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SOMERSET PANORAMA MUSCAT: THE BEST AFFORDABLE SERVICED APARTMENT FOR FAMILY STAYCATIONS

February 26, 2020 by Little Miss Honey

One of the occasional indulgences of living in Oman of expats working in the interior parts of the country are staycations in Muscat. Staycations are usually for celebrations of a special occasion, sometimes to satiate the taste for a bit of metropolitan bustle for city-born expats missing it and sometimes out of necessity because a lot of errands are needed to do in the capital of Muscat & the current residence is a far drive away.

In my ten months living in Oman, my family had a total of three staycations, two of which, we brought along my mother-in-law who stayed with us here in Oman for one month. We are a family of five, my husband and I plus our 3 young kids with the addition of my mother-in-law, we are a total of six. For staycations, we wanted an apartment-style lodging. It doesn’t seem cost-effective to get two hotel rooms. Also when my mother-in-law returned to the Philippines, if we booked a hotel, we couldn’t just get another extra room for our older kids. Our option would be for us to squeeze in one big hotel bed or get an extra bed in the room. So we searched for an apartment-type hostel that would be perfect for our family’s needs. And we found just that in Somerset Panorama Muscat.

The three staycations we had in Muscat were all in Somerset Panorama. It has been our official go-to lodging if we want to stay in Muscat. Our kids love the place and looking forward to book there again soon. We had our last Christmas there. Our kids are even asking as early as now if we will spend Christmas there again this year.

Somerset Panorama Muscat is a serviced apartment providing hotel-like indulgences. It is located Bawshar commercial district, centrally located near the diplomatic areas, Ghala industrial estate, and midway between the Central Business District and Muscat International Airport. Somerset is under the leading international lodging owner-operator, The Ascott Limited, a Singapore company. Ascott’s portfolio including Ascott The Residence, Citadines ApartHotel, Citadines Connect, Lyf, The Crest Collection, Quest and Tauzia Hotels are found more than 180 cities across over 30 countries in Asia Pacific, Central Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and the USA.

It has so many great points why we chose Somerset every time for our Muscat staycations:

• 2-Bedrooms in One Apartment

Our initial main concern is that with our growing family, one hotel room is not enough for us to sleep in. We are happy to find a serviced apartment such as Somerset Panorama that has two rooms in a 78 sqm apartment. One room has the king size bed & TV and in the next room there are twin beds. The bigger room has a bathroom with bathtub, toilet and sink while the smaller room has another bathroom across the room with shower, toilet and sink. There is a dining area, living room area with TV and a kitchenette with stove, water heater, microwave & all the utensils. They even have a washing machine to you to wash your clothes with a laundry powder provided. There is no laundry dryer though so you have to airdry your washed clothes in the room balcony which you have to inform concierge if you want to have it opened.

• Affordable Price Point

One of the other reason why we keep coming back to Somerset because you cannot beat the affordable price that comes with fantastic amenities. We get good deals in booking our stay in the place compared to other apartelles, hostels and hotels we checked out in hotel booking apps. We can get a two-bedroom suite for a price of 30+ to 60+ OMR.

• Accessibility

Somerset is found centrally in the Bawshar commercial district. It is attached to Panoroma Mall which has a food court that provides wonderful choices for all taste buds. It is a big plus for us because the food court has Palayok that services Filipino foods that we miss. They also have Spinneys in Panorama Mall for quick grocery needs and has a sections for pork items that is hard to find in Oman. (The pork item can be really expensive though.)

Taxi are easily available in the area. You can use the O-Taxi app similar to Grab or Uber to get taxi quickly and cheaper too.

Somerset is near Oman Avenue Mall and Muscat Grand Mall. It is not far from Muscat International Airport. There are a lot of restaurants, cafes and shops around the area of Al Ghubrah Street.

