بيت كوفان التراثي Koofan Heritage House — Hotel in Dhofar Governorate

This place is genuinely special - you will unlikely to get to experience anything else like it if you stay in Salalah and its surroundings, possibly even in the whole of Oman. This is not a just a sterile hotel, it has history, heart and soul of generations of an Omani family woven into it. It has been beautifully, faithfully and lovingly renovated by Mr. Faisal Koofan, whose father's house it originally was and who we were also lucky enough to meet during our stay. When I saw it on booking.com I actually cut our stay short in the city so we could spend our last night here - it provided a wonderful, magical and fitting setting to the end of a wonderful holiday in Dhofar. The pictures actually don't do justice to how beautiful it is in real life.||If the setting wasn't special enough then there is the hospitality. We were welcomed by the lovely Suheb, who took our bags to the office through the 100yr old door, and checked us in while we drank arabic coffee and dates - a proper Omani welcome. We were then shown to our beautiful room which had ensuite bathroom with frankincense toiletries - we were after all in the land of frankincense! He enthusiastically explained everything in excellent english, telling us the history of where we were, and it felt like that we always had his time and attention with no rush. Later we got ready in Omani traditional dress for dinner and we bumped into Mr. Faisal Koofan who was surprised but seemed pleased by our attire - he very kindly drove us to our restaurant which wasn't easy to walk to (we intended to get a taxi), and even kindly offered to wait although we declined this offer as we did not want overburden him or take up too much of his time. The following morning after breakfast Suheb also gave us a proper guided tour of the museum and as we had a very late flight he offered to give us another room so we could leave our bags and freshen up before we went to the airport after a day out sighteeing - this was above and beyond kind but made everything so much more comfortable for our long journey back to London, so was appreciated immensely.||Although this is an old house, the rooms are super comfortable with modern amenities, with plenty of plug points and also have air conditioning. Bathrooms have hot water with shower with good pressure, and a western style toilet with hand-bidet gun. Our air conditioning wasn't working properly so it was a bit warm when sleeping, but despite this we slept extremely well - a testament to how comfortable the beds were. Suheb had this fixed immediately in the morning, so it feels like any issues like this can be quickly resolved. Do note there is no hairdryer provided, so if you need one bring a travel one. and also insect repellent is wise as mosquitoes can be an issue at night. Breakfast was also provided in the café which was a nice surprise, as we didn't think we had it included. It was excellent quality and just the right portion. Everything was delicious and tasted very fresh from the labneh with za'atar to the ful medames - even the strawberry jam was excellent quality.||A note on the location - this is in Taqah, a town outside of Salalah city. It makes a good base to go sightseeing around Dhofar region, but you will need a car to get around. Taxis are few and far between unlike in Salalah. The town is also small and so a little more limited than elsewhere. There are limited food options or much to do in the evening so bare that in mind. Taqah castle is right opposite and the old fort is up some stairs. The beach is walkable and has an area that is safe to swim in. The viewpoint on the mountain is approx 25 minute walk - most people drive there to see the sunset. There is a pharmacy and hypermarket walking distance from the lodge. There are lots of cheap bakeries serving Omani snacks and karak in the town. There is nowhere for shisha in the town, and we couldn't find anywhere to buy Omani halwa which is something we wanted to purchase before leaving as we didn't have the chance to buy this in Salalah. These are just some things to consider in terms of location for your overall stay - we only stayed one night at end of the holiday as we wanted to just relax by then as had done most of our sightseeing, so we had enough to do and hadn't exhausted dining options over two evenings we were there but if you are staying longer you may struggle for variety in the town itself.||As I said at the start this place is very special setting, but I think what gives it warmth and heart is the people who run it - everyone involved really cares from Suheb, to Mr. Faisal, and even his nephew Hammad who was the driver for our airport transfer. Whether you stay one night like us or your whole stay in Dhofar, I definitely recommend...

