Living Room at W Muscat

The Living Room is the social hub of W Muscat, the design-led hotel on Al Kharjiya Street in Shatti Al Qurum. Here it combines a cocktail bar with a lounge whose look and programme are shaped by design, fashion and music. It is one of the later-opening licensed venues in the city and a natural meeting point before or after dinner in the Shatti Al Qurum area.

Cocktails are the focus, and the setting, with its emphasis on design and music, makes it easy to settle in for an evening rather than a single drink. If you want to eat, the hotel's restaurants include Zuma Muscat for Japanese izakaya dishes, CHAR for steaks and grills, Ba Ban for Chinese food and The Terrace for open-fire Mediterranean cooking, so it is simple to combine a meal and a drink without leaving the building.

The hotel lists the Living Room as open from 6pm to 2am on Saturday to Wednesday and from 6pm to 3am on Thursday and Friday. A smart casual dress code applies. Alcohol in Oman is served in licensed venues, most of them in hotels, so carry photo identification, as you may be asked to prove your age. Prices are in line with other luxury hotel bars in the capital.

It suits couples, groups of friends and solo travellers who want a stylish setting with music. Thursday and Friday nights are the busiest, as they fall at the start of the Omani weekend. Arrive earlier in the evening if you want a quieter conversation. During Ramadan, opening hours and drinks service change, so check with the hotel in advance. If you are celebrating, call ahead to ask about reserving a table, as walk-in space can fill quickly on weekend nights.

W Muscat is in Shatti Al Qurum, a few minutes by taxi from the Qurum and Al Khuwair hotels and close to the Royal Opera House, so the Living Room is a convenient spot for a drink after a performance. Ubhar and the other restaurants of Bareeq Al Shatti are within easy reach for dinner beforehand, and the Shatti Al Qurum beachfront is nearby for a late walk.