Coral Hotel has a nautical theme which is cute. Cafe is quite small but does the job.

Front desk wasnt that welcoming, but not offensive. The night staff and cafe staff were nice.

The hotel ordered a cab for us and the taxi driver was GREAT, telling us lots of info about Muscat and giving us ideas - very nice (his name was Hamed Al Harasi ph: 00968 9888 1585). If using general taxi's (not hotel taxis, they r different) ask how much the trip will be first as they dont have meters in Muscat. Suggest going to the Grand Hyatt when trying to get back to Coral Hotel as this is next door and some taxis dont know where Coral Hotel is as its small.

Coral Hotel best recommended for a short stay I would suggest.

Best part about the hotel is that it is walking distance to the beach which was lovely to visit for a swim and walk.

The service is good. Rooms quite spacious, bathrooms a little small and need some attention. Close to the beach / Grand Hyatt and consulate houses. Good value for money in Muscat. 10 minutes from airport.

I found hotel in Muscat expensive. This one was priced ok and had all we needed. Decent quiet area 20 min drive from the airport, enough parking. Quiet neighbourhood (embassies and other hotels), close to the sea. Better to have your own car. There was some construction just in front of the hotel but it did not bother us. Appreciated free wifi in the room. Internet was slow but for emails ok.
People in the hotel were nice to us, breakfast buffet was decent and the little room where served cute.
The only problem, but serious one, was with payment. It was not clear from the Coral hotel group web pages that the payment we made online was just a deposit and the actual payment was due on our check out. We paid cash and now, 2 weeks after, still waiting for release of the blocked amount.

Muscat has not a single zone that can be called the centre of the city. On the contrary, the city is distributed approximately along the coast in an extension of about 20 km. This said, no hotel can be said to be located or nearby the centre of the city.
The Coral Hotel is located just 5 min walking distance from the beach and from a stroll that runs just next to the beach. This is what makes the location of the hotel pleasant. There are a lot of people, most Omanis, both on the beach (young people playing football, large families making picnics, people walking along the sea) and on the promenade. So, it is a wonderful place to watch the people passing by and simultaneously enjoy the gorgeous view of the long strip of white sand and the sea. On the other hand, there are no shops or restaurants nearby with the exception of a couple of restaurants by the beach.
The hotel itself is fine. The building has a somewhat strange outside architecture (it is suppose to resemble a boat), the lobby and common areas are quite kitsch but the rooms are of a more sober taste.
The rooms are roomy and comfortable, with a very good mattress (neither too hard nor too soft), comfy pillows and good quality linens. Both the rooms and bathrooms are modern and well appointed, the whole hotel being in very good conditions. The less positive aspect is the restaurant which is very dark, small and with a quite limited choice of food. The breakfast is fine.
The staff of the hotel is very kind and helpful. I found a strange, non-identifiable noise in the first room that was given to me and I reported it to the desk staff. They gave me another room straight away, helping me in moving my things.
Regarding the price and in absolute terms, the hotel is overpriced but it is in line with the prices of hotels in Muscat.