My favorite hotel architect is Jean-Michel Gathy, one of the three architects who has designed AmanResort’s properties and the choice for many of the GHM hotels, of which The Chedi Muscat is one.
It is very beautiful..at least to my eye. This sleek, superbly maintained hotel on Muscat’s beachfront, is world class. Superior, deluxe and suites, the accommodations are comfortable, complete but not over the top. With views to the sea or, just as happily, to the balanced, beautifully designed water gardens, this is a property to come and rest in..come to stay. There are lovely excursions to take from Muscat..ask for Abdullah who works with 1001 Events…but come home to soak up the sun, eat the delicious fresh fare, and sleep soundly. A great vacation in itself or combined with a jaunt to Lebanon, Syria or Jordan.
John Derian is a treasure. It's not that there aren't many with talent and vision because there are, the world over. But Derian has other attributes that make him so beloved. His eye is unerring, his sense of scale is perfect, he layers cultures and eras seamlessly in a room. And he is accessible in brick and mortar. His two shops on East Second Street have been haunts for years. One carries the decoupage he designs and constructs locally (and that make the best gifts ever) along with the coveted ceramics of Astier de Villatte. The second Dry Goods store next door showcases quirky antiques, an assortment of vintage furniture, stacks of heavy french linen, Moroccan rugs and soft cotton Indian clothing. Both are small, but intriguing and interesting enough to seduce you on a journey of the senses.
And now, Derian has opened on Christopher Street in a double-windowed storefront of a two-story 18th century house. It's like walking in to another world. Traditional Astier, and the later Derian/Astier collaborative pieces, line the walls from roof to floor of the front room. The back room, wallpapered in his new cabbage rose design and lit by beautiful Balthus-designed standing lamps with parchment shades, offers a living room in which to settle in, thumb through books and albums, and rest the soul.
So, go to shop, or simply go to travel in spirit to another place and time.
https://www.johnderian.com/pages/our-locations"
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