Little Miss Honey

A Lifestyle Blog about living an inspired life through travel, food discoveries and books

BIRTHDAY STAYCATION AT BARCELO MUSSANAH RESORT

by

It was Howell’s birthday last March 9. The night before his birthday, we got him a cake. We sang him “Happy Birthday” and he blew his birthday candle. He is already 6 years old! We told the kids to sleep early because we are off to Mussanah, a little over 45 mins away from Muscat which totals 2 hrs and 45 minutes of driving from our place. We booked a stay at Barcelo Mussanah Resort for Howell’s birthday.

It was indeed a long drive from our place until we reached the resort. We were happily accommodated by the concierge and gave us our room card. Unfortunately, we learned that the floating island that we were excited to try out and the main reason why we wanted to visit Barcelo Mussanah was temporarily not open due to pandemic reasons. The surroundings was lovely and we were excited to explore the place but we headed to our room first.

We have lovely spacious room with King size bed and large office desk. There was a balcony overlooking the whole resort. There were maps of the resort in the room and we saw there are lot of amenities. They even have water sport activities, spa and fitness centre.

After we unpacked, we took our handy tripod with us to take some photos before the kids will swim in the pools. We took some family photos and explored the area. There were lots of people in the resort, enjoying the lovely weather and relaxing atmosphere.

We changed the kids into their swimming attire and they were just too happy going from the kiddy pool to the water park to the medium size pool. They played in the water until the sun faded in the horizon. They were playing the other kids who were there too.

Nightfall came and we headed back to our room. We shower the kids and we prepared for our dinner. We bought some takeout Chinese food. The kids were so hungry from all the playing around in the pool that they ate a lot during dinner especially Zeke who kept eating lot of the crispy fried chicken.

Our stay comes with free breakfast. We went down for our breakfast and opted to sit indoors because the place was packed and there were no seats available outside. The food, unfortunately, lacks variety and choices was not a lot. I settled with my usual vegetable omelette and salad while the kids had some cereals and bread.

After breakfast, we headed to the Children Play Area which is in another building. There were lots of things for kids to do there and we stayed there for a couple of hours. It was nice that they are an area for kids.

It was already midnoon when we packed our belonging and said goodbye to Barcelo Mussanah Resort. But we said we will definitely come back again.

Barcelo Mussanah Resort

Wudam Al Sahil Mussanah, 300 Sport City, 300

Phone:  26 871555

WINDY BIRTHDAY STAYCATION AT CROWNE PLAZA MUSCAT

by

For J birthday, we planned to spend a night in Crowne Plaza Muscat. We heard so much of the hotel from J’s friend who used to work there. We drove to Muscat on his birthday weekend. We went to Oman Avenue Mall first to buy some stuff then proceeded to Crowne Plaza Hotel. It was a very very windy day. 

The drive to Crowne Plaza Muscat was such a lovely sight. You see the Qurum Beach at the left side and few cute cafes & restaurants spread out at the right. In the end of that beachside view drive up on a hill is the white huge building of Crowne Plaza.

We were attended by two lovely receptionists of the hotel. After seeing we have three active cute little ones with us, they upgraded our room. They gave us three kiddie loot bags for them. The kids were so happy to get them.

We got a ground floor room. The room was very spacious! There is a big king size bed. There was a large sofa set which the staff converted into one bed and added another additional bed. 

We have a sliding door which leads to a large lawn outside with patio chairs outside. We were overlooking the tennis court and the swimming pool was nearby. The day was super windy, the tall potted plants were laid down to the ground. 

We, of course, took our traditional hotel family photo. Then the kids were busy checking out their  loot bag which contains a booklet of activities for the kids, stickers and coloured pencils. The kids were busy in each corner colouring the booklet and doing the activities in different pages.

When we all settled a bit, we change into our bathing suits and headed outside for a swim. There was a party in the restaurant near the pool and loud dancing music was blasting. People was happily partying near the poolside but no one was swimming. It was impossible to swim on that day because of the wind and we were advised not to swim in the big pool. The kids settled into swimming in the smaller pool in the corner. J and I ended up not swimming because it was just way too cold and too windy. We just watch over the kids who really wanted to swim but after 15 minutes, they wanted to get out of the water because it was too cold. 

