Friday 19 / April / 2024
Fall is finally here with cooler weather that is ideal for a day — or a night — at the beach. Officially when the season for leisurely swims in the sea, crackling barbecues, and evenings spent watching the moonlight reflect off of the waves, it is also an apt time for the introduction of the newest beach camping option in Oman — The Al Bustan Palace Canvas Club package.
Set on a quiet stretch of the Al Bustan Palace private beach is possibly the most romantic room in Muscat. The property’s newest “room”, is actually a luxury tent created by the German men of the international Canvas Club, that is equipped with power, lights, a fan, and a plush, real bed from which you can open your eyes and see nothing but sand stretching out to the azure of the bay. The private “campsite” also features a washroom tent, complete with a lux shower, sink, and toilet, as well as an outdoor majlis.
**media[536278]**
The Al Bustan camping experience is a room upgrade, which means that when you check in, you will receive a room key to a hotel room, along with a flashlight for trekking out to your campsite at night, and a cellphone with the direct numbers of the hotel staff, should you need anything, like room service, while you are in your tent. It is a particularly great option for visitors who are staying for a longer period of time, and want to have an outdoorsy experience without travelling too far from the comforts of a five-star hotel. Once at your remote (but not too remote) area of the beach, the tent offers just enough comfort to make you want to stay and luxuriate inside, but not so much that you feel you are in a mobile hotel suite, which would lessen the glamping experience. The bed, which faces the sea-facing door of the tent, is plush and comfortable with a real mattress made up with real linens in a royal, gold-embroidered red. The bed, for me, is the most important element in distinguishing glamping from standard sleeping-bag-on-the-ground camping.
**media[536280]**
Surrounded by lanterns, which the staff light in the evening, the canvas dome has a woven mat floor, strewn with soft, silk rugs, throw pillows, and local touches like mandoos trunks, large incense burners, and small wooden boxes, all of which make it feel like the king’s quarters on an ancient caravan route. There is also a dog-eared copy of the famous travelogue, Arabian Sands, on the nightstand to help get you in the adventurer’s mood. Beyond that, there are solar powered plugs, an LED light, and a fan. Practically speaking, it is exactly what you need for an overnight trip, and not too much more. There is no television or clock or radio, which is for the better, as this is a place to disconnect (though I would have loved a hot pot or coffee maker in the room). The washroom tent sits a few metres away from the main tent, and is a clever, and equally utilitarian structure, featuring a wooden floor surrounded by canvas walls that open to the sky. Inside there is a very nice stand-up shower, a sink (with toiletries, of course), as well as a small chemical toilet.
**media[536279]**
The most enjoyable area of the camp (aside from the plushy bed-with-a-view) is the shaded majlis, made of traditional red Omani textiles, which offers uninhibited views of the sea and the picturesque village of Al Bustan. It is the ultimate place to lounge and while-away the morning or evening hours, and even comes complete with a backgammon set. There is an additional fee to enjoy private breakfast on the beach or a live beach barbecue set-up, and for the ultimate romantic getaway, it is well worth the splurge to stay cloistered in your encampment for a night and day. However, the spectacular seafood of Beach Pavilion is only a pleasant stroll down the beach away, as are the casual Blu and Al Khiran Terrace restaurants. The most surprising thing about the Bustan camping experience is the authentic feel, despite all the cushy amenities. This may be primarily, thanks to the fact that the site is perfectly positioned a good ten-minute walk from the dining outlets and about a five-minute walk to the manicured beach set with loungers and water sports equipment. It is far enough away that you feel a sense of being removed from the hustle of people, surrounded by nothing but the natural sounds of bird, wave, and wind.
Thanks to a well-placed sand berm, the views almost exclusively feature natural beach and shoreline, distant cliffs, the fishing village, and, in the morning time, the dance of fishermen casting their nets. It is quiet. It is comfortable.It feels a million miles away, yet requires nothing aside from your arrival.
— [email protected]
Reserve Your Beachfront Glampsite Al Bustan Palace - A Ritz-Carlton Hotel
+968 2476 4205
[email protected]
Canvas Club Upgrade
OMR100 supplement from any room category or Junior Suite, or OMR50 net supplement from an Executive or Presidential Suite. Inclusive of overnight in the tent, turndown service, and breakfast at Al Khiran Terrace.
Private Dining Options
Arabic Traditional Charcoal-Grilled Dinner, OMR205 net for two, including soft beverages. Beachfront breakfast, OMR35 net for two.
