Based on 05 June 19 departure from London Heathrow flying with Oman Air, staying for 3 nights bed and breakfast in a Superior Room (2 adults sharing) including return transfers.
Our guide price gives you an idea of how much to budget for a stay at this hotel. The price will vary based on exchange rates, and your choice of room type, departure date, airline and cabin class, and any additional extras you’d like to add to your holiday.
Shangri-La's 5-star oasis for families
Meaning "The Oasis" in Arabic, Al Waha hotel is the largest and most family-friendly of the three environments that make up Shangri-La's Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa. Overlooking the Gulf of Oman, it has glorious pool facilities fringed with palms and a pool bar which sits adjacent to a dedicated kids' pool. You can explore dining across the resort — with inspiring beachfront Omani cuisine, Asian delicacies and extravagent buffets to try — and between meals you can go over or under the ocean with kayaking or diving, have some family fun at Adventure Zone, or unwind on the 500-metre lazy river that runs between Al Waha and Al Bandar next door.
Ocean view family suites with Playstations
Plenty of dining choice across the resort
Kids' club and family zones to explore
One of Oman's premier family hotels
CHI The Spa for ultimate service and relaxation
Top Tips from our Experts
Mel
Destination Specialist
Of the three Shangri-La resorts in Muscat, this one is best for families. It is Oman's first resort dedicated to families, I visited here on my own holiday and my kids especially loved the lazy river, stretching over half a kilometre!
Shangri-La's Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa – Al Waha
Beach
Approx. 1 hour from airport
Connected to the Shangri-La Al Bandar Resort by a lazy river
Short driving distance to Muscat airport and the city centre
1377 Reviews
86% of travellers recommended this hotel
Traveller ratings
Excellent
714
Very Good
445
Average
148
Poor
44
Terrible
26
What to Expect
Location
Sleep Quality
Rooms
Service
Value
Cleanliness
Reviews
Dec 12, 2018
A lot of room for improvement
San Francisco, California
Have chosen this hotel for family vacations. Hotel is dated: old towels, old furniture, rooms need renovation (table lamp broke down when touched, baby cot mattress was so deformed). Rooms are small though bathroom was fine. Breakfast buffet is quite good - not really sumptuous but ample variety to meet most's tastes. Pools are large, water slides were enjoyable and sunbeds are found easily. Sea and beach area is clean and nice too. Service in the restaurants were, say, inconsistent - at times friendly, at times very slow and yet at times they would forget a child's meal order altogether. Hotel is quite far from the town, and the taxi rides can add up (not a hotel's fault but just something to consider when planning).
Dec 12, 2018
Natural beauty beachside oasis
Mumbai, India
The white cliffs are a beautiful contrast to the deep blue water at this gem of a resort. Service is good, food is quite good, and staff is always around and willing to offer guidance. But the hero is the location - will definitely be going back!!
Dec 04, 2018
Great Location But Hotel Quality is Lack of 5 Star
Doha
We booked two interlink room with sea view and pools. Checked in was smooth and welcoming. Great jobs to the front desk personnel. We were shown to the 3rd floor in al Waha. On the first sight, the quality and decoration were not as we expected for a Shangri-La branded hotel. Have to say we were disappointed with the appearance and quality of decoration for the hotel. However, the services provided were great from the font of house, room service and lobby staffs. We went for buffet dinner at Samba on the first night. Informed the floor service staff that the larger Carlsberg was not taste right and asked them to look into it. We have paid for it in the bill but left the drink for the staff to investigate. Took my family to dinner at Bait Al Bahr and throughly enjoyed the food and services there.
Dec 03, 2018
Great Family Friendly Vacation
Ottawa, Canada
We stayed here for 3 nights and had a great experience. We are a family of 4, 2 adults with a 7 year old and a 4 year old. We stayed in room 3419.
