The Chedi Muscat

Review of The Chedi Muscat

BusinessClass.com review by Varun Sharma
Updated 19. Feb 2024

The Chedi Muscat is an elegantly landscaped twenty-one-acre garden oasis featuring 158 Asian-influenced guestrooms, villas and club rooms with a dedicated lounge. One of the finest hotels in Oman, its series of low-rise buildings are set in a village – surrounded by beautifully tended gardens along a 370-metre-long fully-serviced private beach.

For the ultimate in indulgence, there is a 1,500-square metre relaxation and fitness haven - one of the largest spas in Muscat - with thirteen suites, a fully equipped fitness centre and two competition-standard flood lit tennis courts. There are three temperature-controlled swimming pools – The Long Pool is the Middle East’s longest - each with shaded sunbeds and cabanas and a boutique. There are also six award-winning restaurants and lounges at this pioneering resort.

The Chedi Muscat is part of GHM hotels.

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Location

9/10

Offering a prime beachfront location on the Gulf of Oman, the property offers a secluded location within twenty-one acres of landscaped gardens at the foot of the Al Hajar mountains, 20 minutes north of old Muscat at Al Ghubra and twenty minutes from Muscat’s business centre.

It is about a ten-minute drive to Muscat City and the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, with the 200-year-old Al Alam Palace, the Amouage Perfume Factory and Visitor’s Centre (the world’s most expensive perfume) and Omani French Museum about a 30-minutes’ drive. Muttrah with its old town and port, souk and corniche is a similar distance away. With its ancient maze of intricate pathways, the Muttrah souk is perfect for those looking to bargain hard with gold and silver priced well and sold by weight. For more intrepid travellers, there is the Nizwa Souk, a ninety-minute drive from the hotel. This market hosts a lively animal auction early every Friday morning whilst there is local produce, working silversmiths and traditional handicrafts to be admired.

Muscat International Airport is approximately 17 kilometres or 15 minutes’ drive from the hotel.

Accommodation

10/10

All the 158 guestrooms, villas and club rooms enjoy a serene, beautifully curated Asian influenced minimalism with Omani details, perfect in their simplicity, light and airy thanks to floor to ceiling windows and high ceilings – neutral marbles, teak wood accessories, louvred blinds and crisp white linens.  Views are of the glittering Gulf of Oman, the Al Hajar mountains, the water gardens or palm-fringed gardens.

There are all the necessary luxury amenities - Bose Wave music systems, iPod docks, Nespresso machines and kettles, luxury amenities, minibars filled with complimentary drinks, a daily fruit basket and designer toiletries.

The Chedi Club suites follow the same sleek lines with either a private terrace or balcony offering panoramic views of the Gulf of Oman, Hajar Mountains, tranquil water ponds or shimmering swimming pools. There are the soaring ceilings, oversized windows, an open plan bathroom with sunken terrazzo tubs, separate rain showers, dual vanities and luxury amenities.

All Deluxe Club rooms, Deluxe Club Terrace rooms and Chedi Club Suites confer privileged access to The Club Lounge, an exclusive and private retreat that features an extensive double-height library.

Club benefits begin with airport transfers by private limousine and include complimentary breakfast to high tea, cocktails and canapes. There is also a daily laundry service available.

Service & Facilities

9/10

The Chedi, Muscat features a 1,500-square metre relaxation and fitness haven - one of the largest spas in Muscat. The Spa embraces eastern philosophy with Asian oriental rituals and an extensive variety of beauty treatments based on the holistic principles of aromatherapy Ayurveda and herbalism. There are therapeutic massages, Himalayan warm stone massages, reviving body polish rituals, rejuvenating facials and romantic restorative baths. The deluxe double and single spa suites feature whirl baths with full body jets to invigorate and restore vitality. The relaxation lounge enjoys a dramatic glass wall overlooking the sea – the perfect place to unwind.

For those who want to keep fit whilst travelling, there is an adjoining modern and well-equipped gym with state-of-the-art Technogym equipment, free weights, a Kinesis wall and Power Pilates equipment. Personal trainers are on hand if required.

For beach lovers, The Chedi’s private 370-metre-long serviced beach is the place to be with loungers and sun parasols to lie back and idle away the day. For those who prefer pools, there are three heated outdoor pools – including The Long Pool – 103 metres in length lined by palm trees and black double day beds and cabanas. The Serai pool with its ample awnings provides the most protection on hotter days.

There are also two championship standard tennis courts available although others may prefer the complimentary yoga classes designed to empower the inner core.

The Boutique is situated just off the main lobby of the hotel. A cosy enclave, with Islamic style arches and high ceilings, it offers a full range of carefully selected handpicked items – hand-crafted ornaments, jewellery from local artisans, trinkets for the home and Oman’s famous Amouage fragrances.

