7 Best Hotels in Bidiyah, Oman

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Visitors come to southern Sharqiyah for the desert, so it shouldn't be much of a surprise that the best options for accommodations are the desert camps that are dotted across the dunes of Wahiba Sands, which range on the comfort scale from basic to luxury. Thoughmost camps are open year-round, it is not advisable to stay in the desert during the summer months, from May through July, when sandstorms and scorpions are more common and when the temperatures are scorching. By mid-August or early September the weather will have cooled enough for a pleasant trip. If you choose to go during the summer, be sure to book an air-conditioned tent and ask about the available amenities, as they are often reduced during the low season. There are a handful of hotels in the towns of Bidiyah and Ibra, but they are very basic. If you are not planning to visit the desert and just visiting the sights and wadis of Northern Sharqiyah, the accommodations in Ibra are simple but more comfortable and clean than those in Bidiyah Sands. They are almost never fully booked, so it is easy to find accommodations on arrival and it is best to request to see your room options before agreeing to book anyway.

1000 Nights Camp

$$ | Wahiba Sands Al Mintrib, Oman
This camp, which has more resort-style amenities than most others, offers several different levels of accommodations, from basic tents without electricty or bathroom facilities, to more luxurious tents with private baths and a/c, to small villas. All of the rooms are a bit run-down but are clean and comfortable enough. Breakfast and dinner buffet, fruit, water, and soft drinks are all included. On-site the resort has its own pool, sand volleyball nets, darts and billiards, and in the high season, Bedouin singers and dancers are often invited to perform in the evenings. As with most of the camps, the property can arrange all kinds of activities, including camel and horseback riding, dune-bashing, and desert trekking—albeit for a rather high fee. This property is not very remote, which makes it easy to find, but also means that it does not offer the quiet experience you may be looking for (it's in a part of the desert that is a popular camping and dune-bashing destination for locals, so it can be a bit noisy some nights). Pickups can be arranged in Bidiyah if you don't have your own four-wheel-drive vehicle.

Pros

  • Range of accommodations options and prices
  • Complimentary on-site activities available
  • Any desert experience is available, for a price

Cons

  • Can be noisy on the weekends, when locals come to camp and dune-bash
  • No Wi-Fi in most rooms
  • Add-on activities are overpriced
Wahiba Sands Al Mintrib, Oman
9944–8158
hotel Details
26 tents, 1 sand house
Rate Includes: Free Breakfast

Quick Facts

  • $$

Al Areesh Desert Camp

$ | Oman
This is the only desert camp in the region that is accessible without four-wheel drive, and it is the least expensive property in the Wahiba Sands. The very basic huts have electricity and private bathrooms; breakfast and dinner buffets are included in the nightly rates. At night a large fire is lit, and during the busy season Bedouin performers sing and dance. Activities like camel rides and guided crossings can be arranged.

Pros

  • Value for the money
  • Accessible without four-wheel drive

Cons

  • Not many amenities on-site
  • Rooms are a bit run-down
Oman
9462–2725
hotel Details
15 cabins, 35 tents
Rate Includes: Free Breakfast

Quick Facts

  • $

Al Raha Camp

$ | Oman
This camp is run-down, and the rooms are very basic, albeit clean with private bathrooms. It is one of the cheapest places to stay in the desert and is adequate for a night. The Omani owners can arrange pickups from town and desert excursions, and they maintain a good relationship with the local Bedouin and can arrange visits with them; Bedouin women to come to the camp each weekend to sell their handicrafts.This camp offers two meal options: breakfast only or half-board. Unless you plan to bring a cooler with your own provision, you should take the half-board offer. If you book during the summer, you must book a room with air-conditioning.

