Bait as-Sail is a merchant house in Salalah, Oman. It is a three-story structure which faces south towards the sea. As is typical of architecture of the region of Dhofar, Bait as-Sail is primarily built of limestone; however, its elaborate wooden doors and windows were imported from East Africa, indicative of the high socio-economic standing of its original inhabitants; some windows of this variety in Salalah are also masonry. The structure served both a residential and commercial role; the bottom floor was likely used for storage and/or for business. There are nine floors, on each of which inset shelves in the walls would have served as a storage space or for lighting by lamps. In 2016, the house was slated for restoration due to its dire conditon.

Sources:

Changing Built Heritage Policy and Practice: The Bait as-Sail Rehabilitation and Restoration Project, Salalah, Oman. ArCHIAM, 2019. https://issuu.com/archiam/docs/20190405_ghassani_house_brochure. Archived at: https://perma.cc/9WKD-AXDU.

Singh, Kaushalendra. “A Saga of Legacy at Bait al Ghassani”. Oman Observer. Published January 12, 2018. Accessed July 26, 2025. https://www.omanobserver.om/article/64672/Front%20Stories/a-saga-of-legacy-at-bait-al-ghassani. Archived at: https://perma.cc/KF6M-49E6.