The St. Regis Al Mouj Muscat Resort

Al Mouj (pronounced Al Mousch) is phonetically reminiscent of an annoying species of fly, but translates into German as "The Wave" and marks Muscat's most desirable and expensive residential, beach and lifestyle district. The St. Regis Al Mouj Muscat stretches like an elegant, elongated wave in gleaming white along an immaculately manicured private beach with chic beach loungers in front of a well-tempered pool with swim-up bar.

Viewed from the beach side, the hotel building is deliberately reminiscent of a luxurious superyacht - sophisticated and modern, with glass balconies that provide an unobstructed view of the sea. This spectacular view impresses as soon as you enter the cathedral-high lobby, the rear of which is completely glazed towards the sea. In homage to St. Regis founder John Jacob Astor IV's illustrious private mansion on 5th Avenue in New York, two imposing spiral staircases made of light-colored wood wind their way up to the second floor. Between them sits a magnificent Steinway grand piano, gleaming in rich black, which is also played at tea time in the late afternoon.

Check-in takes place at a stylish, freestanding solid wood table, above which hangs a portrait of Sultan Qabus - the visionary ruler who led Oman into the modern age over five decades and has been revered like a saint since his death in 2020. The lobby itself exudes a cosmopolitan elegance rather than typical Omani flair, but the white-clad Omani men in traditional dishdashas and the elegantly dressed ladies enjoying St. Regis Afternoon Tea here lend the ambience a fascinating blend of Orient and Western luxury. In between, relaxed guests of various nationalities stroll in beachwear and flip-flops on their way to the pool and beach.





A fiesta for foodies

In the evening, I make my way to the Karibu Restaurant, where the charismatic restaurant manager Yousuf Al Abri welcomes his guests with warm hospitality like friends. He explains how the exotic dishes on offer are made up of Omani specialties and the culinary influences of Zanzibar and India. Those who opt for the sharing plate concept embark on an exciting culinary journey: from oven-roasted labneh to spicy samosas with mint-coriander chutney and traditional mishkak meat skewers - a veritable firework of oriental flavors! If you still have room in your stomach, you should definitely try the incense date cake afterwards. The St. Regis Al Mouj also proves itself to be a culinary lifestyle hotspot in the days that follow. A total of nine restaurants for just 250 rooms - an impressive selection. Some of them have been outsourced to international culinary brands, as has long been customary in the UAE.

Many of them have a "back door access" so that out-of-town guests do not have to walk through the lobby: such as the Michelin-starred Cantonese restaurant Hakkasan, the fine Italian Roberto's with its fresh fish bar and speakeasy, the Lebanese Em Sherif and the casual, Latin American COYA bar, where house guests, locals and expats sip pisco sours in the evening and chill out on the air-conditioned terrace. All of these internationally renowned brands enjoy pioneer status in Oman. With Zorba, the country now also has its first Greek specialty restaurant - a concept that already enjoys cult status thanks to the masterful family recipes of Greek chef Thanos Chatziefthymiou.

From the sea to the mountains

As varied as life in the resort is, the region in the north of Oman also has a lot more to offer. An insider tip is a boat trip from the Al Mouj marina, just five minutes away, to the Daymaniyat Islands - a paradisiacal archipelago with nine uninhabited islands that can be reached in around 50 minutes. As a protected nature reserve, the number of visitors is subject to strict regulations in order to preserve the sensitive flora and fauna. The real highlight? A snorkeling trip to a spot known as "Turtle Town", where countless hawksbill turtles glide serenely through the azure lagoon - an absolutely fascinating experience! "The Daymaniyat Islands are the Maldives of Oman," promised St. Regis Beach Attendant Eric - and he was right!

The Hajar Mountains, including a detour to the fortress of Nizwa, are also within easy reach on a day trip and a must-do that is professionally organized by the St. Regis concierge. Guide Mohamed, a passionate amateur historian, shares the most exciting episodes of Omani history with his guests and drives them to all the iconic places that can be reached from Muscat in a single day. "Oman is one of the safest countries in the world," he emphasizes time and again. So it's understandable that two million expats out of a total population of five million also feel very much at home here. After returning to the glamorous hub of the St. Regis Al Mouj, you are immediately pampered further: for example with an "Imperial relaxing massage" in Oman's first Guerlain spa, a cave-like oasis of well-being with eleven treatment rooms, a fragrance bar and hammam. Or a workout in the ultra-modern, gender-segregated gym, which houses the largest and best-equipped Pilates training room I have ever seen in a luxury resort.

Sundowner, sabrage and sushi

If you are lucky enough to be staying in one of the higher Seaview suites, you should have a sundowner served by the St. Regis butler on your own terrace at sunset. Here you can enjoy the view of the evening light spectacle in complete privacy. Particularly beautiful: the Pearl Suite with a wrap-around balcony or the Royal Suite with 180-degree panoramic views and stately private pools and whirlpools. Others may want to watch the St. Regis Sabrage ritual in the early evening, where the opening of a champagne bottle is celebrated with a sabre inside the Stage Bar. As beautifully designed as this cigar bar is, for the olfactory senses a longer stay here is only attractive for passionate admirers of fat Havanas. It's better to head to the terrace and try the original St. Regis Bloody Mary from the King Cole Bar in New York or sample tasty comfort food such as the sensational sushi rolls from sushi chef Shanty Cristina Sibarani, which - we promise - you won't be able to get enough of. Conclusion: The resort seamlessly combines cosmopolitan lifestyle and luxury with Arabian hospitality, making your stay a sensual journey of discovery that I will remember for a long time to come.