birthday

STAYCATION EXPERIENCE AT HILTON GARDEN INN DURING RAMADAN & LOCKDOWN

June 15, 2021 by Little Miss Honey

Since staycations has been our official way of celebrating birthdays in our family, we booked ahead for our sons’ birthdays. Last May, we booked a stay at Hilton Garden Inn for our 3rd son’s 3rd birthday. We, however, didn’t anticipate that there will be a lockdown plus it coincided with Ramadan time. We planned to drop by Philippines Embassy for some transactions but we learned they are closed! Lesson learned that we should have checked the schedule first before dropping by. We also dropped by Oman Avenues Mall to learn that all commercial establishments were all closed. Oppss! We just bought take out from Jollibee before heading to the hotel. We couldn’t eat in the restaurant or even in our car because it was Ramadan. Out of respect for our Muslim brothers and sisters, we should not eat in public until sundown. This practice is not new to me because I experienced that too when I was studying in Saudi Arabia that we should be mindful not to eat in public before sundown even chewing gum is prohibited.

We, then, headed to Hilton Garden Inn which is strategically located in Al Khuwair. It just nearby Jollibee and Oman Avenues Mall.

We were greeted by a nice friendly Filipina hotel receptionist, Ms. Janet. She helped us with the checked in. Check in was swift and easy. We were informed that the pool in the top floor is closed because of the pandemic restrictions. We got the King Connecting Family Room. We was basically two rooms with one King bed in one room and two single beds in the other when our two older sons will sleep in, with a connecting door to both rooms. We got the room at 34 Omani rials without breakfast included.

The design of the rooms are pretty much basic hotel decor with lots of beige colour. The view from our room is the street with a nice little garden park and a playground below. I like best is the lighting streaming inside our rooms.

The bathroom has a bathtub which the kids are happy about. No pool? No problem, as long as there is a bathtub, they are happy. Also their toiletries are from Crabtree and Evelyn which smells divine and feels luxurious on the skin.

Once we settled down, we prepared Zeke’s birthday cake and our Jollibee lunch. We bought again at Isfahan Sweets for birthday cake. We got the Honey cake again which is the same cake we bought for my birthday.

We rested a bit and watched a bit of TV. Since there is no malls open or the pool is not open for swimming, we headed down to the playground for the kids to play. The kids enjoyed playing at the free public playground which my husband and I relaxed at the nice garden park. There were a few people jogging around and some using the public exercise installations at the park.

Since the lockdown was imposed at 7:00 PM, we ordered delivery via Talabat using their easy-to-use app. We choose Yellow Cab for dinner time and the delivery was fuss-free and punctual. We got our food from the Talabat delivery guy and headed up to our room.

We had a very filling dinner. We enjoyed the rest of the night in our hotel room.

In the morning, we woke up a little late. We, again, ordered our brunch via Talabat. We choose Chowking for brunch.

We made sure we had a heavy brunch before check out because we will be heading to do grocery before going back home.

REVIEW OF HILTON GARDEN INN

Service: The reception staff were all very nice and we were able to do a quick check in without any hassle. We commend Ms. Janet from receptionist for the wonderful welcome and accommodating us with our needs. There was just a bit of delay when we were asking for some utensils for our room and we need to call housekeeping several times. However, they compensated by providing us with more water for our room and extra toiletries as well.

Cleanliness: The room was clean and the sheets were comfortable. We saw some rooms that placed their bag of trash outside their room, out in the hallway but it was removed immediately afterward when we went outside the room.

Location: The location was perfected located at the heart of the city with lots of restaurant and malls nearby.

Amenities: Too bad we weren’t to access the pool. Even if we weren’t able to access their pool, it was nice to have the park and playground below near the hotel. The lobby was darkly lit but well-designed. There is the usual digital key and wifi is fast.

In conclusion, we plan to book next time a stay in Hilton Garden Inn . We hope that time we can already use their pool. If we ask the kids how they find our staycation, they just happy with the simple birthday of Zeke. Kids just love hotel staycations. We are looking forward to staying at Hilton Garden Inn Muscat again.