• Wonderful Service

In our three time stay in Somerset, we never got disappointed by the hotel staff services. They were very polite and helpful with our needs and requests. They were nice to provide us with reasonable late check-outs too.

In our last stay, we got to enjoy their nice pool and lounging in their pool benches. We didn’t avail their hotel breakfast because we usually have some food leftover from night before which we would keep in their perfect medium size refrigerator in our room, not the measly small refrigerator in most hotels. The bathroom toiletries are worth mentioning because I have been to several hotels with sub-standard shampoo, conditioners and bodywash. I was pleasantly surprised that Somerset provides good toiletries that is not too drying for my already very dry hair and skin. They also provide iron, iron stand, safety box and free wifi. We definitely good deal staying at Somerset Panorama.

For our next Muscat staycation, we may probably book again a room in Somerset. But if you know any other affordable good family apartelles, hostels or hotels with excellent amenities in Muscat, please don’t hesitant to suggest it to us. We would deeply appreciate it.

Somerset Panorama Muscat

Al Ghubrah Street, PO Box 1640, PC 131, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman

Tel no. 22 040000

THINGS TO DO IN MUSCAT, OMAN FOR 3 DAYS

February 16, 2020 by Little Miss Honey

Muscat is the capital of Oman. It is a metropolitan area where you get the feel of city life in Oman. If you are a tourist visiting Oman for first time, you would want to explore Muscat for a few days as you head to the picturesque mountains, wadis and sand dunes around Oman. There is also a good number of expats working at the wilayats or provinces found in the interior areas of Oman which has a simpler way of living with few to none shopping malls and not much of a city life. So some expats, especially those who wanted to do a bit of shopping, misses the urban life from time to time and wanted a change of scenery, often would visit Muscat for a day or sometimes would have a 2-3 day staycation in affordable hotels in the city.

If you are an expat living far from Muscat planning a 3-day staycation or a tourist visiting Oman, here are a few suggestions to do in Muscat:

Disclaimer: I am have been living in Oman for only 10 months so these list would be a work in progress as I discover more things to do in Muscat.

1. Stroll around the malls

The malls in Oman may not be superior to other malls I have visited in other countries but it is the best place to start when you are in Oman. If you are one of the expats I mentioned earlier living in the interior areas of Oman and who is craving for some taste of the city life, the malls will quench your thirst for a bit of metropolitan living that you are missing. Check out the sales in malls because the prices can drop really low and give you a very good bargain. The malls have lots of food place options that would satisfy all palates. Try out new dishes, local Omani cuisine or the dishes you really miss from your own home country.

Usual malls to visit are:

City Center Seeb

Oman Avenues Mall

Muscat Grand Mall

Mall of Muscat

Do your groceries at Lulu and Carrefour. They carry great products and most of what you need for your next cooking experiment or your current food snack cravings.

2. Walk at the Muttrah Corniche and shop at the Souq

Mutrah Corniche is one of Muscat’s panoramic tourist area to visit, an attractive scenic promenade stretching 3km along the waterfront. It is lovely to walk around the corniche area just before sunset, enjoying the breeze, the sunset and the scenery. Several tourist spot are found in area too. You can find the Mutrah Souq nearby, one of the world’s oldest Arabian markets.

Mutrah Souq is known to be one of the oldest Arabian markets in the world. Entering the souq is like transporting yourself into the world of Aladdin. You get to have wonderful finds from intricate vintage artifacts perfect for house decors & collection, bestselling aromatic frankincense, gold and precious jewels, colorful hand-made purses & glass lanterns, pashiminas and unique shiny sandals. I found some lovely lamps there too that I get to rub hoping there is Genie inside to grant my 3 wishes. It is the perfect place to go for tourists to buy souvenirs during their visit in Oman. Highly recommended place to stop-by when you are in Oman.

