Hi Pac
Hotels are expensive and frequently fully-booked in Oman also.
In my experience, bookings are not cancelled to make way for higher-rate paying customers. However, conference events are known to the hotels a long way in advance and you might find rates are double even when you try to book six months in advance. (this mainly applies to the UAE rather than Oman)
(really) Crap hotels begin at about $US50 in UAE and Oman (assuming no clash with major events). There might be cheaper places around but I don't know of them.
If I were to do a budget ride to this part of the world I would come in the cooler months and camp out, with the occasional night in a hotel to scrape off the grime and wash the gear.
Oman is a fantastic place to visit, but coming in summer will be expensive and physically unpleasant.
Then again, lots of people like it tough. If you can handle the hardships, and summer is the only time you can go, then you gotta go - Oman is a must-see-before-you-die place I reckon.
cheers
Brett
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