Hilton Garden Inn Muscat

Address: OM, Dohat Al Adab St, 118

Phone: 22 515555

A LOVELY STAYCATION AT A LUXURIOUS STUDIO UNIT IN JEBEL SIFAH

December 2, 2020 by Little Miss Honey

When my birthday was coming up last month, my family & I were thinking of how would celebrate my day. I thought of trying something different as the the usual staycations at hotels in Muscat. I have heard of Jebel Sifah from an Omani colleague in my previous workplace. I overheard she said it is a nice place around 45 minutes away from Muscat. I heard it got a beach, swimming pool, hotel and bar in the place. I researched and found the information of the hotel, the Sifawy Boutique Hotel. I was set to call the hotel the next day when a friend of mine sent me a message if I would be interested to rent out a unit for staycation at Jebel Sifah! Talk about coincidence! I saw the rental fee was very affordable and almost half the price of one-day stay in the hotel. I saw also the photos and I loved it. However, I told her that I will call the hotel tomorrow and check out if there are any good hotel discounts & promotions before I decide if we will choose to stay in the hotel or the studio unit.

The day after, I called the hotel. If we booked a hotel room, the total people staying in the hotel room would be 2 adults and 3 kids with one kid above age of 5 so it means we have to pay extra. Since we are being more mindful with our budget, we know we can still enjoy without spending too much. We decided to opt to rent the studio unit instead. Plus it was a recommendation of a trusted friend so I know that I have nothing to worry about. I messaged the owner of the unit through WhatsApp. The transaction was smooth-sailing. The owner was very accommodating and professional. A well-detailed information were provided and I received an agreement form sent to me via email. I sent a downpayment through bank transfer and the rest was to be paid when we got there on the same day.

MY BIRTHDAY

Before 12 midnight, my husband and our 3 kids surprised me with flowers and a handmade card. I was so touched. Nothing melts my heart more than flowers and written notes. I have to hold back my tears with the overflowing gratitude I have been blessed to have these special people in my life.

We, then, went to sleep to prepare for the drive the next day. By 8:30 AM, we left our place with our bags and headed to Muscat. I have previously thought that Jebel Sifah was 40 minutes before Muscat. Boy, I was wrong. My husband researched beforehand, studied the route going to the place and he saw that Jebel Sifah is 40-45 minutes after Muscat. Once we were in Muscat by 11 AM, we had a quick stop to find a cake shop and buy take-out lunch at Filipino fast-food chains, Jollibee & Chowking. We planned to buy cake at the Cake Gallery in Al Khuwair but it was closed. Good thing we found a cake shop nearby, Isfahan Sweets. J chose a cake called the Honey Cake!

We were all set to head over to Jebel Sifah after getting the cake and our lunch.

THE DRIVE

We didn’t realised how far Jebel Sifah is. If we thought Shangri-la Resort was already far, we are in for a really long drive. We already passed Shangri-la Resort and we were still half way there. There were parts of the way where the roads are very narrow and zigzagged. It felt like we passed by several mountains already. J asked me, “Is this place we are going to really nice?” I replied, “I don’t know actually. I just overheard it mentioned by a colleague. I really have no idea.” We are both silently hoping that Jebel Sifah is really worth the drive. Zeke even vomited a bit during the drive, we have to stop to clean him up. I guess he feel nauseous from the zigzag roads. We have reached a small town with lots of hairy goats on the road and thought we maybe really near. There was also a gas station in the town. Our GPS navigation app informed us that we are 15 minutes away from our destination. And finally we arrived in Jebel Sifah.

THE ACCOMMODATION

We entered the Jebel Sifah compound by informing the security of the unit we are going to. The area have blocks of low rise modern architectural apartment buildings with different facade but all with a similar beige and off white clean lines exteriors. There were several villas as well as we drive through. We saw playgrounds and the golf course while the blue green hue of beach can be seen from a far distance. We admired the manicured lawn of the area while seeing a few people walking about with some riding their bikes & scooters. The place was reminiscent of memories as a teenage Third Culture Kid enjoying the amenities in Saudi Aramco compound, a residential and recreational place reserved for employees of the company. It has the very same feel.

Finding the studio apartment was very easy to find with the specific instructions given by the owner. We were greeted by the caretaker of the unit who cleaned and prepared the place before we reached. We gave him the balance of the rent and he handed us the keys. We were instructed that check-out time tomorrow would be 10:30 AM.

We were very impressed with how the place looks like. It is exactly how it looks like in the photos and even better. There is a big 4-poster that gives you a relaxing Bali ambiance kind-of feel. There were towels and toiletries provided, set beautifully on top of the bed. There is wide wooden sofa that can be used as an extra bed. Naj and Howell already claimed that spot for their bed for their night. The aesthetics of the place can easily compete with hotels we have visited. There is a wide screen TV on the wall with a Netflix account for us to enjoy. The wifi is provided for as well. There is bar counter for us to eat our meals indoors.