3. Visit Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque

One of the places you need to visit if you are in Muscat is the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque dedicated to their beloved peace-loving Sultan that recently passed away the start of the year. It is a magnificent structure that is beautiful beyond words. The mosque was completed in 2001 and took six years to build. It covers a massive area of 416,000 square meters, and can hold up to 20,000 worshipers. The mosque is embellished in beautiful mosaic pattern that is purely an impressive art form. The mosque is open from 8:00 am to 11:00 am for non-Muslims every day except Friday.

Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque is one of the only mosques that allows non-Muslims visitors. Men and women must dress conservatively in long trousers and covered shoulders. Women must also cover their hair. One thing I learned from living abroad and travelling is that we must respectful of the culture of the country we are going to. Observe the rules of the country you are visiting. Let us be gracious visitors to the countries that has welcomed us in.

4. Check out Al Mouj Marina

Al Mouj Marina is located at Al Mouj, Muscat, which features the exclusive luxury yachting lifestyle in Oman. It is a great area to visit. It is found in close proximity to The Wave where you find great variety of restaurant, specialty boutiques, posh residential units and hotels.

An old highschool schoolmate in Saudi Arabia who is currently working as a doctor here in Oman for years now took me to this lovely place in Muscat when I just arrived in the country. You will find lots of Caucasian expats strolling around with their spouses and children. Most of them have residential units in the area. There are a good number of classy, more upperclass restaurants available in the area, perfect for date nights or girls’ night out for chats & a cold glass of beverage of your choice.

5. See the sunset at Qurum Beach

If you detest malls and want more of nature in Muscat, visit Qurum Beach. It stretches to 4 kilometres along the Muscat coastline. It is a great place for relaxing. You can just bring a thermos of your favorite coffee and sit the area near the beach, sipping your hot drink. You can go for a jog there too. They have a nice walkway for people who enjoys strolling, jogging or walking their dogs while taking in the wonderful scenery. There a lot of restaurants, cafes, bars that offer alcoholic drinks in the area. You can book watersports activities like jetskiing, parasailing and kayaking at Crowne Plaza found at the far end of the beach.

We visited Qurum Beach last night near sunset and the sky was a sight to behold with its pink tint painted in the horizon. We enjoyed yummy pancakes & crepes at The Crepe Cafe, which we enjoyed eating alfresco overlooking the beach. If you prefer more savory dishes, try out Slider Station.

6. Bring your kids to the Snow Park and Oman Aquarium at Mall of Muscat

If you have kids or are kids-at–heart, you can check out the Snow Park and Oman Aquarium in Mall of Muscat.

Here are prices and details for Snow Park Oman Aquarium:

We have been to the Snow Park during Christmas. It is a small area with a big slide for adults and kids that would reach a height requirement. There is an area to play “fake” snow and a little playground for little kids. Make sure to bring your own jackets because the park will not provide you with jackets and it is super cold inside.

We haven’t visited the Oman Aquarium to see what is inside. But you can also grab a table at Starbucks in the mall and there is a big glass window in the cafe where you see the fishes swimming in the Oman Aquarium.

There you go, 6 possible activities you can do in Muscat. Do share with me if you know more Muscat fun activities.

See you!

NEW BEGINNINGS, NEW ADVENTURE

July 15, 2019 by Little Miss Honey 821 Comments

3 months ago, I boarded a plane that would fly me to a country I have never been to before. My family and I just bid farewell to Singapore, our 2nd home for the last 6 years and I was embarking into yet another new adventure. I was never known to be the adventurous type, the kind of girl you can spontaneously invite to climb the mountains at a short notice or someone you can surely call your bungee-jumping partner. I may not be the sporty, thrill-seeker kind-of adventurer but I lean towards a different type of adventure: living in an unknown country. Some of my foreign friends call it bravery, being carefree and adventurous but I am not sure if I exemplify that bravado they described me to have. But I know that I can attribute this “bravery” on several factors: for being a daughter of an overseas foreign worker, exposed as a third-culture kid (Wikipedia: Third culture kids (TCK) are people raised in a culture other than their parents’ for a significant part of their growing up years. They are often exposed to a greater variety of cultural influences), living in Saudi Arabia with my family during my adolescent years and the typical Filipino culture of finding greener pastures (or in my case, finding more exciting new pastures to test my resiliency).

