Thursday 25 / April / 2024
Millennium Resort Mussanah, set on an out-of-the way stretch of sand about an hour north of Muscat, is not a tranquil retreat. This is not the hotel you book when you want to spend a weekend cloistered in your sleekly styled room, emerging only for meals and perhaps a spa treatment. The Millennium Resort is a destination for those who want to play.
Set on a million square feet of land, this resort has only just begun to realise its potential. The sprawling facilities include a marina from which dive boats set off for the Daymaniyat Islands and jet-skis await their next rider; a new paramotoring area; a miniature golf course; a families-only pool, main pool, and two adult-only pools; and a world-class spa unexpectedly tucked away on the second floor of a plain-faced building.
The rooms aren’t much to look at, though those marina-side have a pleasant view. But, forget all that, because you aren’t here for the accommodations. When you stay at this resort, your goal should be to get downstairs for breakfast and then outside to enjoy the recreation, as fast as possible.
The options abound. For parents, the Kid’s Club and daily activities like sandcastle making competitions and treasure hunts, mean an hour or two of blessedly quite personal time to soak in the sun at the beach-front adult’s infinity pool, or to head to the newly renovated, state-of-the-art spa for a couple’s massage or facial.
With an incredible resident’s rate, and many of the activities, from aqua-aerobics to treasure hunts to the Friday night DJ pool party, included in that rate, you’ll have plenty of funds left over to splurge on that spa treatment or on a round of water sports. And if there is something in particular you’d like to indulge in, chances are, the hotel can make it happen. If you fancy a romantic dinner on the beach. Just ask. If you want private dive lessons. Just say the word. Sunset cruise? They can make it happen.
The relatively new hotel management has a vision for the future of this property, with a bounty of new activities on the horizon and a five-star mentality of “never-say-no.” This is a hotel that wants to be better, that wants to be fun, that wants to be the answer to that ever-recurring question, “What are we doing this weekend?” And with a current resident rate of OMR39 per night, including breakfast and dinner for two, they’ve certainly become my go-to answer
Thursday
6:00pm : Have your bags packed, and hit the road directly after the office.
7:30pm : Check-in at Millennium Hotel, drop your bags in your room and head to Mydan for dinner (Currently Thursday’s are East Asian night and Friday’s are BBQ).
8:30pm : Change into your swimsuit and head for the pool. Yep. The property keeps the pool open late-night, with refreshments served until 11pm on Thursdays. Cool off with a swim and a cold beverage to wind-down before bed.
Friday
7:00am : You got to bed early enough, so get up and get down to breakfast early.
8:00am : Snag yourself a beach-facing lounge by the adult’s only infinity pool and take a few laps before doing some serious sunbathing.
11:00am : Throw on some shorts and head over to the tennis courts or the miniature golf course to work up an appetite for lunch.
1:00pm : Take a break from sunning and go to Azure for a refreshing salad or a massive, juicy hamburger served at breezy tables overlooking the sea.
2:00pm : Trade your poolside lounge for a beach lounge and spend the rest of the afternoon napping, sunning, and swimming in the gentle waves.
5:00pm : Get back into action. Take advantage of one of the free pool classes, like introduction to scuba diving or water aerobics.
6:00pm : Towel off and walk past the marina to your pre-booked sunset para-motoring appointment (available between five and seven for OMR20). The ten-minute “flying go-cart” experience is a great opportunity to take amazing areal shots of the resort and to snap the ultimate airborne selfie.
6:30pm : Freshen up back in your room and then head down for dinner.
8:00pm : Go back to the pool where the DJ will spin tracks between the live band’s sets, while couples, friends, and groups of families relax in lounge seating area sipping cocktails or splashing along to the music from inside the pool. It’s a lively place to spend the evening under swaying palms.
Saturday
9:00am: Sleep in after your night of poolside revelry, but don’t miss breakfast, which runs until 10:30am.
10:00am: As you walk around the property in preparation for your spa treatment, stop to watch the sand castle competitions and the kids playing football and bouncing on trampolines.
10:30am: Arrive at the spa for a massage or one of the exclusive skin care treatments.
11:30am: After your treatment, prolong your Zen mood with a cool tropical drink poolside, or use up the last of your energy renting a jet ski or banana boat ride for a final surge of adrenaline pre-check-out.
12:00pm: Check-out and head back to Muscat. On the way, try to figure out what you’d like to do next visit. Perhaps a free scuba diving lesson in the pool followed by a beginner’s course out on the water. Perhaps a kid-free romantic beach dinner and couple’s spa weekend. Perhaps a girl’s fitness weekend of outdoor Zumba, tennis, paddle boarding, and detoxifying spa treatments. The hour-long drive should give you plenty of time to plan next weekend’s adventure. —[email protected]
Millennium Resort Mussanah
+968 2687 1519
[email protected]
millenniumhotels.com
RESIDENT SPECIAL
(Running through September 30th, 2016)
Deluxe Room with breakfast and dinner for two at Mydan starting at OMR39
