Review: The St. Regis Al Mouj Muscat Resort

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Introduction

Planning my trip to Muscat, I was excited to learn that the St. Regis would open in June 2024, just a few months before my visit. I decided to book part of my stay here to experience Marriott Bonvoy’s newest upscale resort in Oman’s capital.

The St. Regis Al Mouj Muscat Resort is located in a newly developed area in Muscat. It sits along the coastline, with an expansive private beachfront spanning 360 meters. It’s also next door to a St. Regis Residence.

The resort is situated just 8 kilometers from Muscat Internation Airport. It’s also minutes away from Al Mouj Marina, restaurants, cafes, shops and a nearby golf course. It’s over 30 kilometres away from Muscat’s old town and tourist sites like Muttrah Souq and Corniche.

Related posts from this trip:

 Review: Waldorf Astoria Kuwait

Guide: Discovering the Breathtaking Landscapes of Salalah, Oman

Review: Crowne Plaza Salalah Resort

Oman Air Business Class 737 Max 8 from Salalah to Muscat

St. Regis Al Mouj Muscat Resort – Booking

With dynamic pricing, you can book a stay at the St. Regis Al Mouj Muscat Resort by redeeming a 50K or even a 35K Marriott Bonvoy Free Night Award (FNA) certificate. Initially, I redeemed my 50K FNA certificates, topping up with points. The first-night cost 55,000 points, and the second night was priced at 56,000 points. However, closer to my stay, the point price dropped to 45,000 points per night. I took advantage of this price drop and re-booked at the lower rate.

For the third night, I booked a paid stay using a corporate rate of 99 OMR. The standard rate for Deluxe room for my date was 200 OMR per night. While it would’ve been better value to pay the corporate cash rate for the entire stay, I chose to use my 50K FNA certificates for part it to avoid losing them to expiry.

St. Regis Al Mouj Muscat Resort – Arrival and check-in

We took an Otaxi from the airport and as we entered the Al Mouj community, I noticed all the construction in the newly developed area. We arrived at the St. Regis Al Mouj Muscat Resort in no time and porters quickly took care of our luggage. The resort’s exterior was designed to complement its waterfront location. It had a massive yacht style architecture, with curves evoking an ocean’s lapping waves.

At check-in, we were greeted with refreshing towels and half glasses of a fruity cinnamon drink. The front desk associate requested to see my corporate I.D. for one night. I booked with a corporate rate, and I happily obliged.

Recognizing my Titanium elite status, the associate inquired whether I preferred the points or breakfast benefit. I chose breakfast, and to my surprise, he handed me a piece of paper to confirm my choice. He also asked if we were interested in late check-out and informed us about our room upgrade before handing us our keys to our suite, 201.

The lobby’s interior had two curved staircases leading to the first floor with a grand piano in the centre. In the evenings, they sometimes had live performances with an artist playing the piano or other instruments. Past the lobby was The Lounge with both indoor and outdoor seating, leading to the resort’s pools and beach.

St. Regis Al Mouj Muscat Resort – Caroline Astor Suite

Stepping into the suite, I was impressed by the sheer size of it. It was huge! A long hallway with decorative shelving led to the powder room. Further in, we were welcomed into a spacious, contemporary living room that opened onto a balcony. The suite’s soothing colour palette of beige and grey, accented with a touch of blue beautifully reflected its waterfront location.

Soon after our arrival, they brought out a welcome amenity of Arabic sweets and a bowl of fresh fruit. I decided to make use of the St. Regis butler beverage service and requested tea and coffee. They informed me that this service is only offered in the morning, but they would make an exception for me. I found it was a bit unusual that it was limited to the morning especially since many resort guests may want coffee throughout the day.

The living room had two sliding doors that opened up to a large bedroom, which had its own balcony. The bedroom offered more seating, with a corner sectional near the king-sized bed. I loved the decorative butterflies above the headboard. Next to the bed were controls for blackout curtains, lighting, a “do not disturb” button and several electrical outlets, including a USB-C port.

The spacious closet contained a safe hairdryer, plush slippers and bathrobes. Facing it was a small desk with an ottoman. This desk featured a flap that opened up with a mirror and electrical outlets, including dual voltage. It was convenient for blow-drying hair or applying makeup.

The bathroom was equally luxurious, with a double sink, a soaking tub, a rain shower and a separate toilet section with a bidet. Premium bath products included:

– Olas toothbrush

– Mini Olas toothpaste

– Shaving kit

– Cotton buds and rounds

– Vanity kit

– Natural loofah

– Cleansing bar

– Bath salts

– Ren facial wash and hand soap

– Only one mouthwash

Overall, the suite was a modern oasis, and I didn’t want to leave! Having said that, there were a few drawbacks. One major annoyance was the ceiling had a flashing red light above the bed, which disturbed my sleep.

Due to the horizontal, curvy design of the hotel, many of the balconies opened up to each other, compromising privacy. Our balcony offered a partial view of the pool and beach, but also overlooked neighbouring balconies. I was relieved we weren’t in the Jacob Astor suite, where the bedroom balcony faces directly into other balconies, with zero privacy.

On the first morning of our stay, they unexpectedly knocked on our door in the afternoon to perform the mini bar check. I was perplexed as they could’ve performed this check during housekeeping or during turndown service. Speaking of which, they never left any treats behind, which was surprising for an upscale property.

