Review: W Hotel Muscat, Oman

The subsequent cease on our journey was in Muscat, the place we spent two nights at the W Hotel Muscat. This keep was eye-opening for me, and I feel that is the final time I’ll be staying at a W (except there’s a extremely compelling purpose).

The factor is, there was completely nothing mistaken with this keep. We scored an important improve, breakfast was good, and the property is a improbable vacation spot for many who simply wish to lounge by the pool. But this keep made me notice that W simply isn’t a model for me anymore.

I bear in mind again within the day after I thought W was a cool model. But as I’ve gotten older, the model simply annoys me — W properties are soulless, they’re model over substance (and never even good model), and appear to have uncomfortable furnishings by design. I simply don’t get it.

I really feel like I’ve developed in some methods, however possibly the W model hasn’t? I couldn’t assist however snigger at how Ford described his notion of the model to me throughout our keep (and he additionally used to suppose W was coolish) — “staying at a W is like strolling right into a nightclub, however the celebration is over and the music remains to be going.” I don’t have a lot firsthand expertise with that, however I’ll take his phrase for it.

How we booked our keep at W Hotel Muscat

Why did we determine to ebook the W Muscat? Well, I had two Marriott Bonvoy free night certificates expiring within the coming months, they usually’re legitimate at properties costing as much as 35,000 factors per evening. This lodge was charging precisely 35,000 factors per evening on our dates, in order that was a improbable use of those certificates.

I even used Marriott Bonvoy suite upgrade awards, and was capable of verify an improve to a Marvelous Suite 5 days earlier than arrival. Woot!

As some extent of comparability, for our dates money charges for traditional rooms began round $400 per evening, whereas the suite we confirmed an improve to would have retailed for over $750 per evening.

W Hotel Muscat location

The 279-room W Muscat is positioned on the Shatti Al Qurum beachfront, proper throughout from the Royal Opera House. The lodge is round 20 minutes from Muscat International Airport (MCT), and a reasonably brief drive from a lot of Muscat’s hottest sights. For instance, the lodge is round quarter-hour from the Mutrah Corniche, Al Alam Palace, Al Jalali Fort, and so forth.

W Hotel Muscat foyer & check-in

We arrived on the lodge within the night. I discovered the outside of the lodge from the street-side to be cool-looking, and it ever-so-slightly gave the property a way of place. For that matter, it appears tremendous good in comparison with the neighboring InterContinental Muscat, which from the skin may simply be the ugliest InterContinental on earth.

Unfortunately that’s type of the place the sense of place for the general public areas of the lodge ends, apart from the photographs of the Sultan at reception. Immediately inside the doorway to the lodge was some seating, after which reception was positioned to the fitting. The floor-to-ceiling home windows are fairly cool, and provides the foyer plenty of pure mild.

Our check-in course of was moderately fast, and the affiliate checking us in was pleasant. He went over the fundamentals of the property with us, and provided to escort us to our room (although we didn’t want that). With keys in hand, we walked down the hallway towards the elevators.

By the way in which, my largest single level of frustration with W properties is the uncomfortable furnishings they’ve. I discovered it attention-grabbing that a lot of the paintings within the foyer was primarily speculated to appear like actually uncomfortable furnishings. Is the model poking enjoyable at itself, or…?

W Hotel Muscat Marvelous Suite

We have been assigned room 236, a Marvelous Suite on the second ground (the lodge has eight flooring). Our room was positioned on the very finish of the hallway on the fitting.

Marvelous Suites on the W Muscat are huge, and are marketed as being 936 sq. ft. The room had an entryway with a half toilet to the fitting, and the lounge straight forward.

At the doorway was a well-stocked minibar, with complimentary espresso and tea, plus all types of snacks and drinks for buy.

The front room was quirky, and had a desk with a chair, an “L” formed sofa, and a chair by the window.

The model is unquestionably a bit on the market, however I do respect that they no less than put some native touches into the design. But right here’s my beef… why does all furnishings at W properties should be so darn uncomfortable? Not a single piece of furnishings in the lounge — not the desk chair, not the sofa, and never even the chair within the nook — was snug. They have been all laborious as rocks.

This appears to be a acutely aware design selection by W, and I simply don’t get it. As I grow old I worth ergonomics extra, and this simply annoys me. Why, why, why, why why?! Do individuals like sitting on a chair at a desk that appears like a bench?

W properties typically do an important job creating quirky welcome presents for elite members, and I had fairly a welcome reward ready for me. It’s fairly widespread for W properties to Google elite friends earlier than arrival and create personalized welcome facilities (I do know some individuals have discovered it creepy when properties put an image of you within the room as your welcome amenity).

As far as my welcome amenity goes, I hate to look a present horse within the mouth (since no reward is required), however:

• They actually created a laminated cutout with my identify on it, however misspelled my identify
• I’m not am Ambassador member (although the field of sweets stated “WOW! AMBASSADOR IN DA HOUSE”
• Basically all of the sweets tasted stale, so quite than giving me 20+ sweets that don’t style recent, how a few smaller amenity of one thing that’s really good?
• Why does W should be so tacky (“GO TRAVEL” and “YOU’RE AWESOME” and “WOW”)? Are we in a cartoon or online game?

Speaking of the cheesiness, a lot of the W branding is simply type of cringeworthy, for my part, with each phrase being was one thing foolish (just like the room service menu saying “KEEP CALM AND OM, NOM, NOM”). It’s one factor if this have been remoted, however that is the case in all places you flip.

It’s type of just like the Virgin America security video, again within the day. It was type of enjoyable the primary time you noticed it, however by the tenth time…

As talked about above, there was a half bathtub close to the doorway, that includes a rest room and sink. Oddly the sink was motion-activated, but it surely didn’t look like there was any strategy to management the temperature (no less than not that I may inform).

