Stylish and vibrant, Aloft Muscat has entered the hospitality space in Oman with a splash. Part of Marriott International, “Aloft is the next generation of hotels, using technology and design to enhance experiences and move at the pace of guests,” Danny Al Chayeb, General Manager of the new property, exudes confidence in a refreshing chat with Business Plus. Excerpts:
Aloft Muscat is the newest entrant in Oman’s hospitality scene. Please take us through the hotel and its features.
The hotel features 193 uniquely designed tech-savvy rooms in five categories with varieties of amenities, services and facilities. Our new urban hotel offers three vibrant beverage & food outlets with two more venues, Splash swimming pool, Re:charge gym accessed with Jacuzzi and steam room and three Tactic meeting rooms. Under the expertise of the renowned international hotelier – Marriott Hotels, Aloft Muscat Hotel is the first Aloft to open its door to guests in the Sultanate. Exhibiting the perfect blend of the city’s buzzing, yet calming nature, crafting an experience that is well-rounded. Our hotel is the place to be whether you want to pick up a game of pool, chill at one of our vibrant venues, or get business done on the go. You can Re:fuel, Re:fresh and Re:charge.
What is the category of clientele Aloft Muscat expects to attract?
Aloft is open in space and spirit moves to its own beat; creates bold, open and vibrant environments that bring people together. Aloft is the next generation of hotels, using technology and design to enhance experiences and move at the pace of guests. Different by design. All around the world. Aloft guests are forward-thinking, confident social tech enthusiasts that live both online and offline. They are optimistic, well-rounded, curious consumers of cultures with a love for music. Highly independent and always finding new ways to express themselves, they stand out from the crowd wherever their travels take them.
What is the USP of Aloft Muscat?
The hotel’s signature public spaces are designed as innovative, comfortable places to socialise and relax. At the sleek Re:mix lounge, guests can enjoy a game of pool, with day-to-night lighting and music to switch up the vibe. Dining destinations include the brand’s signature bar W XYZ®, an outdoor space to enjoy a meal at Arcade, which offers global craft beverages and delicious international comfort food, or Re:fuel by Aloft, which offers a self-serve grab-and-go option for snacks. Guests can build their own burger from the bun all the way to the sauce at California Beach-inspired eatery Wave Burger, while The Backstage dining space serves up world-class international cuisine with a Mediterranean twist for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
A heaven for digital nomads and business guests, the hotel has three state-of-the-art Tactic meeting rooms for up to 40 people, equipped with state-of-the-art A/V, plasma TV and fast complimentary WiFi.
Tourism in Oman has been buoyant since the beginning of 2023. How will this affect the hospitality industry?
The focus of tourism in 2023 is to continue to promote leisure and advantage tourism; some people are not fully aware of our standards and amenities. The aim is to reach the highest targets of travellers to help tourism grow and achieve its ultimate goals. The hospitality industry is showing a positive hike this year and expectations are higher for next year. Oman’s tourism recovery plan is going as planned and playing an important role in putting the Sultanate on the international tourism map. The efforts from the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism are highly noticeable and this will definitely lead to better and wider exposure.
How is Aloft Muscat gearing up to handle the tourist influx into the city during the rest of 2023?
As we mentioned earlier during our conversation, the hotel features 193 uniquely designed tech-savvy rooms in five categories with varieties of amenities, services and facilities. Our new urban hotel is offering vibrant five food and beverage outlets and venues, a game zone, a swimming pool, a gym accessed with Jacuzzi and three meeting rooms which makes us uniquely ready to receive our guests and let them live a different experience. Entering the market with competitive promotional rates and creating awareness about the opening of Aloft Muscat lead to generating bookings from domestic and international resources. Being part of Marriott International, we gave new preferred and affordable options for Elite Bonvoy members who are loyal to the brand.
In addition, we are trying to expand our presence in the local and international markets by participating in global travel shows and tying up with corporate and travel accounts.
What are the highlights at Aloft Muscat that we can look forward to during the summer?
Muscat market comprises domestic travellers (52 percent), Europeans (25 percent), Asians (7 percent) and GCC nationals (5 percent). We are targeting domestic travellers with exclusive packages to enjoy the services Aloft Muscat has to offer. Interesting activities are taking place within the hotel to create a different and vibrant experience for the guests. In addition, we are exhorting our clients to go out and experience what the country has to offer because there are amazing places to visit and these places can cater to different clientele.