There are a number of other recreational pursuits to enjoy near the resort. Dolphin watching is extremely popular whilst diving and snorkelling are the ideal way to enjoy the Gulf’s marine life and coral beds whilst others prefer sailing across the Gulf. There are also three golf courses within a 15-minute drive, one designed by The Great White Shark himself, Greg Norman.

For those who want to experience the desert, you can sleep under the stars among the rolling dunes of Wahiba Sands or for music lovers, there is the recently opened Royal Opera House Muscat promoting Arabian arts & culture while welcoming international artists into the Omani community.

Style

9/10

The region’s first contemporary hotel designed by French architect Jean-Michel Gathy, rooms at The Chedi, Muscat are housed in low-lying simple white buildings reminiscent of Eastern architecture with a décor influenced by the Far East, complemented by subtle Islamic touches. It has a definite sense of place as the architect studied Omani traditions carefully before drawing up his plans.

The design explores the harmony between architecture, interior and landscape to encapsulate GHM’s signature style of incorporating local touches to contemporary Asian designs. This can be immediately seen in the tented lobby with its low central seating over which the clustered hanging lanterns lend a touch of the east. The marble floors are polished to such a degree, it feels like you are walking over water.

Renowned landscape architect Karl Princic then masterfully transformed the 21 acres of gardens and water features in a simple yet elegant Asian Zen-style, complementing and enhancing the buildings with perfect symmetry. Ornamental pools and fountains so evocative of Arabian architecture have created a micro-climate where birdlife thrives.

Restaurants & Bars

9/10

The six restaurants and two lounges at The Chedi, Muscat span the great cuisines of the world from the Mediterranean and the Middle East to Southeast Asia and India.

The Restaurant was designed by renowned Japanese interior designer Yasuhiro Koichi of Design Studio SPIN, blending clean Asian interiors with distinctive Omani architectural details. Curved Omani arches cast a vaulted look contrasting with large crystal chandeliers with dark terrazzo floors and expansive bay windows. There are four open kitchens to add entertainment, preparing Western, Asian, Middle Eastern and Indian Fare whilst a pianist plays. Guests can choose to dine outside on the patio or in one of the chic private dining rooms and lounge areas.

The Beach Restaurant, with its backdrop of the panorama of the Gulf of Oman, serves a creative seafood menu, accompanied by an equally impressive wine list. There are local oysters, Iranian caviar and lobster on offer. The Arabian Courtyard offers a buffet of authentic Middle Eastern favourites such as mezze, shish tawook, chicken tagines and fish biryani.

The Serai Pool Cabana enjoys a dramatic dark tiled floor and white sunshades and serves a wide selection of international favourites. The Chedi pool Cabana is situated alongside the Chedi pool, serving signature HuQQa shisha and tapas, dining al fresco with a backdrop of the ocean whilst having shaded protection. The Long Pool Cabana offers modern Japanese and Asian cuisine to quench the thirst and the appetite after a serious swim in the adjacent pool.

The Lobby Lounge has a distinctive private lounge feel for reading newspapers, magazines or enjoying a beverage or light snack with European furnishings complementing the Arabic décor. Or sit out on the patio in comfortable rattan armchairs, looking out over the gardens.

Sustainability

GHM Hotels places a keen focus on sustainability and conserving nature. They have implemented a group-wide plastic-free policy so no plastic bottles, more metal straws and a shift to ethically and locally sourced food. They have also reduced their waste consumption and during construction, use machines that do not consume a lot of energy and ensure proper waste management.

What We Love

  • Swimming pool – The 103-metre Long Pool – the lengthiest swimming pool in the Middle East. Even one lap is an achievement but on a hot Omani summer’s day, it is the perfect place to be.

  • Muscat – is a wonderful city – it is safe, historic and filled with interesting places to see and things to do. The Chedi is a wonderful base from where to explore the Omani capital or indeed somewhere to sit on the lovely beach and do … nothing! The Chedi itself sits right at home in Muscat and indeed Oman. While it is contemporary in design, you will still find accents that remind you where you are and the history of the country.

  • The Restaurant – dark, clean, moody and offering delightful international cuisine. The buffets are legendary, and the quality of the food is really rather good. Every dish is prepared to the way you want it. The ingredients are fresh, and the chefs work tirelessly to prepare their dishes to perfection!

    Varun Sharma
    Editor-In-Chief
    BusinessClass.com

What They Love

 

  • The Hotel – The design of The Chedi can be described as timeless-Asian-contemporary. We here stay true to our values and provide a sensorial environment - providing personalised and authentic moments … experiences that a guest will truly remember.

  • The Wellness Spa – it allows you to reconnect with your body and creates experiences that will leave a lasting impression. Expect therapeutic massages, warm stone massages, body polish rituals that revive the senses, facials that turn back time and restorative baths.

  • The Address – The Chedi Muscat is one of the most iconic hotel addresses in the GCC – made up of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. The property is a favourite for locals and foreign nationals alike. We provide the height of luxury in a timeless location.

    Thomas Guss
    General Manager 
    The Chedi Muscat

 

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