Al Bustan Palace’s last season before renovation
Al Bustan Palace, a Ritz-Carlton landmark on Al Bustan Street in Muscat, will close to guests on July 1 as a comprehensive renovation program begins. The palace hotel sits between the Gulf of Oman and a dramatic mountain wall, and this setting has long made the property the reference point for luxury hotels in Muscat and across Oman. For travelers planning a final stay, June dates offer one last chance to experience the grand lobby, the private cove and the long sweep of landscaped gardens before state-of-the-art work starts on all guest rooms and public areas.
The renovation is being overseen by Royal Estates – Royal Court Affairs with WATG and Wimberly Interiors, and the stated goal is to elevate the guest experience while preserving Omani character in the palace architecture. Official information from Marriott International confirms that guest rooms, dining venues and public spaces are all included in the Al Bustan Palace, a Ritz-Carlton Hotel renovation, with an expected closure period of approximately two years and a reopening planned in 2028. In a brief statement shared with media, a Marriott spokesperson summarized the project as “a multi-year investment in one of Oman’s most iconic hotels, designed to honor the original palace while bringing its facilities in line with the expectations of today’s luxury traveler.”
For guests used to the broader Marriott Bonvoy ecosystem, this closure also affects how they earn and redeem loyalty points at the palace. The property has long attracted a modern global mix of couples, frequent flyer elites and Omani families who value the combination of a palace-style Ritz-Carlton lobby and a calm private beach. During the closure, Marriott Bonvoy members who had planned to use points, legacy Ritz-Carlton Rewards balances or former Starwood Preferred Guest rewards at this palace hotel will need to redirect their reservations to other hotels in Muscat and across nearby countries and territories.
Quick facts at a glance
- Last check-out date: Stays are accepted through June; the hotel closes to guests from July 1.
- Planned reopening: Marriott International currently lists the expected reopening year as 2028.
- Scope of works: Guest rooms, suites, dining venues, wellness areas and public spaces are all part of the renovation.
- Project leadership: Royal Estates – Royal Court Affairs with design input from WATG and Wimberly Interiors.
- How to confirm details: Check the official Al Bustan Palace, a Ritz-Carlton Hotel page on Marriott’s website or contact Marriott reservations directly for the latest updates.
What the closure means for existing bookings and loyalty guests
The practical impact of the Al Bustan Palace renovation is immediate for anyone holding reservations from July onward, because the hotel will not accept guests once work begins. Travelers with existing bookings should contact the hotel company or their travel advisor promptly, as many June dates are already tight and alternative luxury hotels in Muscat are filling with displaced demand. If you booked through a Marriott channel, expect the Marriott International reservations team to assist with rebooking and to clarify how your points, rewards and any free night certificates will be handled.
To avoid last-minute stress, it helps to follow a simple checklist:
- Confirm your dates: Log in to your Marriott Bonvoy account or check your confirmation email to see whether your stay falls after the closure.
- Contact support early: Reach out to Marriott reservations, your travel advisor or corporate travel desk to discuss rebooking options in Muscat or the wider region.
- Ask about points and certificates: Request written confirmation of how your points, free night awards and any promotional certificates will be refunded or reissued.
- Monitor email updates: Keep an eye on official program communications in case policies or timelines change as the renovation progresses.
Loyalty members who previously earned Marriott Bonvoy, Ritz-Carlton Rewards or legacy Starwood Preferred Guest benefits at this Ritz-Carlton address should pay close attention to program communications. While the Muscat palace is offline, Marriott will likely highlight other palace-style or resort hotels in the region where elite members can still enjoy upgrades on rooms and suites, late checkout and breakfast benefits. For many regular guests, the loss of this particular Ritz-Carlton property in Oman for two years will shift anniversary trips and special occasions toward other coastal hotels that can still be booked with points-and-cash combinations.
Guests who value Omani heritage details will want to track how the designers integrate art and technology into the refreshed rooms, suites and public spaces, because the stated ambition is to blend modern global comfort with strong local cues. WATG and Wimberly Interiors have indicated that the aim is to maintain luxury standards while modernizing facilities, which suggests more state-of-the-art wellness spaces and updated in-room technology. For families planning a wider Oman itinerary that combines Muscat with desert and coast, it is worth looking at a Sharqiya Sands family itinerary that does not cut corners, such as the one outlined in this guide to Sharqiya Sands with children, then pairing it with a different Muscat base while the Bustan renovation is underway.
Muscat alternatives and how to rethink an Oman itinerary
With the Al Bustan Palace closure removing one of Muscat’s most atmospheric addresses from the map for two years, visitors need to rethink how they structure a luxury stay in Oman. On the coast, Shangri-La Barr Al Jissah and the adjacent Al Husn offer a similar combination of private beach, resort-scale facilities and Omani touches, while The Chedi Muscat appeals to travelers who prefer a more minimalist palace hotel aesthetic. In the city center, the new Mandarin Oriental, Muscat and the incoming Waldorf Astoria Al Husn will compete for the global traveler who once booked the Bustan palace by default for its balance of resort space and proximity to the old city.
For guests who usually chose this Ritz-Carlton address because it felt like a self-contained palace with a sense of occasion, the key is to think in terms of a multi-stop itinerary rather than a single hotel. One option is to split time between a Muscat city hotel and a mountain retreat, using a property near Muttrah for souq access and then heading up to Jebel Shams for a balcony walk, as outlined in this detailed guide to the Jebel Shams balcony hike. Another is to anchor the trip around marine experiences, pairing a Muscat stay at The Chedi or Mandarin Oriental with a dedicated snorkeling day at the Daymaniyat Islands, planned using a specialist resource such as this Daymaniyat Islands snorkeling guide.
From a news perspective, the closure of such an iconic hotel in Muscat is part of a broader wave of luxury investment linked to Oman’s Vision 2040, which aims to position the country as a high-value destination rather than a mass-market stop. For the Marriott and Ritz-Carlton portfolio, temporarily losing this palace in Oman narrows options for loyal guests in the Gulf, but it also signals that the company is willing to invest heavily in keeping key hotels competitive with global peers. When the Bustan property returns to the market, travelers can expect refreshed rooms, more refined Omani design details and upgraded facilities that reflect both advances in hotel technology and the expectations of a modern global audience that now compares palace hotels across many countries and territories in a single search.