There have been sliding doorways separating the lounge from the bed room.

The bed room was giant and pretty sparsely furnished. Fortunately it had the W signature mattress, which in contrast to all the opposite furnishings at W properties, is definitely snug.

There was no actual separation between the bed room and toilet, which appears to be fairly commonplace for W properties. Personally I strongly dislike that for a wide range of causes. The toilet had an enormous soaking tub, a walk-in bathe, a partitioned off rest room, and a closet space. Yet I discovered it odd that for a collection of this dimension there was nonetheless just one sink.

Toiletries have been from MOMO, which have changed the Bliss merchandise that W used to have.

The room had a big wraparound balcony providing views of the property and the Gulf of Oman, with seating at one finish.

There have been a pair extra quirks with the room. For one, the telephone within the bed room simply didn’t work. Beyond that, while you turned off the grasp mild swap, something plugged in subsequent to the mattress additionally stopped charging, which doesn’t appear perfect.

So yeah, I’m probably not certain what to say. We acquired an important improve and the suite was spacious, however I strongly dislike how little thought goes into consolation quite than model.

W Hotel Muscat pool & seaside

The W Muscat has an enormous pool space. The factor is, there’s completely no sense of place right here — you would be in Ibiza, Marbella, or Muscat, and wouldn’t know the distinction.

There’s one important pool with loads of seating round it. Personally we have been in Muscat to sightsee, although I acknowledge that many sun-starved Europeans love to go to Muscat within the winter to only sit on the pool. I’d say {that a} majority of the friends on the lodge have been from Germany and the UK. Perhaps they virtually appreciated that they might make themselves really feel like they have been in Ibiza.

The lodge additionally has beachfront entry, in order that’s type of cool. While the seaside doesn’t maintain a candle to what you may discover within the Caribbean or Maldives (the water is type of muddy and sand isn’t superb), it was nonetheless good to go on a seaside stroll, and see so many native households having fun with a fantastic night.

W Hotel Muscat fitness center

The W Muscat has a 24/7 fitness center, positioned on the second ground. The fitness center was fairly first rate, with a wide range of cardio and weight gear. However, the fitness center additionally did get fairly busy, no less than in comparison with different properties I’ve stayed at recently.

W Muscat Siddharta Lounge by Buddha Bar

On our first night we determined to have dinner at Siddharta Lounge by Buddha Bar, since we have been arriving pretty late. Buddha Bar is a series of eating places in lots of well-liked trip locations, so that is an offshoot of that. The restaurant was positioned on the highest ground of the W Muscat, and had each indoor and outside seating.

Oddly that is thought to be probably the greatest eating places in Muscat (no less than based mostly on the rankings), however the entire place lacked a vibe. The restaurant was actually empty, and there was a DJ there who was principally simply gazing his telephone the entire time, as a result of how on earth do you get into the vibe of this place? I suppose possibly it’s busier on weekends? The restaurant was roughly lifeless, with only a few tables occupied outdoors.

The complete eating expertise was unremarkable and unusual:

• There didn’t appear to be a devoted server, however quite a number of individuals would come by our desk and repeatedly ask the identical questions (whether or not we needed to order meals or drinks, and so forth.)
• There was no correct introduction as you’d anticipate at a good restaurant, however quite simply servers coming over and mumbling “wish to order one thing?”

You can find the restaurant’s menu here. To begin we shared some salmon and tuna nigiri.

Then I ordered a hen salad, whereas Ford had the miso salmon.

The meals was first rate, however nothing memorable. Credit to the lodge and restaurant, as they comped our appetizer due to my Bonvoy Platinum standing, which was a pleasant contact.

W Muscat Harvest Restaurant (breakfast)

Breakfast on the W Muscat is served every day from 6:30AM till 11AM at Harvest Restaurant, positioned on the bottom ground. The restaurant had each indoor and outside seating, and we selected to take a seat outside.

I chosen breakfast as my Marriott elite welcome amenity, and that included full entry to the buffet. The buffet was fairly good. There was an enormous number of choices, together with loads of tasty dishes from the area.

Drinks have been speculated to be served by the workers, however we needed to follow-up 3 times earlier than we have been served the iced coffees we had ordered.

W Muscat room service

On our full day on the lodge we determined to order room service lunch, as we had gone sightseeing many of the morning and have been drained, and had plans to exit for dinner. You can discover the room service menu under.

We ordered the chilly mezze, Greek salad, and hen breast, which have been all fairly good.

Bottom line

I do know this can be a largely adverse evaluation, however I wish to be clear, I’m not saying the W Muscat is a foul W property. The lodge has pleasant workers, fairly cool design (for a W), a formidable pool, and elite recognition is superb. I’d say that is most likely one of many higher W properties, and when you’re an enormous fan of the model, you’ll love this property.

At the identical time, this keep made me notice larger image that the W model is now not for me. My largest gripe is the constantly uncomfortable furnishings, which is a deal-breaker for me. Beyond that, I simply can’t with how tacky W properties are, within the identify of attempting to be cool. Ultimately the W model hasn’t modified in comparison with a decade in the past, however I’ve.

As far as Marriott properties go, personally I’d quite keep at… effectively, nearly some other model, which no less than (hopefully) has snug furnishings. And I actually do suppose it’s time for the W model to be refreshed. There are plenty of nice lodge life-style manufacturers — for instance, I feel Hyatt’s Thompson brand is great. But at this level I feel W wants a brand new imaginative and prescient, as a result of it’s roughly the identical model it was when it launched over twenty years in the past.

What do you make of the present state of the W model? Do you continue to prefer it, or do you suppose it’s time for it to evolve?