The unit is fully furnished and almost everything was provided for. The kitchen was equipped with a microwave, refrigerator, water heater, rice cooker, washing machine and dishwashing machine. Plates, glasses, cutleries and mugs are all available in the cupboard. 3-in-1 coffee sachets and bottles of water were also provided.

There is a cabinet with safety deposit box and iron. The bathroom was clean with a good working water heater and a nice wide rain-shower head system.

There is an outdoor patio with a grill if we wanted to do some grilling. It is nice to sit outdoors and just enjoy the beautiful scenery.

We ate our takeout lunch, an array of Filipino fast-foods of burger, fries, sweet & sour chicken, chicken barbecue and rice, in the studio which we enjoyed heartily before we headed out to explore the place.

JEBEL SIFAH

The place can be explored by foot but it is still more convenient if you drive around the car. We found the Sifawy Boutique Hotel and the saw the entrance of the Jebel Sifah Golf Course.

We were told that we can use the pool in the hotel, in the Bank Beach Club and at the pools located near one of the apartment buildings. The kids were excited to have an afternoon swim. They were prepared with their swim clothes and googles. My hubby and I were just happily wading our toes in the pool as we watch our kids enjoying their swim.

After the kids finishing swimming and had a quick change, we explored Jebel Sifah a little bit more. There is a mini mart near the marina which has all of the basic things available like milk, softdrinks, chips, canned goods, frozen products for cooking & grilling, toiletries, toys and many more. We spent some time strolling along the marina. It was a nice atmosphere that felt just so relaxing. The kids saw a few playgrounds that they were eyeing on to explore.

We headed back to the studio apartment for me to blow my birthday cake before the sun will set and ate the cake for our afternoon snack. The cake was very yummy. J chose the perfect cake.

After resting for a bit and digesting that indulgent yummy Honey cake, we headed back near the beach area for our dinner at The Bank Beach Club. We have to park our car in the sandy part of the beach before we walked to the beach club with loud disco music (because it was Friday DJ night) and dim colourful light. There was pool there for people to swim and even it was extremely cold that night, there were 1-2 people swimming under the moonlight. People were in a merry mood with a frenzy vibe in the air.

We ordered a light dinner of a mix of Japanese, Thai and American cuisine. J was happy that he was able to drink some bottles of beer after 8 long months. We hang out there for a couple of hours, just enjoying the music and the cool breeze. We made the kids play at the big wooden playground nearby before calling it a night. It was wonderful way to celebrate my birthday: being with my family, enjoying the nice ambiance of Jebel Sifah and staying in a beautiful studio apartment. I was a great way to start being a year older to take on the world, wiser and stronger

We had a nice comfortable sleep and woke up feeling refreshed for the next day. We had a breakfast of leftover birthday cake with coffee for us adults and milk for the kids. We showered and packed up our stuff. We wrote a note for the owner of the unit. There was a thick blue green notebook left for guests in the table to write in their feedbacks of their stay. We messaged the owner that we are checking out and thank them for the lovely accomodation.

Before heading back to Muscat, we had a quick stop at the playground for the kids to play a while I got some photos of the The Bank Beach Club in daylight.

We said our goodbye to Jebel Sifah but the kids made us promise first that we will definitely return there again. So was it worth the drive? My hubby and I would definitely agree that it was and the place was beyond what we expected it to be.

For those interested in renting the lovely luxurious studio apartment at Jebel Sifah, head over to their Facebook Page or contact Mr. Thusitha Naminda Perara through WhatsApp +968 9359 2539 or email him jebelsifah@yahoo.com.

Disclaimer: Some photos in the article are not mine and were provided by the owner of the studio apartment.

DAY PASS AT SHANGRI-LA BARR AL JISSAH RESORT & SPA

May 22, 2020 by Little Miss Honey

Disclaimer: This is a late post

Last March when Covid 19 was still like foggy distant phenomenon (cases were still few in Oman & social distancing was still an alien vocabulary), we drove to Muscat to Shangri-la Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa to celebrate Howell’s 4th birthday.

Howell has always been a water-baby. He has celebrated most of his birthdays with a fun day swimming in pools: Wild Wild Wet for his 2nd birthday & Adventure Cove on this 3rd birthday (both in Singapore). To keep up with the tradition, we decided to avail the Day Pass: A Day in Paradise at Shangri-la Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa where Howell & his siblings can enjoy a day at the pool & beach.

