AL BUSTAN PALACE, A RITZ-CARLTON HOTEL

The iconic Al Bustan Palace (now the Ritz-Carlton) is much more than a luxury hotel. Nicknamed "The Jewel of the Sultanate", this nine-storey edifice certainly lives up to its name.

Following the accession to the throne of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said as ruler of the Sultanate of Oman in 1970, the country experienced significant progress in various sectors, including education, health, infrastructure and so on. During this period of "renaissance", the Sultanate of Oman became a leading and active partner in Gulf and Arab affairs, as well as in the international community. It soon became necessary to provide the country with sufficiently prestigious facilities and establishments to welcome visiting heads of state and their delegations, as well as international conferences and other high-level gatherings, in particular those of the Arab League, the Islamic Conference and, most important of all, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said's dream came true: he decided that Al Bustan Palace would be built to host the 1985 Gulf Cooperation Council summit. From the outset, it was planned that when not in use for state meetings, the building would function as a luxury hotel. After much deliberation, the Ministerial Committee was convinced to build the Palace on the eastern side of the city, by the sea. As the original village of Al Bustan stretched 6 km along the center of the beach, it was decided that the hotel would be built a little to the rear, in the heart of the area occupied by plantations. This posed a major problem, however: a 35-metre-high mountain had to be levelled before construction could begin! Site preparation was completed on August 16, 1983, and the foundation stone was laid.

During construction, the famous dome and its cladding, manufactured by 3 different companies in 3 different locations, were assembled over a weekend in a schoolyard in Liverpool, England, to ensure that everything fitted perfectly before shipment to Oman. Emblematically, the building's octagonal shape is mainly inspired by Islamic architecture. A total of 97 types of stone and 800 tonnes of the finest marble from Syria, Iran, Italy and India were used for the hotel's framework and flooring. The seven corners of the immense lobby each represent a GCC country and are adorned with arabesques, wood carvings, mother-of-pearl and gold leaf. The incredible central lamp hanging from the 38-metre-high dome, a reminder of the mountain that once stood on the same spot, is made up of some 3,000 bulbs and nine dazzling crystal chandeliers. Another not-to-be-missed piece is the sumptuous 3.5-metre-high fountain, also in crystal. Made exclusively for Al Bustan Palace, it represents a fabulous treasure chest.

In the afternoon, under the large sparkling dome, you can treat yourself to an exceptional high tea , magnificently served in ceramic crockery specifically designed for the palace. Everything is done to give visitors a deep sense of belonging and disconnection, while wisps of incense perfume the Atrium, creating a suspended moment in the Oman of yesteryear.