They ran for a bit on the ground. Our room was just nearby. We, then, went back to our room, away from the angry wind that is spoiling our fun for the day. 

For dinner, we bought food beforehand in the mall. We got grilled chicken, chicken skin and garlic rice at Bacolod Chicken House and sushi at Zen Asian Fusion. J ordered some can of beers from room service. We had a satisfying dinner. 

The next day, we were looking forward to our breakfast buffet. They have a wonderful spread, lots of variety of food to choose from – from salad, to cereal, to fruits, to main dishes, to breads and desserts. For eggs, you can tick in a paper what kind of egg you want and a server will bring you the eggs you ordered to your table.

Naj was happy with his pancakes from the pancake maker while Howell was enjoying with his big bowl of cereal. Zeke was busy with his donuts, banana and glass of juice. This is my happy brunch plate. This seems to me my go-to brunch meal in hotels : some greens, a bit of fruits, a smoke salmon if they have an vegetable omelette with cappuccino.

We had a lovely stay in Crowne Plaza Muscat. We weren’t able to maximize our stay because of the wind. We werent able to swim in their pool or visit the beach there. We might go back there one day. We will see….

Crowne Plaza Muscat

Qurum Heights, P.O. Box 1455, Muscat | 112 | Oman | 968-24-660660 | Email

CHRISTMAS 2021 AT GRAND HYATT HOTEL MUSCAT

by

We have advanced booked staycations in differnt for Christmas and New Year. For Christmas, we chose Grand Hyatt Hotel for a 2-days stay.

The night before our staycation, the kids were a bit under the weather. Zeke fell off the bed 2 days before and been limping. We went to the hospital to do an xray for him and thank God, there was no fracture. However, he can’t really walk properly. We have to carry him around the house or he uses his knees to go from one spot in the house to another. Naj and Howell have vomiting too and have to give them some medicines. I, too, was not feeling well especially that it was the the time of the month and I been feeling nauseous with a throbbing headache.

On the morning of December 24, we headed to Muscat with our bags. We were excited even if we were all feeling a bit unwell. When we got to Muscat, we headed as usual to Jollibee for our breakfast.

Once we had our breakfast, we proceeded to the hotel to check in. It was located in Qurum area near the beach. The hotel looks like an old castle with beige brick-stone Arabian architecture. We parked our vehicle in the parking lot and we have to walk in this steep inclined walkway up to the hotel lobby hauling our bags with us. It was quite inconvenient for us especially with Zeke who can’t walk well long distance.

Once we entered the hotel lobby, the whole place was decked in Christmas trimmings. There is a corner with a Gingerbread House and a large Christmas tree at the center of the hotel

A nice Omani receptionist checked us in. We realised that we have booked the room for one adult only so we have to pay additional 20 riyals for my stay. The interiors of the hotel shows particular details in every corners that is very much like the castle-like facade of the hotel. Unfortunately, everything looks quite old: the carpets, the furnitures, etc. The receptionist lead us to a narrow hallway where the lift is somewhat hidden that would take us to our room. We were in Level 2 near the Mokha Cafe. The structure of the hotel reminds me of a cabins in the ship we took going to Manila from Iloilo City.

When we entered the room. It is huge and stately. There is a big king bed, a big office-type desk & chair, a lounge chair and a terrace. The bathroom has a shower, toilet, bidet and a tub. The room lights are dim and yellow. The hotel room does looks old and in need of refurnishing. The bathroom have brown stains in floors and corners.

We had created some sort of tradition (because we often do staycation) is to take a family photo on the bed of the hotel.

We fixed our stuff and we explored the pool area for a bit before we head out to the mall. We saw the Mokha Cafe with its indoor and outdoor dining. We booked a Christmas Eve Dinner Buffet there for the night. From there is the pool areaz There were a lot of Caucasians relaxing in the pool, enjoying the sun. There is overlooking the lovely view of the Qurum Beach.

We left the hotel to go to Oman Avenues Mall. The kids checked the toys they wish Santa would give them, *wink wink at Kiddy Zone. Then we went to the food court for lunch. J ordered pizza and chicken popcorn at Papa John’s while I head back to the Kiddy Zone to buy “Santa’s gifts” for the kids. When I joined them in the food court, I slide the large plastic bag at J’s side of the seat. When we were eating, J looked shocked and said, “What is this?! Santa’s elves delivered these for you!” Kids were so excited and said, “Wow, it was not there earlier! It is magic” Haha! We told them they can open it tomorrow on Christmas Day when they wake up.

