Auris Hotel Management has announced it is to open a new 70-room, four-star hotel in Sohar, in Oman, within the next eight months. The new build, which is Auris’ seventh property, but first outside of Dubai, will be around 12km from Sohar airport, and target both leisure and business travellers to the Omani second city, located halfway between Muscat and Dubai. Auris Lodge Hotel Sohar, which is owned by Hassan Al Maqbali, will include seven suites and 63 guest rooms, which will be between 42 and 45 square metres. The property, which will be dry, to appeal to the family market, will also include a meeting area which can accommodate up to 200 people across two rooms, a business lounge, two restaurants and separate ladies and gents health clubs. Hatem Gasmi, managing director of Auris Hotel Management, said: “We have always believed in Oman and were looking for the right people with which to continue our development. We found the Maqbali family who have been in the business for a long time and have a tradition in the business, and are well known in Oman and the Sohar area.”