I've just been told that before I can get my new visa I have to leave the country (my last visa was cancelled and I've not left yet).

I don't fancy doing the visa run in a day (we will all have to go - including Mini Millhouse who won't appreciate doing the return trip in the car on the same day and so will make my life hell). I know I can pay 500Dh, but as it's the three of us, it's probably cheaper to stay in a hotel and have a weekend break.

So...

What hotels are nice in Hatta? or should I go to Muscat / Mussadam? (if so, what hotels are recommended?)

Am I right in thinking that the Hatta Fort Hotel is the wrong side of the border?

Hatta is about 5 miles within the UAE, so you need to do the visas before or after your stop/stay

The whole thing shouldn't take more than 4 hours tops though from Dubai - 90 minutes there, 90 minutes back from DXB. Are you there or AUD these days? less than an hour to go through the passport controls and boot inspection etc, you have to do a bit of driving in between the border posts and get insurance for the Oman side.. If you leave at 10 on a friday you can have the visas done by 12.30 and then go to hatta fort for a rathre retro lunch. It's like stepping back into the early 80s.

The Hatta Fort Hotel is a rum old haunt. It's the sort of place where you'd expect to find cheese fondue on the menu.

If you can take a couple of days off either side of a weekend I'd recommend a trip to Muscat and make a bit of a holiday of it. Although it is about a 4 1/2 hr - 5hr trip by car. Mind you if you factor in check-in times for flying it would probably end up taking just as long and you'd have no car when you got to Muscat.

Crowne Plaza is a reasonably priced hotel (much older than most others ... 25yrs +) and has a nice little beach in the cove below the bluff on which the hotel sits.

heh, that's very true - and I adore the place.

I hear that there is mini golf too... well worth the trip then.

I got food poisoning at Hatta Fort Hotel so would definitely avoid it but worth popping in for a drink and a stroll.

But Hatta is within the UAE though the main route briefly passes through an Oman enclave.

You don't need a passport for that but they do stop you at the border. However on the way back they stopped me and said I needed a passport! I didn't have mine but a bit of moaning got me through.

So probably better to take it incase though don't think you'll get a visa. I imagine for that you'll need to go to Oman "proper" for that.

How much do you intend to spend? Been to Six Senses hideaway in Zighy Bay a while back and it was fantastic!

Alternatively cme over to RAK, Ill arrange you something nice and you do the visa run from here (1,5 hour all in all).

Thanks for the offer Euc. In the end we did the run today as we didn't want to be away from home all weekend this week. I will take you up on the hotel offer another time though

All in it took us 6.5 hours... but that included a steady 110kph drive, a long lunch at the Hatta Fort complete with camel ride, a go on the bouncy castle and run around the park for mini Millhouse and a trip to Dragon Mart on the way home.

Thanks everyone for the help. It was really very easy. I didn't realise about the 60Dh per visa at Oman though.

Planning to do a visa run this weekend to Oman , seemed pretty easy when you done it, can you tell me exactly where you went, as hoping to do it all in one day. Travelling with two little people, so want to make it as easy on them as possible.

Ta

http://www.dubaifaqs.com/visit-visa-renewal.php

ctfc, thanks for that , great link.

Although I'm accused of being the Hatta Fort Hotel ambassador it's a good spot for the little ones to stretch their legs.

If you are planning on going a little further in to Oman (apparently there is a hotel the other side of the border) then you have to tell them - they kindly put an entry and exit stamp in my passport at the same time so I was forced to leave.

Hi Guys,
This is my first post, so please be gentle. My 30 day visa runs out, in a few days, and I was hoping that I could join someone intending on doing the Hatta Visa run. Any help would be appreciated.

Regards,
Commander Bond.

Thanks for the PMs. However, I am unable to open them, until I have at least 3 posts. This makes two!