I felt it for sometime that I needed to move on and close my chapter in Singapore. There is a nagging feeling that I should embark in another adventure somewhere else. It was also during these times I couldn’t help but noticed that my old profession as a doctor is beckoning me back louder & louder everyday. (FYI: if you didn’t know, I gave up being a doctor to work as quality management professional 2 years ago). Then just like that, I found an answer to my bewildered spirit: an offer to work in a different country as a doctor. The universe is telling me: “Time for a new adventure, Miss Honey!”

The Hows & Whys

It wasn’t an easy decision. I have to run it by my husband to make sure he is on board with this next step. Moving countries when you are married with kids (especially young kids) is not as easy as being single & ready to hop on a plane to wherever. It needs careful discernment and meticulous planning. In our little family, we make sure we are agreeable 100% to all big life-changing plans we decided on and my hubby was game to be my adventure partner along with our perfectly adaptable kids. It was out of the question that I will embark on this new life alone. We are all in this together. As long as we are together, we will be okay. We were given ample time to prepare for this big move. It was decided, of course, that I will have to journey to the new country alone, at first, to pave the way & prepare before the rest of the family follows. The kids were well-prepared for the months of separation with me and I have my husband to thank for that.

We could have easily decided to say goodbye to Singapore and settle for a comfortable easy life in the Philippines. But when an opportunity knocks for a new escapade to an unknown land (with risk examined), would you say No? A wise doctor friend once told me, “You are young & enough grit to hurdle the life abroad, go grab it“. Plus I would love to expose my kids to new culture and new experiences and train our kids to be resilient, open-minded, respectful & adaptable. And the best way to do that is living abroad, which is very different from travelling. I know it won’t be easy but I am sure, it will definitely build their character.

Where in the World is Little Miss Honey?

Sometimes we don’t choose the country we are going to. Sometimes it choses us. So an opportunity opened up to work as a doctor in a country known for dazzling souks, superb seafood and breathtaking terrains: OMAN. Oman is a Muslim country in the southwestern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia, known to be the 4th most peaceful country in Middle East & North Africa region as of 2019.

I am not alien to living in an Arab country so that would help me in adjusting smoothly to the new place. I am excited to find new discoveries in Oman. I can’t wait to try the food & their delicacies. I would love to go to the tourist spots that they are known for. I would love to make new friends and learn to speak Arabic (We had Arabic subject when I was in high school in Saudi Arabia. They taught us how to write in Arabic. My grades in Arabic subject was the lowest in my report card. Haha!) I am excited for my family to join me here soon so we can discover the country together. I know it won’t all be fun & games, like loads of instagramable photos in social media that some people would perceive living abroad are made of. It is far from that, really. Those happy smiles faces with an exotic background or piles of yummy foods ready to be devoured are just snapshots of what living abroad is. I know there will be a lot of adjustments, a lot of sacrifices, tons of relearning & recalibrating, tackling the new norms and challenging our comforts. But my family and I are facing this new adventure with a very realistic mindset: expectations are at the bare minimum and we are just here to take in as much as what is offered for us.

Like most things in life, nothing is of the certainty. Living here may or may not work for us. We will just have to wait and see. And if we decided that it is not for us, at the very least, we are happy that we have tried and not wonder with the “what-ifs” of life. We are never afraid to take on challenges like these because we are confident with our abilities to be flexibility and resilient in what life’s surprised will throw at us.

Like my blog’s motto, Explore Life’s Surprises With Me, I am asking if you, if want to join me in this new adventure. Are you game? I will take you along for the ride. Discover Oman with me. Shukran, my habibtis!

First Sunrise in Oman

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