With one of the best locations in Oman on a cliff-top overlooking the Gulf of Oman, the Crowne Plaza Muscat caters for both leisure and business guests to the Sultanate.
Although, the hotel's primary target is the business traveller with 65 per cent of its guests coming from this sector, its sales and marketing director Naji Abi Farah says the Crowne Plaza's beachfront location also makes it an ideal destination for tourists to spend their vacation. The "resort in the heart of the city" is ideally structured in the prestigious Qurum Heights, with all the sports facilities in the Cliff Club (gymnasia) and green gardens around the pool area overlooking the beach. The 208-room hotel offers modern meetings facilities for up to 800 delegates and 16 business rooms with office space and up to date facilities like ISDN connection to the Internet, fax machine in the room, tea/office facilities and a big office table. The hotel offers extensive business services and several dining and entertainment options including Shiraz, the only Persian restaurant in Muscat. The Crowne Plaza Muscat is also part of the worldwide Crowne Plaza Meeting Success programme which is designed to help meeting planners host meetings successfully. The programme which is available at 140 Crowne Plaza properties worldwide "realises the individual needs of each planner and offers unique and special program choices to assure customer satisfaction". Abi Farah said that while the hotel took a big hit after the September 11 attacks in the US when "about 7,500 rooms disappeared from our books", business has slowly begun picking up from January this year. He expressed optimism over the government's efforts encourage visitors to Oman, particularly with new visa regulations which allow visa on arrival for tourists from 32 countries and the visa agreement with Dubai. Abi Farah said the changes had "increased back to back tour series and groups coming to Muscat". The hotel is doing its own bit to encourage intra GCC traffic by offering a special package valid for GCC residents only besides a range of weekend and meetings promotions.