The drive to the Shangri-la Resort can be a bit of challenge. It is located near the beach along the gulf of Oman, 16 km from Al Alam Palace, the Omani French Museum and the 16th-century Fort Al Jalali. The steep drive up to the resort would allow you to see the breathtaking view of the 500 metres seaside oasis nestled in the majestic Al Hajar mountains.

Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa is spread across 2 distinct wings that are connected in their Arabian spirit of hospitality: Al Waha, “The Oasis” and Al Bandar, “The Town.” While Al Waha is ideal for families, Al Bandar is the heart of the resort, catering to business and leisure travelers. There are wonderful amenities available in the resort from watersports to a lazy river and kids club, a classy spa and diverse dining options. They have 460 rooms and suites in 2 distinct wings, 15 restaurants & bars, 6 swimming pools, a variety of watersports and a lazy river attraction.

Weeks prior to our trip, we were hoping to get reservations for the Day Pass via online. But unfortunately, they don’t allow reservations online or through phone. You have to purchase the passes on the day of visit. When we arrived at Shangrila, we asked the hotel personnel where to get the day pass. We were instructed to head to the Chi Spa to get our passes.

The Day Pass costs 25 OMR per adult and 15 OMR per child below 5 years old. The Day in Paradise package includes a lunch buffet at Al Tanoor Restaurant and free use of the amenities, the pools & beach. You get to have a 20% discount ar Chi, The Spa too. You can enjoy the pass from 9 AM to 6 PM.

Once we arrived at the beach, we were given a huge beach towel to cover the lounge chairs found near the beach & pools, more towels & a cooler for our water. The place wasn’t crowded and the resort’s ambiance was perfect for a day of relaxation. We took in the beautiful panorama of the place. It was a feast to the senses. It, indeed, is a paradise to be visited in Muscat. The beach was picturesque with its blue-green waters and light golden soft sands. There were play areas for the kids. We saw big jenga puzzles, a huge toddler-size chess figures for people to play with, a small ship for photo op and a water park for the kids.

We explored for a bit. We decided to take our lunch first before heading to the pool. The Al Tanoor restaurant is located in the opposite end of the resort. It was bit of a walk before we reach the restaurant. There were several other restaurants and bars in the area. Al Tanoor Restaurant has an al fresco and indoor setting. We choose to sit in the covered al-fresco tables for some sunlight & fresh air. The restaurant offers a numerous variety of fresh salad, freshly baked roti, lots of Indian curries & dishes, a bit of Middle-Eastern cuisine, sumptuous seafood & meat, and decadent little sweet desserts. There wasn’t any Western or Chinese / SouthEast Asian options in the buffet station, though. We sang our happy birthday song for our birthday boy and gave him his present which he is so excited to open. In spite the lack of variety of different cuisine, my husband was full from our lunch buffet & I was happy with my salads. The kids didn’t eat much of the food because it was too spicy, though they were happy to get a couple of sweets for desserts.

After lunch, the kids were so eager to change into their swimming trunks and headed to the pool. There were several pools in the area. There is a smaller shallow pool for the little kids which Zeke happily waded and there is a bigger pool with slides for the bigger kids. They also have a Lazy River which is similar to the lazy river we tried in Wild Wild Wet & Adventure Cove. The Lazy River in Shangrila is inspired by the centuries-old jajaj system which bring fresh water to remote Omani villages. It spans a half kilometres between Al Bandar and Al Waha Hotels. They have free inflatable floats for people to use. We had a relaxing time floating around the lazy river, and then the 2 bigger kids enjoyed the pool slide with thier daddy. Later, they all swam at the smaller pool for the rest of the day and made friends with some Caucasian kids of their same age in the pools.

After hours of frolic in the pool, we changed into our dry clothes. We were famished from our pool activity so we ordered some burgers, fries and ice cream at the poolside bar. The food was delivered to us while we enjoyed our food overlooking the beach. There were camels brought out by staff for people take photos with.

We had a great time in our Day in Paradise and it was wonderful fun birthday for Howell. We were glad we were able to experience it before the lockdown. We will definitely visit again once this pandemic will soon be over. For now, the kids’ birthdays will be celebrated at home with, of course, their cake of choice, ice cream and their favourite food. We are lucky our kids are more than happy as long as they have their cake & ice cream for their birthday celebration.

Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah Resort and Spa, Sultanate of Oman

PO Box 644, Muscat 100, Oman

Tel no. (968) 2477 6666

Update: In line with the government directives, Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa and Shangri-La Al Husn Resort & Spa, will temporarily cease operations until further notice.