Jumeirah celebrated the official opening of its first property in Oman in December. Set within the new Muscat Bay development on Bandar Jissah bay, the hotel offers the exemplary service levels that are synonymous with Jumeirah properties around the world, in a uniquely Omani setting.
There are 206 rooms and suites, all offering sea views, as well as the Sanctuary Villa, which comes with a sprawling private pool and dedicated butler service, and Oman's first Talise Spa. The surrounding area offers plenty of opportunities for hiking, biking, diving and other water-based sports, but you'll have to drag yourself away from the resort's pristine beach first.
The welcome
After a half-hour drive from Muscat city centre, the latter part consisting of winding mountain roads, Google Maps deposits us at the fenced-off back entrance to the Muscat Bay community.
Jumeirah Muscat Bay is new enough ― it celebrated its grand opening in early December ― for Google not yet to have fully found its bearings. A U-turn and closer attention to signs on the side of the road lead us to our actual destination.
The drive up to the hotel offers ample opportunity to admire its stunning location. Our car is promptly valeted and we are ushered into an airy reception area. Large, contemporary chandeliers hang overhead and intimate check-in desks are situated on either side of the space, but it is the double height windows offering views over Bandar Jissah bay that steal the show.
Check-in formalities are promptly completed by an Omani member of staff, and we make our way to our room.
The neighbourhood
The hotel is at the far end of Muscat Bay, a luxury residential community with grand-looking "hilltop" and "island" villas. Comfortably nestled between the rocky Al Hajar mountains and a stunning cove, the property takes full advantage of its scenic setting, with all rooms facing towards the sea and restaurants that fully capitalise on the views.
The bay is peppered with sculptural rocky outcrops that emerge from the sea, adding to the overall drama of the setting. Hugged by mountains on three sides, it feels entirely removed from the rest of the world.
The room
Everything about the hotel is new, but the rooms, in particular, feel very modern. We stay in a premium club room, which is decorated in calming, muted tones interspersed with subtle Arabian-inspired accents. In addition to a desk, there is a corner nook with comfy seating, as well as a balcony that looks out over the sea.
A large bathroom with marble floors houses a sumptuous bath tub and rain shower, and the space can be opened up or closed off to the rest of the room via sliding doors.
The service
Service is smooth throughout the resort and it is particularly pleasant to be able to interact with Omani members of staff.
The scene
The property has two swimming pools, an adults-only one surrounded by private cabanas, and another that is more child-friendly. However, the beach is the real highlight. Clear waters, pristine sand and double-sized loungers make for an ideal day soaking up the rays. Those looking to take a more active approach can explore the cove on a paddle board or glass-bottomed kayak.
The hotel also offers hiking trips for those looking to keep their adventures on land and Oman’s first Talise Spa for those hoping to turn relaxation levels up a notch.
The food
There are five restaurants, including Tarini, a lounge and terrace overlooking the bay, and Zuka, which offers laid-back beachfront dining. The buffet breakfast at Peridot feels plentiful but not excessive.
Located on the top floor of the hotel, again capitalising on the expansive sea views, Brezza offers Mediterranean cuisine with an Italian slant. Raw starters include spicy tuna tartar with saffron arancini, 6.5 Omani rials (about $17) and red mullet with burnt orange, guacamole and yuzu (OR7). The Angus beef carpaccio with mushroom and artichoke, parmesan and truffle vinaigrette (OR9) is perfectly executed, as is the pepper crusted beef tenderloin (OR20), which is served with mashed potatoes, porcini mushrooms and herbed sauce.
Food and beverage operations are overseen by the charming Sicilian chef Claudio Dieli, who personally recommends and delivers his signature deconstructed tiramisu, and sticks around for an incredibly entertaining chat.
Highs and lows
The hotel’s location is an undeniable high point. The sharp juxtaposition of mountains and sea serves up dramatic views wherever you are in the property, and makes you feel like you are fully immersed in nature.
Our room, however, has one minor design flaw. A coffee machine is provided and sits on the desk, but the way the electrical socket is placed means it can’t actually be plugged in.
The insider tip
Ask for a room that’s as high up as possible to take advantage of those views.
The bottom line
Prices for a deluxe garden room start from Dh1,683 ($458) per night, excluding taxes. Check-in is at 3pm and check-out is at 12; www.jumeirah.com.
This review was conducted at the invitation of the hotel. It reflects hotel standards during this time, services may change in the future.
Results
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What is graphene?
Graphene is extracted from graphite and is made up of pure carbon.
It is 200 times more resistant than steel and five times lighter than aluminum.
It conducts electricity better than any other material at room temperature.
It is thought that graphene could boost the useful life of batteries by 10 per cent.
Graphene can also detect cancer cells in the early stages of the disease.
The material was first discovered when Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov were 'playing' with graphite at the University of Manchester in 2004.
GIANT REVIEW
Starring: Amir El-Masry, Pierce Brosnan
Director: Athale
Rating: 4/5
COMPANY PROFILE
Initial investment: Undisclosed
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Core42
Current number of staff: 47
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Tamkeen's offering
- Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
- Option 2: 50% across three years
- Option 3: 30% across five years
Turkish Ladies
Various artists, Sony Music Turkey
'I Want You Back'
Director:Jason Orley
Stars:Jenny Slate, Charlie Day
Rating:4/5
Three ways to limit your social media use
Clinical psychologist, Dr Saliha Afridi at The Lighthouse Arabia suggests three easy things you can do every day to cut back on the time you spend online.