The Room:
The room was comfortable and the bathroom was nice. I would not say that the room and its finishings are 5* but this is also a hotel designed for families with kids and it gets lots of wear and tear so high end finishings are not in the best interest for the rooms. I will say the balcony on this model of room is of concern, the railing for the balcony is a couple feet high and cemented into a concrete lip which can act as a step for young children to climb up. I noted from the outside the different rooms have different heights for the railing. Not a big deal for me but something to consider if you have kids that are climbers.
The Grounds:
Absolutely beautiful! The beach is excellent and quite clean, the water is clear and there is nothing really on the sea floor (rocks, sea weed, coral) of concern for when you are walking in the water. There is a life guard on duty and was attentive to the patrons of the resort who were swimming. We found the grounds were well maintained and add to the overall ambiance of the resort.
The Pools:
The lazy river really is endless fun for a lot of kids who are old enough and tall enough to swim / walk in the lazy river. As an adult it was nice to just sit on an inflatable and go for a 10 minute ride. There are 2 swimming pools for younger children along with the main pool which have 2 waterslides. The waterslides are nothing amazing but provide entertainment for periods of time. There is also a splash pad for children which helps keep the kids entertained. All the pools were clean and I had no complaints about them.
Activities for Kids:
The kids club is really designed for kids younger than 5 and provides a good space if you want to leave your children in care for a couple hours while you have dinner or a massage. Our 7 year old was beyond the activities and features here but they put on a movie for him which satisfied him enough. There is a football pitch which was great as it was a focal point for kids of various ages to meet up and split into teams for a game multiple times throughout the day. There is also a entertainment coordinator named Arron who would get various activities going for the older kids and were very age appropriate...our son loved some of the activities being put on.
Restaurants / Food:
I will say that the food at this hotel is quite expensive, in three days we almost spent as much on food as the cost of our hotel room for the 3 night stay (which included a breakfast buffet). The breakfast buffet was a good spread in which anyone can find something to appease even the pickiest eaters. We mostly ate lunch by the pool and the options are quite limited but the staff were great and very accommodating to get something delivered from another restaurant to the pool. We also had dinner at Capri Court (Italian) and Shahrazad (Middle Easter) restaurants. Both served excellent food and there service was great.
Staff:
All of the staff we encountered were friendly, although I did notice quite a few staff members who lacked the ability to communicate in English. Granted the guests of the resort were very international (Middle Eastern/European/North American) but at a 5* hotel I have the expectation that the staff should be able to communicate in English..at least a little....got a few blank stares / deer in headlights looks.
Other:
I am an early riser (around 5am), there needs to be somewhere that I can get a coffee outside of my room, as making a coffee in my room will result in me waking up my wife and kids. Whenever I would go to one of the restaurants where they serve breakfast (starting at 6:30am), the staff would be very hesitant to provide me with a coffee, even though the machines are self-serve. I would always get a coffee in the end but it seemed like an extraordinary request everytime.
If you prefer shade throughout the day and controlling how much sun you get, set yourself up on the right hand side of the beach on the grass under the palm trees. It is a nice quite area for the most part and we found it quite relaxing.
If you are looking for 5* elegance the Waha is not for you but the Husn likely is...but you're gonna pay more for such.
Nov 28, 2018
Very enjoyable
London, United Kingdom
We stayed last week at Al Waha twice; with a brief trip inland to the mountains in between stays. On both occasions our booking agent had made a mistake with our reservation. However, we would like to say an enormous thank you to the reception team for doing all they could to assist us, particularly Ms Apple. She was wonderfully welcoming, polite, and a complete pleasure to deal with. We really felt looked after. Thank you!!
Overall we had a great trip to Al Waha. The setting, facilities and staff are all excellent. Would highly recommend.
If a member of the Shangri La team is reading this review, please ensure our thanks are passed onto Ms Apple.
