The Shangri - La - Muscat, Oman

The Shangri-La, situated the other side of Mutrah (Old Town Muscat) from the Chedi, offers completely new experiences with whiter sand, taller cliffs, more mountains and more wildlife. The Shangri-La is an impressive resort with three hotels on its premise, all three specializing in a different holiday experience. Al Waha is the dedicated Family hotel and the largest of the bunch. We had a room here during our stay and even though the hotel was largely kid orientated, the layout was well kept, the rooms were spacious with thick walls (no noise traveled which was great!) and the pools were big. The restaurants on the other hand were mainly focused on feeding children, with the more upmarket eateries based in the other hotels. However, the beauty of a large resorts means you can leave you hotel to dine in another, and luckily the other hotels have a large variety of cuisines on offer. There were many methods of transport linking up each hotel, my favorite being the lazy river which ran between Al Waha and Al Bandar. Alternatively there are shuttle buses and plenty of pathways as well as the beach of course.

We only visited Al Bandar a few times, mostly to dine and swim. A number of pools also dominate the grounds at Al Bandar surrounded by numerous restaurants and bars. There is a jacuzzi  and in pool chairs to keep cool in the sun. This hotel is the focal point of the resort and is the base for all food, wine and entertainment, as well as the place you go to indulge in various water sports.

Al Husn is the last and most luxurious hotel of the bunch. Sat on the cliff, it offers great views of the mountains behind and the sea in front. The hotel has its own 100 meter private beach, as well as a specialized Turtle Beach where visitors can see the babies hatching from their shells at certain times of year. Its not a kid friendly hotel and children under the age of 16 can not use the pool or beach, however, like the rest of the hotel, they are free to use the facilities elsewhere.

In total, there are 14 restaurants, seven cafes and pool bars, and six lounges and bars all offering dining options from tradition Middle Eastern cuisines to Brazilian Steaks, Italian pizzas and various snacks. We ate at Bait Al Bahr which offers up amazing local seafood - a brilliant setting on a decked out terrace over looking the beach, its a great place to go on a cooler night in order to take full advantage of the terrace and the views. In between Al Waha and Al Bandar, its peaceful and relaxing. The food is great, with a large selection and the staff are helpful and accommodating. We also dined at Capri Court which was a lot smaller, yet a lot more swanky than expected. The food was proper Italian  and we dined on a mixture of Foie Gras, Seafood and a massive meat platter - it was exquisite! According to the concierge, the top restaurants are Sultanah or Shahrazad, both situated in Al Husn Hotel and both need to be booked 24hr in advance.

For me though, the best thing about this part of the coast line is the water related activities. Take advantage of this and make sure you take a trip to either go dolphin watching or snorkeling. The cliffs look amazing from the sea, and the coast is covered in secret beaches and great snorkeling spots. Muscat is also apparently a great place to dive, and luckily The Shangri-La has a center on site.

I thoroughly enjoyed my stay at the hotel and for the first time in a while, i didn't think I could get bored of the place if I'd stayed a few days long - loads to do, loads to see and great value for money.

Raddison Blu Hotel - Dibba

A mere 90 minutes from Dubai lies the Raddisson Blu Resort, nestled between Hajjar Dibba mountains and 500 meters of beach. If you are looking for a reasonably priced, relaxed weekend out in the mountains however fancy a swim in the sea too, then this location is perfect.

Hosting 3 pools (including a swim up pool bar - key for the summer months), a variety of both smart and casual restaurants as well as water activities including diving and snorkeling, there is plenty to do and eat whilst you are on your vay cay. It is also extremely kid friendly, with plenty of child activities available so parents get a moment to relax and wind down.

The rooms are reasonably sized and clean with shutter windows looking in from the bedroom to the bathroom. Most rooms also come with a balcony or a terrace which walks straight out on to the pool making it easy to go for a dip when the weather gets hot.

Even thought the hotel has most things you would want from a holiday, please note that it is very much a family resort where kids rule the roost, and even though the rooms are nice and clean, our water smelt like sewage meaning we had to change rooms during the middle of our stay (however they did give us an upgraded so it wasnt too much of a hassle..).

Enjoy a stroll down the beach or go and feast on a selection of delicious (and reasonably cheap!) Arabic food at Al Nokhada where service comes with a smile. Soak up the evening sky at breeze bar under an Arabic style tent and enjoy a cocktail or head down to Spa Zen for a bit of R&R.

View from our room

Be sure to check out the latest deals on offer this summer :)