Federica
Review of Fanar Hotel & Residences, Oman (March 9-16, 2025)
I would like to express my sincere appreciation for my stay at Fanar Hotel & Residences in Oman from March 9 to 16, 2025.
First of all, I would like to give my highest compliments to Mehedi Hassan, who was responsible for cleaning the rooms. His professionalism, attention to detail, and exceptional kindness truly stood out. I stayed in room 439, and I personally witnessed his dedication to providing impeccable service. Without a doubt, he was the best in his role and deserves great recognition for his outstanding work.
Regarding the structure, the hotel is beautiful and well-maintained, providing a pleasant and relaxing atmosphere. However, I would like to point out an aspect that could be improved in the international restaurant (and partially in the other restaurants as well): while I appreciated the quality of the food, I noticed that the waiters tend to remove plates too quickly, even when they are not completely finished.
A special thanks goes to Elisa, Andrea, Enzo, and the other Andrea from the Franco Rosso team, who always showed great kindness and professionalism. In particular, I would like to praise Elisa, who stood out for her availability and dedication to excellent service. Other guests I spoke with also shared the same opinion.
However, I would like to mention a small issue with Ms. Serena, also from the Franco Rosso team. I found her approach to be a bit too strict, with a somewhat military-like attitude and rather invasive looks. Other guests also noticed this, and I believe that a more relaxed and friendly approach would be more suitable for a vacation setting.
Additionally, I would like to acknowledge the hotel photographer Hassan and team, who did an excellent job capturing special moments during my stay. The photoshoot was carefully managed, with high-quality images and great professionalism.
One aspect that particularly impressed me was the ocean beach, which is truly breathtaking. I hope that in the future it will be maintained with the same attention given to the lagoon at the entrance of the hotel because this beach truly deserves it. It would also be beneficial to have more staff providing service on the beach, not just the Franco Rosso team, to further enhance the guest experience.
Lastly, a special mention goes to the SPA, which offers a truly relaxing and well-organized experience. The treatments were carried out with great attention and professionalism, making my stay even more enjoyable.
Overall, my stay was very positive, and I highly recommend this hotel for the quality of its services.
Thank you again to all the staff for their hospitality!
Dan Belecciu
Excellent conditions and services, very large and spacious rooms. Very nice people and helpful. What can be improved would be a map of the entire place for better orientation, since there are so many bars, restaurants and places of interest. Superb beach at the Indian Ocean, I totally recommend it.
Alicja Benkenstein
We stayed at Fanar Hotel for 7 nights and overall had a great experience, except for the accommodation itself.
One of the highlights was definitely the service. The staff truly go above and beyond. From the moment we checked in, we had a lady reach out to ensure everything was going well. The cleaning staff did an incredible job keeping our apartment clean and making sure we always had fresh water. The golf cart drivers were kind and accommodating, making it easy to get around, and the restaurant staff were always responsive and professional. We also want to thank the reception staff, who were incredibly accommodating and patient throughout our stay, always willing to help with any requests.
The food is really good, we thought the best breakfast is at Sindbad Restaurant, definitely worth trying. The weekly Saturday seafood dinner at the beach (15 OMR per person) is a must, an incredible experience with delicious food. For a special evening, we recommend the Omani cuisine night on Wednesdays at the Breakers restaurant, where there are live performances by local dancing ladies.
The beaches are very beautiful, as a Fanar guest, you get access to the beaches at both Rotana and The Club hotels. Our favorite was The Club hotel’s beach, which was relatively empty, had great waves, and was well-maintained with lifeguards on duty.
The spa in the main building is excellent. I had three full-body massages, and I can wholeheartedly recommend them.
Unfortunately, the biggest drawback of the hotel is the accommodation. There is a huge disparity between the hotel rooms in the main building or newer buildings (like Stork or Heron) and what is sold as apartments.
These apartments are not up to the standard of the rest of the hotel, they are an honest 3-star experience, not 5-star. Depending on the location, they are a 5 to 10-minute walk from the main hotel, which is already inconvenient. However, the real issue is their age and lack of renovation.
The furniture and design are extremely basic, more comparable to a basic hotel than a luxury resort. Bathrooms are noticeably aged, the shower drain was moldy, the ceiling had visible mold and dirt, and the entire room smelled of mold and cigarette smoke. The whole room felt worn-down, with everything from the fixtures to the decor screaming 3 stars, not 5.
To be clear, the cleaning staff did an amazing job, and the issue was not cleanliness, but the fact that these apartments are simply too old to be properly maintained. No amount of cleaning can make up for outdated furniture, worn-out bathrooms, and a lingering musty smell.
If you're looking for a true 5-star experience, it seems that The Club is the best hotel out of the four in the complex. It’s newer (built just two years ago) and clearly of higher quality but it is also significantly more expensive.
Generally the hotel is a 5-star experience in terms of service, food, and amenities but not in terms of accommodation, at least when staying in an apartment. If you are booking here, be very mindful of the room category you choose. I highly recommend opting for a room in the main building or one of the newer sections, but I would not recommend booking an apartment if you are expecting the same level of comfort as the rest of the hotel.
shahina ibrohimova
Oman itself is a country full of fascinating explorations. We have been staying at this hotel for five days, and it has exceeded our expectations in every way. Daria, our Russian-speaking guide, is a true professional—she explained everything in detail and in a way that was easy to understand. A big thank you to all the staff members for their efforts! We truly appreciate your hard work.
Sándor Prémusz
We were absolutely satisfied with all services in the hotel. Amazing rooms, delicious food, breathtaking ocean. The staff was very polite and helpful. The lifeguard guy - Salim was really kind and communicative, he did his job very well. I will recommend this hotel to everyone.
4.5
