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EDITOR IN CHIEF- ABDULLAH BIN SALIM AL SHUEILI

Nizwa old houses now turn into ‘heritage hotel’

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NIZWA, June 26 - The old and ramshackle houses that have been restored in the Al Aqur village next to Nizwa Commercial Market have now started receiving guests. Bawareq Nizwa International for Investment (SAOC) invested in the renovation effort and transformed six houses into a heritage property in the last two years. It is now called Nizwa Heritage Inn. The entire project comprised restoration of six houses, four of which are meant for housing, one for the reception and another for a restaurant serving meals, including Omani cuisine.


Omar bin Suleiman bin Mohammed al Sawafi, Director, Nizwa Heritage Inn, said: “We faced many challenges in the beginning in terms of buying, consulting and investing in these houses. We also had a problem in owning these houses.”


Al Sawafi said: “We want to show tourists, including Omani citizens, the ancient Omani history, the way houses were built, the architecture and the tools used. We want to take tourists on a ‘time trip’ and show them how Omanis led their lives in the past.”


According to him, there are four houses, with each containing 20 rooms: double-twin bedroom with attached bathroom, double-twin bedroom with a separate bathroom, twin beds with a shared bathroom, triple-bedroom and a suite, and different-sized halls.

The inn also has private parking for guests’ vehicles.


The aim of the project was to revive history of the village and promote tourism and trade in the heritage style.


Zahir bin Sulaiman al Zakwani, General Manager of Bawareq Nizwa International for Investment, in an interview, had said: “The company is also working to stimulate owners of old houses in villages to benefit from them as much as possible.” Al Aqur was chosen as it is considered a ‘tourist village’ by the Ministry of Tourism. The village comprises 12 towers, most of which are cylindrical in shape and some cubical. It is surrounded and its construction dates back to more than 1,100 years.


The wall is about two kilometres long with a height of five to six metres. “The place has a lot of educational value. The idea is to invest and benefit from old houses through reconstruction and educate the guests. Even citizens can know about their ancestors from these houses,” said the director of Nizwa Heritage Inn.


Summer tariffs (until mid-September) are as follows: double-twin bedroom with attached bathroom (RO 35), double-twin bedroom with separate bathroom (RO 30), twin beds with shared bathroom (RO 24) and suite (RO 47). Winter tariffs: double-twin bedroom with attached bathroom (RO 40), double-twin bedroom with separate bathroom (RO 35), twin beds with shared bathroom (RO 30) and suite (RO 50).


AMAL AL RIYAMI


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