Shangri-La's Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa – Al Waha
Room Types
Superior Sea View Room
With views of the gulf, this room has a furnished balcony or patio and complimentary Wi-Fi. The luxurious bathroom has a separate bath and shower and there is a full-size desk, minibar (payable locally), and electronic safe.
With enhanced views of the ocean, sit down on your furnished balcony or terrace and unwind. Each comes with complimentary Wi-Fi and a bathroom with shower and separate bath, as well as an electronic safe, minibar (payable locally), and movie channels.
Comprised of two interconnected rooms — one with a king-sized bed and the other with twins — this room has garden and pool views from a furnished balcony or patio and is equipped with two en-suite bathrooms. There is complimentary Wi-Fi and a minibar (payable locally), a Playstation and DVD player, and an electronic safe.
The luxurious one bedroom suite has contemporary Arabian interiors and views of the gardens and sea. It has a large furnished balcony or patio and a separate sitting room with dining area. Amenities include complimentary Wi-Fi, a TV with DVD entertainment system, a minibar (payable locally), and electronic safe.
Shangri-La's Barr Al Jissah Resort & Spa – Al Waha
Food & Drink
Samba
Featuring an open show kitchen, this restaurant showcases famous recipes stretching from Asia to Latin America.
Al Waha Lobby Lounge
Enjoy panoramic views while indulging in a range of coffees, teas, cocktails and light snacks
Assira Pool Bar
Surf Café
From burgers to salads you can enjoy a variety of snacks and meals at this casual dining venue. Also take advantage of the individual internet stations.
1377 Reviews
86% of travellers recommended this hotel
Traveller ratings
Excellent
714
Very Good
445
Average
148
Poor
44
Terrible
26
What to Expect
Location
Sleep Quality
Rooms
Service
Value
Cleanliness
Reviews
Dec 12, 2018
A lot of room for improvement
San Francisco, California
Have chosen this hotel for family vacations. Hotel is dated: old towels, old furniture, rooms need renovation (table lamp broke down when touched, baby cot mattress was so deformed). Rooms are small though bathroom was fine. Breakfast buffet is quite good - not really sumptuous but ample variety to meet most's tastes. Pools are large, water slides were enjoyable and sunbeds are found easily. Sea and beach area is clean and nice too. Service in the restaurants were, say, inconsistent - at times friendly, at times very slow and yet at times they would forget a child's meal order altogether. Hotel is quite far from the town, and the taxi rides can add up (not a hotel's fault but just something to consider when planning).
Dec 12, 2018
Natural beauty beachside oasis
Mumbai, India
The white cliffs are a beautiful contrast to the deep blue water at this gem of a resort. Service is good, food is quite good, and staff is always around and willing to offer guidance. But the hero is the location - will definitely be going back!!
Dec 04, 2018
Great Location But Hotel Quality is Lack of 5 Star
Doha
We booked two interlink room with sea view and pools. Checked in was smooth and welcoming. Great jobs to the front desk personnel. We were shown to the 3rd floor in al Waha. On the first sight, the quality and decoration were not as we expected for a Shangri-La branded hotel. Have to say we were disappointed with the appearance and quality of decoration for the hotel. However, the services provided were great from the font of house, room service and lobby staffs. We went for buffet dinner at Samba on the first night. Informed the floor service staff that the larger Carlsberg was not taste right and asked them to look into it. We have paid for it in the bill but left the drink for the staff to investigate. Took my family to dinner at Bait Al Bahr and throughly enjoyed the food and services there.
Dec 03, 2018
Great Family Friendly Vacation
Ottawa, Canada
We stayed here for 3 nights and had a great experience. We are a family of 4, 2 adults with a 7 year old and a 4 year old. We stayed in room 3419.
The Room:
The room was comfortable and the bathroom was nice. I would not say that the room and its finishings are 5* but this is also a hotel designed for families with kids and it gets lots of wear and tear so high end finishings are not in the best interest for the rooms. I will say the balcony on this model of room is of concern, the railing for the balcony is a couple feet high and cemented into a concrete lip which can act as a step for young children to climb up. I noted from the outside the different rooms have different heights for the railing. Not a big deal for me but something to consider if you have kids that are climbers.
