Hotel Muscat Holiday

I booked Muscat Holiday Hotel through Agoda for 2 adults and 2 children (ages 8 and 10), including breakfast and express check-in. My check-in time was 1:00 PM, but I arrived at around 5:00 PM. When I approached the reception to check in, the staff created an issue, claiming that the room was booked for only 2 adults. I clearly showed them my Agoda booking confirmation, which stated that the reservation was for 2 adults and 2 children. However, they denied my booking details and even claimed that they had not received any confirmation from their side, despite my valid Agoda confirmation. The hotel staff gave me only two options: either cancel the booking (even though it was clearly marked as non-refundable) or accept the room for 2 adults only and pay extra charges for my children. Despite showing all the proper booking details, they refused to acknowledge them. Two staff members were also making fun of the situation and told me to "go and ask Agoda for your money, not us." Their attitude was very unprofessional and disrespectful. After nearly one hour of arguing, I requested the manager's visiting card so that I could file a formal complaint. Only after I asked for the manager's contact details did the staff finally provide us with the room that we had originally booked. Our next terrible experience was with the breakfast. The hotel advertised an international buffet breakfast, but when we went to the restaurant, there was almost nothing available apart from idly, sambar, a few bakery items, and tea/coffee. There was no kids' menu and very limited food choices. The next day, they served aloo paratha, but there were still very few options. This was far from what anyone would expect from an international buffet. Overall, this hotel was a complete waste of our money and time. Based on our experience, I would not recommend this hotel to anyone. Please think twice before booking this property.

Our pleasant hotel stay was calm, comfortable, and welcoming. From friendly staff to a clean, cozy room, everything feels easy and relaxing. Quiet nights, simple comforts, and thoughtful service turn your stay into a warm, happy memory. Sincere appreciation Manager Atif for his outstanding involvement and dedication. His attentive approach, professionalism, and hands-on support truly made a positive difference, ensuring a smooth and pleasant experience throughout.

During my time in Oman, I faced some challenges. The cost of living felt very high, especially for food and transportation. Public transport options were limited, there were very few walkways for pedestrians, and taxi services were expensive. In fact, with my income in Iran—about 10 OMR per day—I could only afford two small meals and one taxi ride per day and nothing else. That amount might be fine for living in Iran, but in Oman it just didn’t stretch far. Wages in Oman are generally adapted to the higher costs of housing, food, and everyday life, but my budget wasn’t enough to live comfortably. � Livingcost +1 At the same time, people in Oman are incredibly kind and welcoming. Travelers are respected and helped, and the atmosphere feels comfortable—there’s no aggression or sadness. Most Omanis I met understand English well, which makes communication easy. In five days, I visited Matrah Market, an old market that was interesting but not very lively. The seaside there was attractive, and I could see large ships on the water. I also visited Urum Beach, a national resort that was clean and beautiful, with good restaurants, cafes, and nice views of the sea. Many foreign visitors were there, and some were more casually dressed, especially women. Some newly designed malls like Oman Mall and Grand Mall were vast and impressive, but everything was very expensive, and there didn’t seem to be many customers actually buying things. Oman has many other wonderful places I couldn’t visit because of time and cost—like the green mountains of Jebel Akhdar, the stunning Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, beautiful Wadi Shab canyons, and traditional forts like Nizwa Fort and Bahla Fort. Nice, high-quality cars are seen everywhere in Oman, especially big four-wheel drives from all the famous brands. The hotel I stayed at—Holiday Hotel in the center of Muscat—was very good, especially the breakfast. Guests from Arabic countries communicated well with each other and also with other passengers, while European visitors were older, less social, and sometimes offered only a brief smile when passing by. I noticed that many women wore hijab or dark chadors. Honestly, this made me feel uncomfortable, and it could be the main reason why I might not be able to live in Oman long-term. I also observed that most low-wage service work was done by workers from India and the Philippines, while it seemed that many Omanis did not perform these lower-paying jobs. Opera is a beautiful music center in Muscat. I didn’t attend the “Nights of Muscat” ceremonies, which are held in the evening, mainly in January.