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Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Original poster

Oman in December with teens

19 replies

Honestyisbest · 15/10/2012 09:21

Any thoughts/experience?
We fancy a relaxing sunny week somewhere and we wouldn't go back to Dubai but love the ME. Anyone been to Oman? We have a 14 and an 11 year old. Any hotel recommendations?

OP posts:
homebythesea · 15/10/2012 21:24

Yes we have been to Shangri La in Oman over New Year- thoroughly recommend for this age IF you are looking for a do nothing much at all type holiday. We did some water sports and hired a driver for a day to visit Mosque, souk, markets etc. hotel fab food brilliant but New Year dinner a tad disappointing and is compulsory at vast expense.

Original poster
Honestyisbest · 15/10/2012 22:03

Thank you. We are looking for a chill out holiday, haven't had one for ages. We are looking to go the week before Christmas, so back in blighty for the big day. Have you heard of the zighy sixth sense hotel? It looks fab.

OP posts:
homebythesea · 16/10/2012 07:45

Yes we looked at Zighy but I thought it looked a bit buttoned up for a truly relaxing holiday with our children! Shangri La was well set up with nice pools a range of different eateries spa for us etc which suited us very well. It's one of the places the kids ask if they can go to again!

Original poster
Honestyisbest · 16/10/2012 09:08

Hi Homebythesea. Which bit of Shangri La did you stay in? Our kids are 11 and 14 yo so we dont need full on family friendly facilities, but I know what you mean about there being enough for them to do whilst we relax poolside!

OP posts:
homebythesea · 16/10/2012 12:49

we were in Al Waha but I would stay at Al Bandar if we went back - Al Waha pool was surrounded by families with little kids and got crowded very early so we walked up to Al Bandar (3 mins!) and set up camp there on the lawn in front of the beach next to a lovely pool! This is also closer to the waterdports "office" - doughnuts, banana boat, sailing etc. Service is usual ME standards throughout and we did half board which was more than enough on the food front! Al BAndar has free mini bars as well which is useful if your teens wish to tuck into the kitkats etc as ours did (at a cost!)

homebythesea · 16/10/2012 12:51

Oh and you can eat in any of the Al Waha / Bandar restaurants on half board (up to an allowance). The Waha buffet was unbelievably good but Bandar did better middle eastern style outside BBQ buffets with local music which we enjoyed a couple of times

Original poster
Honestyisbest · 16/10/2012 14:34

Thank you! Great tips.

OP posts:
charleybarley · 16/10/2012 15:01

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

homebythesea · 16/10/2012 15:47

No kids at Al Husn not even for dinner Sad

charleybarley · 16/10/2012 16:13

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
Honestyisbest · 16/10/2012 18:23

Oh that's a shame. My concern on looking at the other shangri la hotels is that they do cater for younger children so there may be lots of stuff catering for the family we were a couple of years ago, but now our two will probs just be happy chilling at the pool and thinking about where to eat for dinner. Real shame about the Al Husn.

OP posts:
charleybarley · 16/10/2012 18:34

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

AlfieBear87 · 16/10/2012 18:39

We stayed at the Oman dive centre - you get your own Omani 'hut' on the beach - amazing experience and the food was superb.

homebythesea · 16/10/2012 18:49

Honesty - that is the joy of the Oman set up as the areas are quite well separated - your older kids will not feel they are in toddler hell! The Waha pool is busy with younger kids as it is closer to rooms and also the Kids Club is in that building - Bandar end is much more grown up. Al Husn is entirely separate - you can't even really see it from the other 2 hotels!!

homebythesea · 16/10/2012 18:53

Can also recommend the Shangri La in Abu Dhabi which has apartments and hotel rooms - apartments work better for us and we found it a great relaxing complex with some interesting "off campus" day trips

kensingtonkat · 16/10/2012 18:58

If you want to spoil your teenagers, have you thought about the Chedi?

It's very swish and very self-consciously cool, and outrageously expensive, but we loved it.

We've done Oman a few times - Dubai without the chavs - and are big fans. Al Husn would be my first choice but we don't have kids. Although it attracts a much older crowd. We're in our late thirties and were amongst the youngest people there when we went.

Original poster
Honestyisbest · 16/10/2012 19:20

ooh will take a look at Abu Dhabi...

And KKat have looked at Chedi, what do you think for teens?

OP posts:
ripsishere · 09/11/2012 02:32

Chedi is marvellous. We used to go there as a treat when we lived in Muscat.

SomewhereInCanada · 09/11/2012 03:38

Ooh, I've been to The Chedi. It was awesome. We stayed in one of the villas. I liked the free laundry and the evening cocktails and canapés. I don't know if he'll still be there, but when we went the pianist in the restaurant was English. He was playing classical pieces and then throwing in tv theme tunes.

Have you looked at Zighy Bay? We were collected from Dubai airport in a Hummer, which I'm sure your teens would love. A 2 hour drive over the mountains to the hotel. Lovely rooms (we had a villa by the beach) great staff and gorgeous food.

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