I've stayed in a range of hotels and other accommodations around the world and without a doubt Koofan Heritage Lodge is one of the best places I've ever stayed at! Not only is it a testament to the rich culture of Omani history and architectural brilliance but the hospitality is second to none.||From the moment I enquired about the rooms to when I left to return home to the UK everything went seamlessly thanks to the manager Suhebur. Suhebur is friendly and extremely attentive. He works hard to ensure guests have the perfect stay. I initially booked via Booking.com but decided to cancel my reservation and booked directly with Koofan Heritage Lodge. This made things much easier when it came to making enquiries and arrangements.||I stayed at Koofan Heritage Lodge for four nights in a private bathroom double room. I found the room to be spacious enough for myself and my sister who joined me for two nights. The room was very clean and tidy and after a long travel day I had the best sleep on an incredibly comfortable bed. Room amenities include air conditioning, WiFi (the signal strength was very good in the room but didn't seem to extend to the downstairs and terrace), basic toiletries (frankincense shampoo and shower gel) and towels. Rooms are made at the guests request.||Breakfast is tasty, nutritious and filling and will set you up for the day. The same breakfast is served everyday from 8 A.M. until 11 A.M. on the terrace. It consists of an omelette, labneh with za'atar, foul mudammas, jam, bread and black tea. There's also an on-site cafe which is open until 3 A.M. where you can buy a range of non-alcoholic drinks as well as croissant sandwiches and toasties. ||I used the airport transportation provided by Koofan Heritage Lodge and was collected from the airport by Hammad without any problem at all. Communication with both Suhebur and Hammad prior to my arrival in Salalah was excellent.||Koofan Heritage Lodge is approximately 30 minutes by car from the airport and situated next to two sights-Taqah Castle and Burj Al Askar/Nahda. A bakery and supermarket are within walking distance (5 minutes). We found it easy to explore Salalah and surrounding areas from our accommodation. Koofan Heritage Lodge is able to assist with booking a tour(s). ||Koofan Heritage Lodge also serves as a museum and it's well worth taking the time to have a look. Inside the house is set out like it would've been used during a certain period of time by the people of Taqah offering an immersive experience. It also has a gift shop selling a range of gifts and souvenirs.||If you’re looking for an authentic Dhofari experience I'd highly recommend staying at Koofan Heritage Lodge. It isn't only a unique place to stay but everyone who works there is so kind, friendly and warm. Koofan Heritage Lodge really showcases Oman's extraordinary hospitality and embodiment of Islamic values. ||If you’re a conscious traveller or looking to be a more conscious traveller or simply interested in the history and culture of Oman, Koofan Heritage Lodge is the place to stay. You’ll be supporting the preservation of local Omani heritage and staying in a lovely place that is warm and homely. The highlight of my stay were my conversations with the owner Faisal Koofan and the staff including Hosam who works in the cafe. I can't...

I've stayed in a range of hotels and other accommodations around the world and without a doubt Koofan Heritage Lodge is one of the best places I've ever stayed at! Not only is it a testament to the rich culture of Omani history and architectural brilliance but the hospitality is second to none.

From the moment I enquired about the rooms to when I left to return home to the UK everything went seamlessly thanks to the manager Suhebur. Suhebur is friendly and extremely attentive. He works hard to ensure guests have the perfect stay. I initially booked via Booking.com but decided to cancel my reservation and booked directly with Koofan Heritage Lodge. This made things much easier when it came to making enquiries and arrangements.

I stayed at Koofan Heritage Lodge for four nights in a private bathroom double room. I found the room to be spacious enough for myself and my sister who joined me for two nights. The room was very clean and tidy and after a long travel day I had the best sleep on an incredibly comfortable bed. Room amenities include air conditioning, WiFi (the signal strength was very good in the room but didn't seem to extend to the downstairs and terrace), basic toiletries (frankincense shampoo and shower gel) and towels. Rooms are made at the guests request.

Breakfast is tasty, nutritious and filling and will set you up for the day. The same breakfast is served everyday from 8 A.M. until 11 A.M. on the terrace. It consists of an omelette, labneh with za'atar, foul mudammas, jam, bread and black tea. There's also an on-site cafe which is open until 3 A.M. where you can buy a range of non-alcoholic drinks as well as croissant sandwiches and toasties.

I used the airport transportation provided by Koofan Heritage Lodge and was collected from the airport by Hammad without any problem at all. Communication with both Suhebur and Hammad prior to my arrival in Salalah was excellent.

Koofan Heritage Lodge is approximately 30 minutes by car from the airport and situated next to two sights-Taqah Castle and Burj Al Askar/Nahda. A bakery and supermarket are within walking distance (5 minutes). We found it easy to explore Salalah and surrounding areas from our accommodation. Koofan Heritage Lodge is able to assist with booking a tour(s).

Koofan Heritage Lodge also serves as a museum and it's well worth taking the time to have a look. Inside the house is set out like it would've been used during a certain period of time by the people of Taqah offering an immersive experience. It also has a gift shop selling a range of gifts and souvenirs.

If you’re looking for an authentic Dhofari experience I'd highly recommend staying at Koofan Heritage Lodge. It isn't only a unique place to stay but everyone who works there is so kind, friendly and warm. Koofan Heritage Lodge really showcases Oman's extraordinary hospitality and embodiment of Islamic values.

If you’re a conscious traveller or looking to be a more conscious traveller or simply interested in the history and culture of Oman, Koofan Heritage Lodge is the place to stay. You’ll be supporting the preservation of local Omani heritage and staying in a lovely place that is warm and homely. The highlight of my stay were my conversations with the owner Faisal Koofan and the staff including Hosam who works in the cafe. I can't...