Crowne Plaza Hotel Muscat Oman

Crowne Plaza Hotel Muscat Oman

Address : P.O.Box 1455 Muscat 112 Oman.

LOCATION: Closest major airport - Seeb International (MCT) - (20 km). Downtown Information - MUSCAT (3KM).
Qurum Natural Park (10 KM)
Natural Spa (5 KM)
Old Souk (15 KM)
Jalali Fort (20 KM)
Natural Museum (15 KM)
Wadi Bani Khalid (220 KM)
Nizwa Fort (150 KM)
Ramlet Al Wahiba (230 KM)
Al Jabel Al Akhdar (200 KM)
Ibra Tombs (180 KM)
Rustaq (180 KM)
Sur (300 KM)

DINING OPTION: »» Come PrimaServes lunch and dinnerLocation: In hotelItalian food, delicately prepared. Open for lunch and dinner.»» ShirazServes lunch and dinnerLocation: In hotelIranian Cuisine served in authentic setting. Open for lunch and dinner »» TropicanaServes lunch and dinnerLocation: In hotelAll day dining with pool side surroundings RestaurantsThe Crowne Plaza Hotel Muscat enjoys four in-house restaurants: Tropicana for buffet meals - open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Shiraz - Persian restaurant - open for lunch and dinner and Come Prima - Italian Restaurant - open for dinner 24 Hour Room Service Bars/LoungesDuke's BarLocation: In Hotel - Lobby Level Duke's bar is the most popular English pub in Muscat. Here to entertain you is 'Reach' Duo every night complemented by a Quiz night on Mondays, Ladies Night on Wednesdays and DJ music on Thursdays.

ACCOMMODATION: 207 Guest Rooms and have 6 Floors. All Guest Rooms Air Conditioned, All News Cable Channel,Bathrobe & Bathroom Amenities, Color TV, Hairdryer, Iron / Ironing Board, Mini Bar, Modem Connection, Private Bath Refrigerator, Remote Control TV and Separate Hanging Closet.Guest Room Amenities-Bathrobe -Bathtub -Bidet Business -Center Cable / Satellite TV -Coffee Maker -Color TV Connecting Rooms -Double Glazed Windows-Free Morning Newspaper Delivered to Room-Hairdryer-High-speed Internet Access-In Room Safe -Individually Controlled Air Conditioning -Iron / Ironing Board -Mini Bar -Phone with Voice Mail-Private Bathroom -Refrigerator (full) -Rollaway Bed/Cot -Scale-Separate Hanging Closet -Tea Maker -Trouser Press-Two-Line Phone -Work Desk w/ LampSuite Amenities-Bathtub -Bidet -Business-Center Cable / Satellite TV -Coffee Maker -Color TV-Double Glazed Windows-Dressing Room-Hairdryer-In Room Safe -Individually Controlled Air Conditioning -Private Bathroom -Scale -Separate Hanging Closet -Sound System -Suites with Dining Table-Tea Maker -Work Desk w/ Lamp

Oman Business Profile

Oman Business Profile

Economy: Oman was acutely underdeveloped until the discovery of oil and natural gas in the early 1970s; this now accounts for over 40 per cent of GDP and 80 per cent of the country’s export earnings. Agriculture, owing to Oman’s desert land, is confined to the coastal plain and a few irrigated areas in the interior. Dates, limes and alfalfa are the main products; some livestock is also bred. There are mineral deposits of copper, chromite, marble, gypsum and limestone, manganese ore and coal. The Government has used some of its oil revenues to develop indigenous industries such as construction, agriculture and tourism, and to build up the country’s infrastructure; these projects are incorporated in the Vision 2020 economic development programme. In the late 1990s, Oman started to privatise major government-owned parts of the economy and introduce a legislative framework to encourage foreign investment. The economy has been growing at around 4 per cent annually and enjoys low inflation and unemployment. Oman is a member of various pan-Arab political and economic organisations. However, it is not a member of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) – although its pricing policy tends to follow that of OPEC fairly closely. Oman’s principal trading partners are Japan, Korea (Rep), Singapore, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom.

Business: Men should wear suits and ties for business and formal occasions. English is usually spoken in business circles, but a few words or phrases of Arabic will be useful and welcome. Appointments are essential and punctuality is gradually becoming more important in business circles. Visiting cards are widely used. Office hours: Sat-Wed 0800-1300 and 1600-1900, Thurs 0800-1300. Government office hours: Sat-Wed 0730-1430, and sometimes half-day Thursday. All offices are closed Friday. Office hours are shorter during Ramadan.

Oman Social Profile

Oman Social Profile

Food & Drink: Numerous restaurants have opened in recent years, but many people retain the habit of dining at hotels. There is a wide variety of cuisine on offer, including Arabic, Indian, Oriental, European and other international dishes. Coffee houses are popular. Waiter service is usual. Muslim law forbids alcohol, but most hotel bars and restaurants serve alcohol. Visitors are only allowed to drink alcohol in licensed hotels and restaurants. To buy alcohol for home consumption, Western nationals must obtain a licence from their embassy.