St. Regis Al Mouj Muscat Resort – Breakfast

We started off our mornings by enjoying breakfast at Karibu, where the buffet spread was both extensive and impressive. This included a variety of fresh fruits, and one staff member even made rounds offering fresh baby bananas from the resort’s own farm.

The bakery section had an enticing selection of pastries, samosas, cheese Burak, kibbeh, freshly baked spinach, cheese and zaatar (thyme) pies, and an assortment of bread from pita to baguettes. The drinks station offered fresh coconuts and a selection of fresh juices. There was also a spread of cheeses, salamis, olives, yogurt, veggies, jams, and more.

They also offered an à la carte menu, where you could order eggs cooked to your preference, along with other dishes like waffles, pancakes, French toast and Omani egg pita. A hot food station offered beef bacon, chicken sausage, hash browns, and quesadillas.

Although the service could be a bit slow when it came to ordering beverages or from the à la carte items, one incident stood out. On our final morning, as we were approaching the restaurant, the hostess hurried over to tell us it was full and suggested we have breakfast at Zorba instead.

It was really strange, and I had no idea why she felt the need to run to us in the hallway instead of waiting until we arrived at the restaurant. We assured her that we weren’t in a rush and can wait. She seated us at The Lounge, but shortly after, I noticed that another hostess had let in a family of five and that there were some empty tables. So, I approached her, and she had no problem seating us. This incident left me with a sour impression and made me glad it was our last morning having breakfast at Karibu.

St. Regis Al Mouj Muscat Resort – Dining Galore

The one thing that stands out about this resort is its extensive array of the dining options. With nine venues, including a café and a bar, there’s something to suit every taste. The Stage Bar & Lounge offers drinks and a cigar lounge. While The Lounge is the place to experience afternoon tea or freshly baked pastries. We visited The Lounge a couple of times during our stay and it seemed to attract a lot of the locals.

The resort’s restaurants include:

• Novikov Café: Mediterranean Brasserie
• Zorba: Greek cuisine, open for breakfast, lunch and dinner
• Karibu: besides its breakfast buffet, it’s open for dinner, serving Omani cuisine with influences from Zanzibar and India
• Roberto’s: fine dining experience serving Italian cuisine
• Coya: Latin American cuisine, serving Peruvian dishes for dinner and lunch on weekends (Fridays and Saturdays)
• Hakkasan: Cantonese dishes, open for dinner

On one evening, we decided to try Em Sherif. It’s a Lebanese restaurant serving Levantine dishes, such as mezze, kebabs and other specialities. I had made a reservation via the Butler Service and we arrived for their dinner opening time of 6:30 p.m.

The hostess couldn’t find our reservation, but because they weren’t busy yet, they were able to accommodate us. We started off with refreshing mint lemonade drinks, followed by ordering from the cold and hot mezze menu and also shared a shawarma plate. The food was delicious, with the muhammara (red pepper dip) and the makanek sausages (not pictured) standing out as highlights.

While the food was delightful, I can’t say the same when it came to the service. After taking our order, our server disappeared and never checked in to see if we were enjoying our meal or needed anything. The other staff stood by the tables, looking bored. They would rush to remove an empty plate the moment we finished, making us feel like we were being watched rather than served. The overall experience felt impersonal and lacklustre.

St. Regis Al Mouj Muscat Resort – Facilities

The resort offers two fitness centres, one for women and another mixed gym. Both are fully equipped with cardio machines and free weights. Guests can also book reformer Pilates classes or hire a personal trainer for a fee.

When entering the gym, you’ll need to sign in and then you’ll be offered a towel and a bottle of water. They also had a relaxation area and offered complimentary apples and oranges as snacks. If you want to have a hammam experience or other treatment, this resort features a Guerlain Spa with 11 treatment rooms.

On the main level, past The Lounge, patio doors lead to two swimming pools, one for adults and one for children, equipped with lounge chairs and cabanas. Beyond the pool lies the beach.

One aspect that I didn’t like was that to reach the resort grounds, you had to pass through The Lounge. This means you had to walk through the area, which may be awkward especially if you’re in your swimwear as people lounged there and sipped their coffee. It’s odd that they don’t have a separate direct entrance and exit to the pools and beach.

I also wasn’t that impressed with the beach and found the one at the Crowne Plaza Salalah Resort to be better. The sand wasn’t as soft and the water wasn’t as pristine. On the plus side, I liked that they had a station with sunscreen and tanning oil. They also provided complimentary mocktails and a bucket of ice with bottles of water, which was a thoughtful touch.

For families, The Adventure Hub has a variety of activities for the little ones, including arts and crafts and outdoor games.

Takeaway

The St. Regis Al Mouj Muscat Resort has a lot to offer. From its signature St. Regis Butler Service, to its private beach and diverse dining options. I appreciated the strong status recognition and the spaciousness and amenities of the Caroline Astor suite.

However, there are areas where the service could be improved, particularly with the breakfast experience and the frustratingly slow check-out process. Despite these shortcomings, I’m willing to overlook them, given the resort was still relatively new at the time of my visit. While the location isn’t central, this resort is worth considering if you’re looking for a luxurious and relaxing escape.