The Grounds:
Absolutely beautiful! The beach is excellent and quite clean, the water is clear and there is nothing really on the sea floor (rocks, sea weed, coral) of concern for when you are walking in the water. There is a life guard on duty and was attentive to the patrons of the resort who were swimming. We found the grounds were well maintained and add to the overall ambiance of the resort.
The Pools:
The lazy river really is endless fun for a lot of kids who are old enough and tall enough to swim / walk in the lazy river. As an adult it was nice to just sit on an inflatable and go for a 10 minute ride. There are 2 swimming pools for younger children along with the main pool which have 2 waterslides. The waterslides are nothing amazing but provide entertainment for periods of time. There is also a splash pad for children which helps keep the kids entertained. All the pools were clean and I had no complaints about them.
Activities for Kids:
The kids club is really designed for kids younger than 5 and provides a good space if you want to leave your children in care for a couple hours while you have dinner or a massage. Our 7 year old was beyond the activities and features here but they put on a movie for him which satisfied him enough. There is a football pitch which was great as it was a focal point for kids of various ages to meet up and split into teams for a game multiple times throughout the day. There is also a entertainment coordinator named Arron who would get various activities going for the older kids and were very age appropriate...our son loved some of the activities being put on.
Restaurants / Food:
I will say that the food at this hotel is quite expensive, in three days we almost spent as much on food as the cost of our hotel room for the 3 night stay (which included a breakfast buffet). The breakfast buffet was a good spread in which anyone can find something to appease even the pickiest eaters. We mostly ate lunch by the pool and the options are quite limited but the staff were great and very accommodating to get something delivered from another restaurant to the pool. We also had dinner at Capri Court (Italian) and Shahrazad (Middle Easter) restaurants. Both served excellent food and there service was great.
Staff:
All of the staff we encountered were friendly, although I did notice quite a few staff members who lacked the ability to communicate in English. Granted the guests of the resort were very international (Middle Eastern/European/North American) but at a 5* hotel I have the expectation that the staff should be able to communicate in English..at least a little....got a few blank stares / deer in headlights looks.
Other:
I am an early riser (around 5am), there needs to be somewhere that I can get a coffee outside of my room, as making a coffee in my room will result in me waking up my wife and kids. Whenever I would go to one of the restaurants where they serve breakfast (starting at 6:30am), the staff would be very hesitant to provide me with a coffee, even though the machines are self-serve. I would always get a coffee in the end but it seemed like an extraordinary request everytime.
If you prefer shade throughout the day and controlling how much sun you get, set yourself up on the right hand side of the beach on the grass under the palm trees. It is a nice quite area for the most part and we found it quite relaxing.
If you are looking for 5* elegance the Waha is not for you but the Husn likely is...but you're gonna pay more for such.
Nov 28, 2018
Very enjoyable
London, United Kingdom
We stayed last week at Al Waha twice; with a brief trip inland to the mountains in between stays. On both occasions our booking agent had made a mistake with our reservation. However, we would like to say an enormous thank you to the reception team for doing all they could to assist us, particularly Ms Apple. She was wonderfully welcoming, polite, and a complete pleasure to deal with. We really felt looked after. Thank you!!
Overall we had a great trip to Al Waha. The setting, facilities and staff are all excellent. Would highly recommend.
If a member of the Shangri La team is reading this review, please ensure our thanks are passed onto Ms Apple.
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1377 Reviews 
Traveller ratings
What to Expect
Reviews
A lot of room for improvement
San Francisco, California
Natural beauty beachside oasis
Mumbai, India
Great Location But Hotel Quality is Lack of 5 Star
Doha
Great Family Friendly Vacation
Ottawa, Canada
Very enjoyable
London, United Kingdom