We went back in the hotel. We found Christmas cookies and a card in the side table which is a nice touch.

Zeke and I were not feeling so good so we drank our medicines that I bought in the pharmacy. We stayed in the hotel room while J accompanied the kids to swim in the pool.

Before 7pm, we prepared for our Christmas Dinner Buffet at the hotel. We were received by a nice Filipina manager that is in charge of managing the event. We were seated inside the restaurant in a round table good for 5 people. There were 5 cuboid gifts in our table. We were instructed to pull both ends and possible a gift will be inside.

The buffet was outstanding. It was 24.948 omr for adults and 12.474 omr for kids above 5 years old. The variety of food is amazing. The salad bar has so many choices. The bread corner has a wonderful spread. There were a cheese and charcuterie corner too. Several main dishes for meat lovers and vegetarians. There are Christmas pudding and soups. There are roasted chicken and roasted beef. The dessert table is so divine with so many cakes, pastries and a chocolate fountain. My small gluttonous tummy can’t seen to fit all the food choices even if I wanted too. We got water refills throughout the meal. For beverages, it is not included in the package. However if you prefer unlimited beverages with spirits & alcoholic drinks, the package is 17.010 omr. J opted to order just 2 beers because 17.010 is too pricey.

I enjoyed the salads. I love the squash gratin and rolled chicken. I enjoyed the triple layer chocolate cake. The kids love the Christmas cookies a lot.

The kids got a shoe horn, a fan and a magnifying glass in their little gifts. Inside also have folding crepe paper that you can make into a crown.

We had a lovely time. The food was amazing. Kids enjoyed too. However, J and I realised our stomachs are not built for buffet eating. So we may rethink buffets for next Christmas and opt for a nice dinner in a restaurant next time.

The Next Day: Christmas Day

We were so tired from the day before plus Zeke been waking up several times during the night because he was not feeling well, so we missed the free morning hotel breakfast. We just let the kids open their Christmas gifts. The kids and I bathe in their tub using Lush rainbow bath bomb for a bit. We love bathtubs! Then we prepared to go to Mall of Oman because J booked a movie at 2:00 PM at their Vox Cinema. We strolled around the new mall and see what are the new stores that opened. By 1:30 PM, we proceeded to their Vox Cinema. We already paid the tickets online so we just ordered some food. We got a big tub of caramel & cheese popcorn, nachos, 2 chocolates and drinks. The Vox Cinema looks great! It was very spacious and looks like a state of the art facilities. J picked the movie: Spiderman No Way Home. The kids are excited to see Spiderman in the big screen.

I truly enjoyed the IMAX movie experience in their Vox Cinema. I love the movie! I am so surprised how much I love the movie so much since I am not much of a superhero fan, thoug Dr. Strange is now my favourite Avengers now. Kids enjoyed it a lot too and surprisingly, they were entertained and were sitting contently watching the movie. I am glad J suggested to watch a movie for Christmas Day.

After the movie, we went to Muscat Grand Mall and ended up in Oman Avenues Mall to buy take out dinner. J started feeling unwell too and started to have a slight fever. I gave him some paracetamol to take.

Going Home Time

Next morning, we made sure we get to have our morning brunch at the hotel. We glad we did. We sat outdoor and it was just lovely. Kids enjoyed the waffles and pancakes. I was happy with my cappuccino and turkey bacon. Too bad, I was able to get french toast because it wasn’t refilled.

We packed our belongings and check out at 1 PM. Grand Hyatt Hotel has its appeal but I am not sure if I would want to book a stay there again. They have a policy that they will only clean the room you stayed at after your 4th day of stay unless you call for a clean up. We informed them that if they can clean our room on the day we went to Mall of Oman at around 11:30 AM. But when we got back, our room was still not cleaned. In spite of those little glitches and the old moldy vive of the hotel, the overall experience was satisfactory.

Any other hotel recommendations for us for our next staycation?

Grand Hyatt Hotel Muscat

Shatti Al Qurm, P.O. Box 951, Muscat, Oman, 133
Tel: +968 24 64 1234 | Fax: +968 24 60 5282 | muscat.grand@hyatt.com