Pros

  • Inexpensive option
  • Supports the local tribes

Cons

  • Run-down property
  • Not all rooms are air-conditioned
Oman
9934–3851
hotel Details
77 barasti huts, 9 barasti suites, 15 luxury tents

Quick Facts

  • $

Recommended Fodor's Video

Arabian Oryx Camp

$$ | Oman
This camp's spacious bungalows are good for traveling families, and the resort can arrange all kinds of desert experiences; the layout—rows of square, air-conditioned cabins—leaves something to be desired. All cabins have two queen beds, air-conditioning, and private baths. Aside from Bedouin singing and dancing in the gathering halls after dinner, which is only scheduled during the high season, there are few things to do in the camp itself. But the food here is some of the best of any of the camps in the area, with a huge selection during both breakfast and dinner (which is included in the rates), including great barbecue and local Omani specialties like sweet, saffron-flavored halwa.

Pros

  • Great food
  • Pristinely clean rooms

Cons

  • Expensive add-on activities
  • Unattractive grounds
Oman
9442 1500
hotel Details
37 cabins
Rate Includes: Free Breakfast

Quick Facts

  • $$

Desert Nights Camp

$$$$ | Oman
More expensive than most of the other camps, Desert Nights does offer nicer accommodations, though it is still desert "camping," so don't expect five-star standards. Nice additional perks include free camel rides and sunset drives up the dunes; other add-on desert activities, such as camel safaris, trekking, and dune-bashing, are reasonably priced. Breakfast and dinner are included, but be sure to request and reserve an outdoor table. Transportation can be arranged from Bidiyah or Muscat.

Pros

  • Some complimentary activities
  • Good barbecue

Cons

  • Rooms a bit run-down
  • Not very remote
hotel Details
24 double tented suites, 2 family tented suites, 4 rooms
Rate Includes: Free Breakfast

Quick Facts

Nomadic Desert Camp

$$ | Oman Fodor's Choice

A simple camp of traditional palm leaf huts (with no a/c or electricity), this family-run property offers a more local experience than some of the other resorts, with the friendly, on-site Omani owners who are extremely helpful. This might explain why most repeat visitors to the area seem to prefer this no-frills property over some of the more luxurious options. The reasonable rates include Omani-style dinner and breakfast, a short camel ride, and a guide to lead you in from Bidiyah if you have a 4x4 (otherwise pickups are available for a small fee). A fire is built nightly, and guests and locals gather to relax over a cup of tea under the stars.

Be sure to bring cash, as you can only use a credit card for the room; any additional activities or extras (like sheesha), will need to be paid for in cash.

Other camps offer more excursion options, but few that offer the remote, authentic desert camping experience.

Pros

  • Authentic camping experience
  • On-site local Bedouin owners
  • Great rates

Cons

  • Fewer activities offered on-site than other camps
  • Shared bathrooms
  • Credit cards can only be charged in advance, on-site is cash only
Oman
9933–6273
hotel Details
15 huts
Rate Includes: Closed summer, Free Breakfast

Quick Facts

  • $$

Safari Desert Camp

$$ | Oman
This traditional, electricity-free camp is one of the most remote, with tents scattered around the site, each nicely furnished with carpets and two beds as well as an open-topped tent for the toilet and shower. If the camp is still not remote enough for your liking, there is the option for "wild camping" in a tent a few miles away from the main site; other than your meals being delivered, you will be left in peaceful solitude. Local Omani breakfast and dinner are included in the rate, and additional experiences, from Bedouin musical performances and henna tattooing to camel safaris and professional drivers to take you deeper into the desert, can be booked. Transfers from Bidiyah are available for a hefty additional fee. Though the camp is open year-round, we do not recommend booking at this camp from mid-May through mid-August due to the lack of air-conditioning.

Pros

  • More remote than other camps
  • Eco-friendly

Cons

  • Add-ons add up fast, and a visit can get expensive
  • Difficult to find, and guide is expensive add-on
Oman
9200-0592
hotel Details
12 tents, 8 huts
Rate Includes: Free Breakfast

Quick Facts

  • $$

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