The palatial Marsa Malaz Kempinski set the tone for what is an extravagant stay. eyes wandered across the museum-worthy array of sculptures, artworks and intricate chandeliers – just some of the hotel’s 3, 000-strong collection.
ACCOMMODATION
Bypassing the traditional check-in process, butler is waiting by the door with a hot towel and refreshing lemon and mint drink. After filling out a quick form and having a tour to your room you are left to tuck into the platter of cheese, olives, nuts, chocolate and fresh fruit – a welcome treat after flying. Despite being the hotel’s “entry-level” accommodation, the Deluxe Room – at 800sqft – feels as spacious as a suite with a king-sized bed and sofa area, a work desk, a dressing table and wardrobe area plus a separate bathtub (with flat-screen TV) and rain shower. And that’s not including the large Venetian-style balcony overlooking the six pools (including one Jacuzzi pool), private beach and the Riviera-style Pearl-Qatar. On the splashier end, there’s the Panoramic Suite with its 180-degree views across the water, two Presidential Suites with private lap pools, or even more indulgent are two 7, 000sqft Royal Suites with custom-made circular beds in the master bedroom, an oversized whirlpool bath on the private open-air terrace and marble bathrooms stocked with Bulgari amenities.
DINING
When it comes to dining, you’re spoilt for choice with 11 restaurants, cafés and bars, including Sawa (“together” in Arabic), the spot for a healthy breakfast or an al fresco brunch served up by executive chef Mattias Roock, who spent a year training with Gordon Ramsay; El Faro (“the lighthouse”), a stylish Spanish eatery with a Picasso-inspired, hand-painted graffiti mural and an inventive menu including vermicelli noodles paella; and Al Sufra (“the dining room”), the signature Levant restaurant. “We have our own local farm producing organic ingredients and everything is made in-house including the Arabic pastries, ” says executive assistant manager for F& B Steven Pieters. Also, look out for three stand-alone outposts – pan-Latin Toro Toro, traditionally Italian Antica Pesa and the acclaimed Japanese restaurant Nozomi – adding an international flavour to the property’s culinary mix. Come nightfall, don’t miss the chance to try one of theatrical mixologist Simon Mhaidat’s molecular creations at sophisticated cigar lounge Bohemia.
ACTIVITIES
The hotel is well-equipped for families: Little ones are catered to with a technicolour play centre offering arts and crafts, sushi-making classes, a mini brunch, birthday parties and fitness and wellness programmes. If you are feeling energetic, too, the adults’ fitness centre includes a spacious gym with touchscreens on the cardio machines that you can programme to different locations, such as the city streets of San Francisco or a jungle, to make your run a bit more interesting. Guests also enjoy complimentary fitness classes like Pilates or Zumba, and there is a track around the circumference of the hotel for jogging as well as for the latest fitness craze from LA, StreetStrider – a bicycle-cum-cross-trainer hybrid. The hotel also has plans to introduce snorkelling, kayaking, kitesurfing and sunset yoga on one of the two jetties as well as sunset golf using a dissolvable golf ball filled with fish food.
RELAXING
But perhaps the pièce de résistance is the Spa by Clarins – the first in the Middle East –with 23 unique treatment rooms (each with its own shower and bathroom), utilising Clarins’ natural, organic products, and with separate male and female areas, a Zen garden, aromatherapy steam rooms, a Moroccan hammam with colour therapy, slumber suites with starry lights and relaxing music, and a cocoon bed with air pressure that you can tailor to your needs to ensure your stay is just that extra bit more serene.
A sprawling luxury resort on its own secluded island! ! !
ACCOMMODATION
Bypassing the traditional check-in process, butler is waiting by the door with a hot towel and refreshing lemon and mint drink. After filling out a quick form and having a tour to your room you are left to tuck into the platter of cheese, olives, nuts, chocolate and fresh fruit – a welcome treat after flying. Despite being the hotel’s “entry-level” accommodation, the Deluxe Room – at 800sqft – feels as spacious as a suite with a king-sized bed and sofa area, a work desk, a dressing table and wardrobe area plus a separate bathtub (with flat-screen TV) and rain shower. And that’s not including the large Venetian-style balcony overlooking the six pools (including one Jacuzzi pool), private beach and the Riviera-style Pearl-Qatar. On the splashier end, there’s the Panoramic Suite with its 180-degree views across the water, two Presidential Suites with private lap pools, or even more indulgent are two 7, 000sqft Royal Suites with custom-made circular beds in the master bedroom, an oversized whirlpool bath on the private open-air terrace and marble bathrooms stocked with Bulgari amenities.
DINING
When it comes to dining, you’re spoilt for choice with 11 restaurants, cafés and bars, including Sawa (“together” in Arabic), the spot for a healthy breakfast or an al fresco brunch served up by executive chef Mattias Roock, who spent a year training with Gordon Ramsay; El Faro (“the lighthouse”), a stylish Spanish eatery with a Picasso-inspired, hand-painted graffiti mural and an inventive menu including vermicelli noodles paella; and Al Sufra (“the dining room”), the signature Levant restaurant. “We have our own local farm producing organic ingredients and everything is made in-house including the Arabic pastries, ” says executive assistant manager for F& B Steven Pieters. Also, look out for three stand-alone outposts – pan-Latin Toro Toro, traditionally Italian Antica Pesa and the acclaimed Japanese restaurant Nozomi – adding an international flavour to the property’s culinary mix. Come nightfall, don’t miss the chance to try one of theatrical mixologist Simon Mhaidat’s molecular creations at sophisticated cigar lounge Bohemia.
ACTIVITIES
The hotel is well-equipped for families: Little ones are catered to with a technicolour play centre offering arts and crafts, sushi-making classes, a mini brunch, birthday parties and fitness and wellness programmes. If you are feeling energetic, too, the adults’ fitness centre includes a spacious gym with touchscreens on the cardio machines that you can programme to different locations, such as the city streets of San Francisco or a jungle, to make your run a bit more interesting. Guests also enjoy complimentary fitness classes like Pilates or Zumba, and there is a track around the circumference of the hotel for jogging as well as for the latest fitness craze from LA, StreetStrider – a bicycle-cum-cross-trainer hybrid. The hotel also has plans to introduce snorkelling, kayaking, kitesurfing and sunset yoga on one of the two jetties as well as sunset golf using a dissolvable golf ball filled with fish food.
RELAXING
But perhaps the pièce de résistance is the Spa by Clarins – the first in the Middle East –with 23 unique treatment rooms (each with its own shower and bathroom), utilising Clarins’ natural, organic products, and with separate male and female areas, a Zen garden, aromatherapy steam rooms, a Moroccan hammam with colour therapy, slumber suites with starry lights and relaxing music, and a cocoon bed with air pressure that you can tailor to your needs to ensure your stay is just that extra bit more serene.
A sprawling luxury resort on its own secluded island! ! !