The Al Bustan Palace has opulence to match anything you will find elsewhere in the gulf and is one of Oman’s most famous luxury hotels. Occupying some 200 acres of beachfront around 30km east of Muscat, it is operated by the high-end hotel group, Ritz-Carlton and has great facilities making it a wonderful base for all ages. These include a kids club, multiple dining options, a private beach and no less than five outdoor swimming pools. The 250 rooms and suites are, as you would expect, spacious and well-equipped and offer views either out to sea, of the resort’s manmade lagoon or of the Al Hajar mountains.