A Trip Through Oman, Where Skyscrapers Are Illegal and Hospitality Runs Deep

"Arriving at the Ritz-Carlton property called Al Bustan Palace, I discovered it to be an actual palace: a sweeping marble plaza leads to an atrium with a soaring dome almost entirely chiseled into swirling Arabic designs, and portraits of Sultan Qaboos hang prominently in the lobby; the young check-in clerk told me that “his majesty” built it a few decades ago for a Gulf Cooperation Council summit, and the hotel has recently unveiled a renovation that emphasizes traditional Omani design." - Saki Knafo Saki Knafo Saki Knafo is a writer based in New York City. His work has appeared in GQ, The New York Times Magazine, New York Magazine, Details, The Atlantic, Men’s Journal, and many other publications. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines