A weekend break with the InterContinental Group
We stayed at an Express Holiday Inn sited on the ring road, convenient to the Metro, bus routes and many cafes and restaurants. Because it was Paris, and there was lots to see and to do, we had no cause to opt for luxurious lodgings in which to lounge. The Express provided for all basic accommodation needs, was comfortable and clean. We weren't looking for a health spa, a beach, or a swimming pool, although Reception hosted a small bar.
Holiday Inn belongs to the InterContinental Hotels Group, at the lower end of the scale of prestige and cost (comfortable yet informal). The Crowne Plaza Hotels represent the middle of the scale (contemporary and stylish) whilst the InterContinental Hotels, of which Oman has two, cater for those with the wealth and expectations of five star service (a luxurious experience). Even so, our Express Holiday Inn met three star requirements, even if it is reckoned as the 'value-conscious choice'.
The brochure in our room, from which I took those descriptions, outlined Weekend Breaks which could be taken throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa. I was curious as to how you could take a weekend break in the Middle East, flying from Europe, so I turned to the relevant page.
The Zawawi Mosque in Al Khuwair was featured as the main background illustration, but with no attribution, and an inset map showed the 30 or so locations in the Middle East where you could find an InterContinental hotel. There's also a list of things to see and to do.
In Jordan, you could visit Petra. In Saudi Arabia, you could visit souks and markets, although, would you seriously consider Saudi Arabia as a weekend destination? The UAE has its Gold Souk, fine beaches and camel racing. But what could you do on a weekend in Oman? The brochure suggested the Oman National Museum.
I was a bit puzzled by this, since I wasn't aware of the Oman National Museum. Back at my desk in UK, I found the museum page on the Ministry of Information website. There's the Omani Museum in Medinat Al Alam (Information City), and the National Museum somewhere in Ruwi. Opening hours are restricted to the mornings.
Would I really want to come all the way to Muscat for a weekend, to visit two small museums? What about the Grand Mosque in Al Ghubrah, or Muttrah Souq, which you could conceivably visit on a stopover in UAE?
The person who put together the attractive looking brochure using the concept of the Weekend Break, had really been given the task of advertising the InterContinental Group. It might have been nice if he or she had done more thorough research on the destinations to produce a more realistic interpretation of the 'Short Break'. Then again, was that really his or her fault? Did anybody more senior and more knowledgeable in the InterContinental Group take the time to review the proofs?
Perhaps people reading the brochure in Express Holiday Inns aren't expected to have wider travel horizons. And that's the chance the brochure editor(s) took.
Comments
muscati wrote:
Phillip Stallwood wrote:
There are a number of smaller, cheaper hotels available in Oman. It is, however, often difficult to find out about them from afar and I would suggest that the Ministry of Tourism (and the hotels concerned) do more by way of advertising.
It is worth mentioning that whilst the Intercontinental Hotel Muscat and the Al Bustan Palace Hotel (the other "Intercontinental" in Oman) are both 5 star there is a significant difference in price between the two, with the Intercontinental Hotel being the cheaper.
There are other notable 5 star hotels here in Oman, namely the Chedi Muscat and the Grand Hyatt Muscat. At present the Chedi is at 100% occupancy. We also have a new Shangri-La Hotel where the rates are reasonable, mainly due to the fact that their current occupancy rate is only around 30 - 35%. My advice is to stay at either the Chedi or the Intercontinental Hotel Muscat - as a resident here for the last 13 years they are my favourites.
The Radisson SAS Muscat is a good 4 star hotel, and I can recommend "Cool B&B" for those on a low budget - excellent rooms for around RO 15-20 per night including breakfast. Email me a phillip.stallwood@gmail.com for further details.
We stayed in the Holiday Inn Express that's located by the Place D'Italie last time we were in Paris two years ago. It's a bit out of the way, especially when you're coming back to sleep late at night on the Metro after a full day exploring Paris on foot. But considering how expensive hotels are in Paris, even this out of the way 2 star hotel was about 70 Euros a night. It was just fine. And it's just the kind of hotel that Oman needs. 5 star hotels are all well and good, but there's a desperate need for quality 2, 3 and 4 star hotels for the not so afluent tourists.