and it was hard to control the lights in the room, but otherwise it was a very spacious room with large closets and bathroom. They have a huge pool which is well heated. The gym is good and the spa facilities were also good. The grounds are lovely. There is beach access. The lobby is very impressive. Breakfast buffet was excellent. Only thing to caution is that it is more of a resort than a city hotel but it's not far from the city to deter you from staying there. The Sultan's palace is nearby and the views of the landscape from the hotel are very pretty.

I had what can only be described as my worst hotel experience in the presidential suite at Al Bustan Palace. The room’s AC did not work from the moment I checked in, and I called four times requesting a fix with no response. After escalating to the duty manager, Ahmed, a technician finally arrived and explained that the room’s temperature cannot be controlled from the in-room controls. I was told to contact reception every time I wanted any adjustment. This is unacceptable on multiple levels: Inadequate climate control in a premium suite. Lack of proactive service and poor follow through from staff. A single point of failure that forces guests to chase the front desk for basic comfort. Given the rate I paid for a supposedly luxury experience, this was by far the worst room I’ve stayed in. I expected punctual, responsive service and a functioning, controllable environment neither of which I received. I hope the property takes this feedback seriously and addresses check the system and staff responsiveness to prevent future guests from having the same experience.