Mandarin Oriental Muscat Hotel

the charm of tradition in innovation

The Mandarin Oriental Group has recently added a new luxury hotel in Oman, the Mandarin Oriental Muscat Hotel, located in the city of the same name, which boasts great architectural and scenic charm. The interior design was created by the French studio Xavier Cartron, which won the prestigious LIV Hospitality Design Awards 2024 in two categories, Luxury and Middle East. The hotel appears suspended as 'a dialogue between the sea and the mountains' that surround it. It is bathed in the evocative colour palette created by the constant variations in light in this natural environment, which are transformed into colour schemes for the interiors. They appear as harmonies between shades of sand, intense blues and touches of oasis green... for which the choice of each material played an essential role, as the studio states : "The materials also evoke the surrounding elements, from the texture of stone to the freshness of water. The building itself was designed as a natural extension of the landscape, balancing mineral strength and fluidity." Studio Xavier Cartron

This magnificent hotel was conceived by French designers as "an ode to Omani culture and its legendary sense of hospitality. A place where contemporary luxury dialogues with the soul of the country." While Mandarin Oriental Group hotels have a distinct identity rooted in local culture, they are united by a shared pursuit of refinement, harmony and emotion. The excellence of Atlas Concorde porcelain stoneware has added value to this vision of luxury, which is greatly appreciated by the Studio : "We contacted Atlas Concorde for this project because of the quality of its products, its quality guarantees, production times and wide variety of tile options." Studio Xavier Cartron

An architecture has been recreated that evokes a sense of tranquillity, whose aesthetics are defined by simplicity, elegance and hospitality, through the definition of balanced and refined spaces, characteristics that are hallmarks of Atlas Concorde tiles. "Elegance and durability are Atlas Concorde's strengths. Atlas Concorde tiles also offer an alternative: hygienic, resistant and stain-resistant." Xavier Cartron Studio

For Studio Xavier Cartron, telling the story and traditions of Oman within the Mandarin Hotel Muscat through interior design inspired by the mosaic of influences from the past was the starting point for the project aimed at capturing the most authentic essence of the country reinterpreted through a contemporary lens, with Atlas Concorde. "The main challenge was to balance cultural authenticity with the high standards of the Mandarin Oriental brand. Atlas Concorde helped to make it unique with its porcelain stoneware slabs in both private and public spaces." Studio Xavier Cartron

Serenity, meticulous attention to detail and a perfect connection between interiors and nature were the design drivers identified by Studio Xavier Cartron to express the essence of the brand, rooting it deeply in the Omani landscape. Perfect conceptual adherence to the project determined the choice of Atlas Concorde porcelain stoneware collections. "We selected tiles that fit the conceptual palette of this project by imitating natural stones from Oman, which mainly include earthy natural materials." Studio Xavier Cartron

Within these design lines, Atlas Concorde's Lims stone-effect collection, which reproduces the warmth of refined limestone in ivory and grey tones, covers the floors of bedrooms, bathrooms and balconies. The other areas of the hotel, including the Sawa Lounge, are embellished with the refinement of the Kone stone-effect collection, in keeping with the typical architecture of Muscat. Finally, in the lounge restaurant, the stone-effect flooring blends with the soft elegance of the oak wood effect of the Etic Pro collection.

Finally, the rooms at the Mandarin Hotel Muscat, designed and created as "oases of serenity", also feature the sensory appeal of Atlas Concorde tiles, which have helped to create an enveloping and emotional atmosphere. "Our intention was to create rooms that were an oasis of serenity. Every detail has been designed to evoke comfort and balance. Atlas Concorde ceramics subtly complement this atmosphere, combining timeless elegance and durability." Studio Xavier Cartron