Ten Reasons Why You Should Stay in Shangri La Barr Al Jissah Resort and Spa – Al Husn.

“There are great resorts then there’s Shangri-La.” that was what a client of mine told me when I was still working as a travel agent in Dubai while arranging his holiday package. I couldn’t agree more on his statement as Shangri La has always been a key-player in the travel industry known to provide luxurious holiday experiences with great customer service. One of the major properties of Shangri La that I have sold numerous room nights for was their property in Oman.

Oman has been one of the key destinations from Dubai for our clients seeking for a little bit of R&R. Being only an hour’s flight away, Muscat is always the first destination one would ask from me for a weekend getaway. I’ve never been to Muscat myself however, having sold numerous holiday packages to Muscat – I felt like I already knew the place by heart and if there’s one thing that one should know when traveling to Muscat it is that you’ve got to stay in Shangri La Barr Al Jissah Resort.

Shangri La Barr Al Jissah Resort is that one place where any kinds of travelers would fit in – families, couples or even friends traveling together – the resort will have something for them. It’s one of the properties that I am most comfortable of selling as a travel agent since nobody ever gets back from a holiday from there with a complaint. Even the nastiest and the most demanding clients that one can ever have, will have a great time and would never bother you with a complaint afterwards.

When I received an invitation from Shangri La Barr Al Jissah for a weekend stay at their property my first thought was ” You have got to be kidding me!”. It is an honor to be invited by a Shangri La property which we all know is all about luxury but a greater honor it is for me that it came from Barr Al Jissah itself.

I’ll put my travel agent hat on, the things listed on this blog post are the selling points that I would always tell my clients to convince them to book a holiday in Shangri La Barr al Jissah Resort. When I had my meeting with Shangri La’s representative – I tested my knowledge of the resort to see if I can still remember it. I did which saved Shangri La’s rep from doing her marketing spill on me. :p

1. It’s comprised of three resorts in one property.

There are actually three resorts inside Shangri La Barr Al Jissah’s compound – Al Waha, Al Bandar and Al Husn. Al Waha is the family-friendly resort, it is also the least expensive from all three. Al Bandar which literally translates to “The Town” is the resort which is still family-friendly but a bit more upscale compared to Al Waha. The rooms in Al Bandar are all sea-facing as well. Al Waha and Al Bandar guests can access both resort’s facilities. Last but absolutely not the least, is Al Husn which is the most luxurious among all the three. Al Husn is an adult-only zone* with its own private beach and pool. As an Al Husn guest, you will have access to all the resorts in the property but Al Waha and Al Bandar guests will not have access to Al Husn’s private beach and pool. Whichever resort you choose to stay in though, you’re sure to get the same high standard of customer service.

* I was advised that Al Husn is no longer strictly an adult-only zone as some clients who have stayed in Al Husn before for their honeymoon still prefers to stay in the same resort even now that they have their children with them. While we were there though, all of the guests were adults. 

2. Dramatic landscape.

Surrounded by a range of mountains and the turquoise Oman sea in front of you, the landscape in Shangri La Barr Al Jissah is absolutely stunning and would take your breathe away. We arrived at the resort late in the evening so we could only hear the gentle waves of the sea and see the silhouette of the mountains around us when we went out of our room’s balcony that night. When I opened my eyes the next day, I immediately got out of bed which I don’t normally do as I usually prefer to lay a bit longer specially if it’s the weekend. There’s no wasting time in Shangri La Barr Al Jissah though as you would want to make the most out of enjoying the beauty surrounding you as soon as possible.

3. Private Beach.

Being the only resort in this cove, Shangri La Barr Al Jissah offers a 1KM beach only for their guests. That’s only the main beach though as there’s a separate private beach solely for Al Husn guests.

4. Pools.

Three pools for three different resorts which you can all access (if you’re an Al Husn guest, 2 pools that you can access if you’re an Al Bandar or Al Waha guest), how can it not make you want to spend your much-needed holiday in Shangri La Barr Al Jissah? There’s also the lazy river that you can enjoy, The Greek Mister wasn’t a big fan of it though as he couldn’t fit in the buoy. :p

5. A myriad of choices to satisfy your hunger.

With 21 food and beverage outlets in the resort offering different kinds of cuisine and dining experiences, you definitely won’t run out of choices during your weekend stay.

6. Chi The Spa

The secluded Chi, The Spa in Shangri La Barr Al Jissah allows you to enjoy a private and luxurious spa treatments in one of their villas. The spa itself is like a world on its own, as you walk in the grounds of Chi surrounded by lush greenery – you’d think that you’re in a different resort.

7. Late breakfast.

Don’t you just love having a late breakfast while you’re on a holiday? Shangri La Barr Al Jissah definitely knows this and serves breakfast until 11 in the morning. In Al Husn, the main breakfast meals are also served straight from the kitchen which is what we prefer more than a buffet. Also, the breakfast options are extensive – I had a Japanese and Chinese breakfast while there. :p

8. Complimentary Mini Bar.

As an Al Husn guest, the mini bar in your room is already included in the price and replenished daily. We spent most of our late nights in our balcony enjoying the beverages in our mini bar.

9. Complimentary afternoon high tea.

Afternoon tea is provided in complimentary basis as well for Al Husn guests daily from 3:45 to 4:45 in the afternoon. We weren’t able to enjoy this though as we were at the spa having a massage during that time. :p

10. Complimentary pre-dinner drinks.

At 6pm, pre-dinner drinks are served at the lobby daily until 7pm for Al Husn guests. Do not underestimate their cocktail drinks as they don’t skimp on the alcohol, they do take their cocktails quite seriously and would not let their guests have a cheaper version of it.

Those are just some of the things that makes Shangri La Barr Al Jissah a perfect holiday destination resort. Reading about it and seeing photos of it is entirely different from actually experiencing it. While I may sound like an expert when talking about this resort to my clients during my travel agent days, being there totally left me in awe. It’s like, I never really knew the resort until I have actually experienced it myself. This resort completely characterizes the word “Shangri La”, a place of unimaginable beauty where life approaches perfection.

Related Blog Posts:
Oman | Shangri La Barr Al Jissah Resort and Spa – Al Husn, The Lobby.
Oman | Shangri La Barr Al Jissah Resort and Spa – Al Husn, The Room.
Oman | Shangri La Barr Al Jissah Resort and Spa – Al Husn, The Breakfast.
Oman | Shangri La Barr Al Jissah Resort and Spa – Al Husn, The Private Pool and Beach.
Oman | Shangri La Barr Al Jissah Resort and Spa – Al Husn | Chi, The Spa