Al Bustan Palace was built in 1985 to host the heads of state gathered for the Gulf Cooperation Council summit, a commission that explains its extraordinary scale: a central atrium nine stories high topped by a gold dome, surrounded by 250 rooms and set in gardens between the sea and the Hajar Mountains. It was designed by the Omani architect Abdel Wahed El-Wakil in a style that draws on traditional Arabian and Islamic architecture while operating at a completely non-traditional scale. For decades it functioned as Oman's flagship hotel; it underwent a major renovation and reopened in 2010 under the Ritz-Carlton brand.
Visiting as a non-guest is possible for meals or a drink at one of the restaurants, which gives access to the atrium and public areas. The interior is worth seeing: the scale of the central space, with its coffered dome, marble floors, and carefully controlled light, is genuinely impressive in a way that photographs don't quite convey. The location at Bandar Al Rawdha, about 15 kilometres east of Old Muscat, makes it a natural stop if you're also visiting the Omani Aquarium and Marine Science Centre at the adjacent marina.