1. Put the social media app in a folder on the second or third screen of your phone so it has to remain a conscious decision to open, rather than something your fingers gravitate towards without consideration.
2. Schedule a time to use social media instead of consistently throughout the day. I recommend setting aside certain times of the day or week when you upload pictures or share information.
3. Take a mental snapshot rather than a photo on your phone. Instead of sharing it with your social world, try to absorb the moment, connect with your feeling, experience the moment with all five of your senses. You will have a memory of that moment more vividly and for far longer than if you take a picture of it.
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
World ranking (at month’s end)
Jan - 257
Feb - 198
Mar - 159
Apr - 161
May - 159
Jun – 162
Currently: 88
Year-end rank since turning pro
2016 - 279
2015 - 185
2014 - 143
2013 - 63
2012 - 384
2011 - 883
Married Malala
Malala Yousafzai is enjoying married life, her father said.
The 24-year-old married Pakistan cricket executive Asser Malik last year in a small ceremony in the UK.
Ziauddin Yousafzai told The National his daughter was ‘very happy’ with her husband.
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Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How has net migration to UK changed?
The figure was broadly flat immediately before the Covid-19 pandemic, standing at 216,000 in the year to June 2018 and 224,000 in the year to June 2019.
It then dropped to an estimated 111,000 in the year to June 2020 when restrictions introduced during the pandemic limited travel and movement.
The total rose to 254,000 in the year to June 2021, followed by steep jumps to 634,000 in the year to June 2022 and 906,000 in the year to June 2023.
The latest available figure of 728,000 for the 12 months to June 2024 suggests levels are starting to decrease.
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Score
Third Test, Day 1
New Zealand 229-7 (90 ov)
Pakistan
New Zealand won the toss and elected to bat
Company%20Profile
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Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode
Directors: Raj & DK
Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon
Rating: 4/5
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
What is the FNC?
The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning.
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval.
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.
TOUR RESULTS AND FIXTURES
June 3: NZ Provincial Barbarians 7 Lions 13
June 7: Blues 22 Lions 16
June 10: Crusaders 3 Lions 12
June 13: Highlanders 23 Lions 22
June 17: Maori All Blacks 10 Lions 32
June 20: Chiefs 6 Lions 34
June 24: New Zealand 30 Lions 15
June 27: Hurricanes 31 Lions 31
July 1: New Zealand 21 Lions 24
July 8: New Zealand v Lions
Founders: Abdulmajeed Alsukhan, Turki Bin Zarah and Abdulmohsen Albabtain.
Based: Riyadh
Offices: UAE, Vietnam and Germany
Founded: September, 2020
Number of employees: 70
Sector: FinTech, online payment solutions
Funding to date: $116m in two funding rounds
Investors: Checkout.com, Impact46, Vision Ventures, Wealth Well, Seedra, Khwarizmi, Hala Ventures, Nama Ventures and family offices
David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
PROFILE OF HALAN
Started: November 2017
Founders: Mounir Nakhla, Ahmed Mohsen and Mohamed Aboulnaga
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport and logistics
Size: 150 employees
Investment: approximately $8 million
Investors include: Singapore’s Battery Road Digital Holdings, Egypt’s Algebra Ventures, Uber co-founder and former CTO Oscar Salazar
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
The biog
First Job: Abu Dhabi Department of Petroleum in 1974
Current role: Chairperson of Al Maskari Holding since 2008
Career high: Regularly cited on Forbes list of 100 most powerful Arab Businesswomen
Achievement: Helped establish Al Maskari Medical Centre in 1969 in Abu Dhabi’s Western Region
Future plan: Will now concentrate on her charitable work
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more from Janine di Giovanni
The specs
Engine: 77.4kW all-wheel-drive dual motor
Power: 320bhp
Torque: 605Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh219,000
On sale: Now
The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 502hp at 7,600rpm
Torque: 637Nm at 5,150rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto
Price: from Dh317,671
On sale: now
Cultural fiesta
What: The Al Burda Festival
When: November 14 (from 10am)
Where: Warehouse421, Abu Dhabi
The Al Burda Festival is a celebration of Islamic art and culture, featuring talks, performances and exhibitions. Organised by the Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development, this one-day event opens with a session on the future of Islamic art. With this in mind, it is followed by a number of workshops and “masterclass” sessions in everything from calligraphy and typography to geometry and the origins of Islamic design. There will also be discussions on subjects including ‘Who is the Audience for Islamic Art?’ and ‘New Markets for Islamic Design.’ A live performance from Kuwaiti guitarist Yousif Yaseen should be one of the highlights of the day.
The specs
Engine: 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6
Power: 540hp at 6,500rpm
Torque: 600Nm at 2,500rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Kerb weight: 1580kg
Price: From Dh750k
On sale: via special order
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Four tips to secure IoT networks
Mohammed Abukhater, vice president at FireEye in the Middle East, said:
- Keep device software up-to-date. Most come with basic operating system, so users should ensure that they always have the latest version
- Besides a strong password, use two-step authentication. There should be a second log-in step like adding a code sent to your mobile number
- Usually smart devices come with many unnecessary features. Users should lock those features that are not required or used frequently
- Always create a different guest network for visitors
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