TRAVEL | HILTON GARDEN IN MUSCAT AL KHUWAIR & LAYOVER TRAVEL DIARY

TRAVEL | HILTON GARDEN IN MUSCAT AL KHUWAIR
Werbung/Press Trip
One night in Muscat, Oman – probably one of the most cultural, rushed and yet best experience I ever had. Due to a layover in Muscat I got the chance to explore the unique city of wonderful Oman, while staying with the Hilton Garden Inn Muscat Al Khuwair..

swimming pool gym

The Hilton Garden Inn Muscat Al Khuwair opened this year and features about 232 guest rooms. It is a 20-minute drive from the airport to the hotel, which makes it a perfect place to stay at for a layover or business trip.

As soon as I arrived at the airport, I made my way to the immigration. Luckily my baggage was all checked through so I only had my hand luggage and 19 hours to get around and to explore an entire city. Challenge accepted. After leaving the immigration with my prepaid online visa, I quickly got into the taxi and made my way to the hotel. The hotel is only 20 minutes by car from the airport, located next to the grand shopping mall and close to plenty of mosques and other sights to discover. 

ramadan iftar oman muscat

Arriving at the Hilton Garden Inn Muscat Al Khuwair I was taken by the charm of Oman. The Hilton Garden Inn Muscat Al Khuwair is the first Hilton hotel in Oman and a great addition to the hotels in Muscat. The hospitality of Hilton is always a wonderful indicator of luxury, comfort and reliable service, that´s why I was super happy to get the chance and team up with Hilton for my one-night layover in Muscat. As the hotel is well located, I got the chance to explore Muscat in one night only and managed to see all the spots on my list. 

I even enjoyed the cultural experience, as I joined for an iftar in the hotel. I usually do also join Ramadan for the fasting, but on my current travels I couldn´t fully managed it. However, since I started to regularly join the Ramadan fasting, I dreamed about to experience the Ramadan spirit in an Arabic country and staying with Hilton made this true in one magical night in Muscat.

oman hotel room tour kingsize bed

The iftar buffet was pretty busy and offered a lot of local foods and tasty dishes. Beside multiple Arabic cakes and a chocolate fountain, guests could also enjoy hot dishes, fruits, vegetables and healthy foods. There was also a big selection of vegetarian foods on the buffet, such as my absolute favorite oriental food which is hummus.

After enjoying the iftar in the hotel restaurant I quickly refreshed before taking a taxi to the Mutrah Souq in the center of Muscat. I was hypnotized by the local goods and colorful lamps. The streets were so lively and full of people. Muscat is a save city and Oman in general is a safe place, even for women and those who are traveling by their self. My driver offered me to also take me to some other places to I also got the chance to get a private sightseeing tour by a local and explore more of Muscat before returning to the hotel and exploring my room.

hotel expereince ramadan iftar arabic

The room I was staying at was located in the 3rd floor of the hotel. The room had a simple but elegant design and offered a lot of space. As I was staying for one night only, I didn’t have the chance to explore or expereince all of the amenities, but I took a little rest in my armchair, watched some local TV, took a hot shower and finally got some sleep in the wide spaced king-size bed. However, I sadly didn´t have the chance to enjoy the pool, neither the fitness center in the 7th floor which even comes with a separate area for women only and a mixed area. The view from the gym was still amazing and I got the chance to take some photos of the skyline.

hilton hotel breakfast food luxury travel

In the morning I joined for the hotel breakfast. The breakfast area was covered during Ramadan but international guests did still enjoy their breakfast in the huge restaurant. Just like the iftar, guests can enjoy a delicious buffet set up for their meal. Besides gluten free bread, there is also fruit infused water, waffle stations, and multiple meat and vegan dishes. 

I quickly took my bag after enjoying the healthy vegan breakfast and checked out in order to explore some more of Muscat. For the last hours of my stay I scheduled a visit the grand shopping mall and the grand mosque. I started at the shopping mall, which is only a 10-minute walk in distance from the hotel. The grand shopping mall deserves its name as it´s truly grand. Hundreds of shops are nestled inside the mall, besides restaurants and a supermarket. The mall in super modern and perfect for those who love to go for shopping. 

muscat grand mall

After rushing through the mall, I got into a taxi and made it to the most beautiful mosque of Muscat the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque which is all over famous and loved by tourists. The mosque opens for tourists from 8-11Am and guests should properly cover in order to be allowed to enter. The mosque is a must see when in Muscat and only 3km in distance from the hotel.

Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque Mutrah Souq

After my stop in the mosque I already had to return to the airport in order to catch the next flight. My trip to Muscat was truly special and I´m happy that I got the chance to stay with Hilton who made my stay easy and comfortable. Also, thanks to the entire team who assisted me with taxi bookings, advices for places to visit and support with my vegan diet. I really enjoyed staying at this huge, glamorous property and would love to come back to Oman one day. 

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