Barcelo Resort Mussanah

I wanted a holiday where I could lie in the sun and not think about anything. The resort is a little bit cut off from the local town but has a couple of restaurants. I looked at the menus and they looked OK, so I booked the all-inclusive package. I’ve done all inclusive many times before, most have been good, one or two less so. Here, it seems that every time I went to one of the coffee shops or bars, they either don’t offer anything on the all-inclusive package, or I have to go around the corner to another place run by the hotel to get something. The buffet dinner is OK - don’t get me wrong, you won’t starve – but it’s rather limited in scope and variety. And there seem to be rules - I can’t have a glass glass at the bar unless I’m going to sit in the bar and drink it - if I want to take it to my room or the restaurant, I’m going to be given a plastic glass. I quite understand that I need a plastic glass if I’m going to the beach or around the pools, but I’m talking about the bar drinks after dark in the evenings.

Going to one of the feature restaurants was interesting - there appears to be a special menu for the all-inclusive package…which, like the buffet, is a little limited and uninspiring. Of course, you can always order something from the main menu, but you will have to pay for it. It got very tiresome, very quickly. Much the same applies to drinks, half a dozen basic cocktails, a very limited choice (one, I think) of wine of each colour or beer. I don’t usually eat lunch but, rather frustratingly, the one day I did feel like eating during the day I was told ‘There’s no lunch today’. And no snacks between mealtimes available on the all-inclusive deal. For those thinking of going all-inclusive, it probably isn’t worth it - I’m not the sort the stuff in my face and drink myself stupid simply because I don’t have to pay for it at the time, but I certainly didn’t get my money’s worth and in the end felt rather cheated.

The hotel must be doing something right, though. When I arrived, on a weekend, the place it was absolutely packed, mainly with local people and many children - for someone wanting a quiet holiday, this was a bit of a nightmare. Come the weekdays though, it almost emptied, as it seemed did the staff roster, because many of the bars etc. appeared unmanned or closed for long periods.

All that said, hotel staff, when you could find them, were very helpful and would do whatever they could to make the stay enjoyable (within the rules, at least). Special mentions for Lillian at the bar and Asif who seemed to do anything and everything, and welcomed me to my room after a long journey.

Internet was very limited - slow, and many websites appeared blocked or not available, sometimes for days, but then magically worked on another day. Hard to tell whether this is down to the hotel internet service or wifi, or a national problem.

The bedroom was OK, quite spacious and bed was comfortable enough. Aircon was a bit noisy in my room but it kept the internal temperature down. Not much in the way of facilities in the room - I had to ask for an iron and ironing board. Minibar was stocked with soft drinks on arrival and that was it, a couple of water bottles were provided each day.

Pools and lying in the sun stuff was fine with plenty of loungers available, even on the weekends. The beach had a bit of litter lying around but pool areas were clean.

Beach towels were freely available but - another rule - apparently you’re not supposed to take them to back to hotel rooms. I had been using a single towel for several days and happily taking it back to the hotel each day and leaving it in full view in my room, but then one day I was chased, quite literally, by one of the staff who told me it was forbidden to take beach towels to the room. I really can’t see the logic behind this and it seems simply to add to the laundry bill.

The hotel is about 100kms from Muscat airport. The hotel offers a pickup service at 35 OMR each way. You have to book this locally but my emails were never answered so I ended up having to telephone to make the booking. Not a big deal you may think, but the telephone was often not answered - when you get there it becomes clear that calls are not answered if the reception staff are dealing with a real person. While I was trying to sort out whether or not I would be picked up, I contacted the hotel operator’s call centre in the hope that they could make contact on my behalf. All to no avail, the call centre, in Spain, claimed to have no way to contact the hotel other than email or the telephone number I had already been trying, and appeared completely unconcerned that a customer was having difficulties confirming arrangements at one of their hotels. I can’t say that I pick my hotel operators’ based on the operator’s location but I can’t help comparing it to the great experiences that I have had at another Spanish hotel brand’s locations.

So, in summary, would I go back to Oman, absolutely, very happily. Would I go back to this hotel or consider staying at another Barcello brand hotel in the future, frankly, not a chance.

If you are planning a trip and considering Barceló Mussanah Resort, be prepared for complete radio silence. Their pre-arrival customer service is utterly non-existent, which raises serious red flags about how they handle guests once checked in. ​Unreachable Landline: I attempted to reach the resort on their official boardline (26871555) over a span of two weeks. Not once did a staff member or receptionist pick up the phone—calls simply sat on hold for minutes at a time without any resolution. ​Ignored on WhatsApp: Thinking direct messaging might work, I contacted their official WhatsApp number. They sent an initial automated template asking for booking dates and guest details. I filled out the requested information immediately, only to be completely ghosted. Despite multiple follow-ups over several days asking for updates, my messages went entirely ignored. ​A luxury brand name should come with basic communication standards. If a resort cannot be bothered to answer phone calls or respond to booking inquiries when trying to earn your business, it speaks volumes about their management. I certainly won't risk finding out how poor their service is post-check-in. ​Look elsewhere in the region for a resort that actually values its guests.

We had an amazing experience here. The rooms were spotless and very comfortable. The atmosphere was incredibly relaxing, and the staff went above and beyond to make us feel welcome. The location is perfect—close to everything but still quiet. Overall, it offers great value for money. I highly recommend it!