Nightlife: There are a few nightclubs and bars in Muscat, mostly in the hotels. There are three air conditioned cinemas in Ruwi and an open-air cinema at the al-Falaj Hotel showing Arab, Indian and English films.

Shopping: The modern shops are mostly in Ruwi and Qurum. The two main souks (markets) are located in Matrah and Nizwa. Traditional crafts include silver and gold jewellery, khanjars (Omani daggers), coffeepots, saddles, frankincense, handwoven textiles, carpets, baskets and camel straps. Antique khanjars (over 50 years old) may not be exported. It is wise to check with the Ministry of National Heritage and Culture for the necessary documentation before purchasing.

Shopping hours: Sat-Thurs 0800-1300 and 1600-2000. Souks open 0800-1100 and 1600-1900. Many shops close on Friday. Opening hours are one hour later during Ramadan.

Special Events: Events celebrated in Oman are generally Muslim festivals and feasts. For further information on events in Oman, contact the Directorate General of Tourism (see Contact Addresses section).

Social Conventions: Shaking hands is the usual form of greeting. A small gift, either promoting your company or country, is well received. As far as dress is concerned, it is important that women dress modestly, ie long skirts or dresses (below the knee) with long sleeves. Tight-fitting clothes must be avoided and although this is not strictly followed by Westerners, it is far better to adopt this practice and avoid causing offence. Shorts should never be worn in public and beachwear is prohibited anywhere except the beach. Collecting sea shells, abalone, corals, crayfish and turtle eggs is also prohibited. Dumping litter is forbidden. It is polite not to smoke in public, but generally no-smoking signs are posted where appropriate. Photography: Visitors should ask permission before attempting to photograph people or their property. ‘No Photography’ signs exist in certain places and must be observed. Tipping: Becoming more common and 10 per cent should be given.

Oman Sports and Activities

Oman Sports and Activities

Watersports: There are many sandy beaches offering good bathing, diving and sailing facilities. Many hotels have pools. There are also three private sports clubs with water-skiing and fishing facilities. The Bander al-Rowdha Marina has a purpose-built watersports complex, with landscaped beach area, swimming pool and restaurants. The Dubai to Muscat President’s Cup Regatta takes place annually. The waters of the Gulf of Oman and the North Indian Ocean are populated by black marlin, swordfish, tuna and sailfish making them ideal for game fishing. A fishing permit is required from the Directorate General of Fisheries, and spearfishing is strictly prohibited. In the southern region, fishing is restricted to between Mughsayl and Taqah. Hunting is completely forbidden.

Caving: This is also popular in Oman. Majlis al-Jhinn is the world’s second-largest cave; its long passages, crystal-clear streams, canals and drip curtains extend throughout its 4 million cubic metre expanse.

Other: There are many sports clubs based in Muscat offering facilities for tennis, squash and karting. Hockey, football, volleyball and basketball are popular spectator sports and matches are staged at the Wattayah Stadium. Owing to the nature of the terrain and climate, golf is not a prominent sport in Oman, although there are a number of sand courses operated by local clubs, as well as plans to build a course at A’Suwadi. Horseraces and the more popular camel races are held on Fridays and public holidays at a variety of locations.

Oman Climate

Oman Climate

Climate: The months between May and August are particularly hot. The climate is best from September through to April. Rainfall varies according to the region. During the period June to September there is a light monsoon rain in Salalah.

Required clothing: Lightweights are worn throughout the year, with a warm wrap for cooler winter evenings. Light rainwear is advisable.

Oman Accommodation

Oman Accommodation

ACCOMMODATION: There is a good selection of hotels to suit all budgets. Smaller hotels are cheaper but facilities are more limited. There are very few hotels in provincial areas but a large hotel-building programme has been initiated. The Shangri-la luxury hotel chain will open the country's first 6-star resort in 2005. Booking well in advance is strongly recommended. All rates are subject to a 10 per cent service charge. Visit www.oxfordtravels.com/middleeast/oman/index.html for complete list of Hotels in Oman.

Oman Travel International

AIR: The national airlines of Oman are Gulf Air (GF) (website: www.gulfairco.com), which it jointly owns with the governments of Abu Dhabi, Bahrain and Qatar; and Oman Air (WY) (website: www.oman-air.com). Other airlines serving Oman include British Airways, Emirates, KLM and Lufthansa.

Approximate flight times: From Muscat to London is eight hours 10 minutes, to Singapore six hours 30 minutes and to Sydney 16 hours.

International airports: Muscat (MCT) (Seeb International), 40km (25 miles) west of the city (travel time – 15 to 30 minutes). Airport facilities include bank/bureau de change, duty-free shops, bar and light refreshments, restaurants and tourist information as well as post office and car hire (Avis, Budget and Hertz). Taxis and buses to the city are available.

Departure tax: 5OR for all departures (this has usually already been collected at ticket issuance). Children under two years old are exempt.

SEA: The main ports are Mina Raysut and Sultan Qaboos. Traffic is mainly commercial.

ROAD: Travel into Oman by land is only possible with prior government permission. The best route is the north–south road from Muscat to Salalah, a journey of some 10 to 12 hours. Road travel through Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates is extremely limited. There is no access from Yemen.