Doha, the capital city of Qatar, has numerous attractions to leave a tourist in awe. But besides that, Doha has a huge selection of luxury brand new hotels all built for the occasion of FIFA world cup 2022.
It’s also important to mention that the prices tend to be lower than for similar hotels in other places! So basically you can get the best of the world known hotels, the cream of the cream, with the exquisite services cheaper and in abundance.
So don’t restrict yourself and choose a hotel or two (or five) to experience various sides of Qatar: the beach culture, souq and the Downtown area, the futuristic Lusail or a shopping mall life.
See my selection!
1. Katara Hills
Katara Hills, LXR hotels and resorts, located on a green hill adjacent to the Katara cultural village is one of the most remarkable destinations in Qatar, and we decided to spend a few nights there.
Katara hills has only 15 villas located as a spiral of escargot down the hill – sounds super exclusive right?
Our two storey villa had a private pool and two floors. On the first floor we had a reception, a small kitchen and access to our pool, and the bedroom is located on the second floor (sadly, we didn’t have a bathroom here).
Breakfast is served in a separate building, and it’s also recommended to visit an Indian restaurant here if you like this cuisine!
2. Banyan tree La Cigale Doha
The Banyan Tree Doha La Cigale is very unusual but still stylish, and just look at our room overlooking Doha!
Panoramic bathrooms are always the best, and the skincare products smell as if I was back to the flower market of Bangkok.
There are modern ‘pigeon towers’ located in the hotel garden, which look really impressive, right? What a modern take on the iconic Qatari architecture.
Sadly, their gorgeous indoor pool was only 16+, however this are looked very relaxing and stylish. They also have a spa however I didn’t have chance to experience it.
Breakfast area is located on the 27th floor right under the Vertigo restaurant on the 28th floor. The food selection is not very big but still good.
The hotel offers special services, and I opted for a relaxing bath with some mocktails and candles.
The Printemps shopping mall is connected to the hotel by the bridge too.
3. The Raffles
We stayed at the Raffles hotel, a half of the iconic Katara towers.
Rooms were super modern, with an iPad controlling the music in toons and the digital menu of the bathtub.
The interiors there were absolutely breathtaking both in our room and in the hotel public areas, starting from the kaleidoscopic lobby area with skies changing colour according to the daytime and up the breakfast area. I was honestly amazed that the hotel wasn’t flooded with tourists.
Come to the 36 floor and 37th floors to feel on the top of the world – the views from there are incredible!
And I’d suggest you have an afternoon tea here because it’s served on a Katara tower stand and Wedgewood tableware, with a not bad selection of sandwiches and desserts.
And moreover, for breakfast you can get the waffles in the shape of Katara towers. The buffet selection there is not large but you can order lots of hot food from the menu.
Kids club was a nice welcoming place with a little merry-go-round right inside, and make sure you explore the outside area as well with all the pools and views over the Promenade!
You can also check my guides about:
4. Fairmont
Raffles and Fairmont share the Katara tower, and once you stay in the Raffles, you can also explore the Fairmont area. They have an impressive pearl chandelier at the Fairmont lobby, and the whole hotel is glittering with golden panels. Besides that, this hotel has a great Asian restaurant/bar on one of the upper floors with a fantastic view over the city! Two hotels are interconnected by a huge conference hall.
5. St Regis Doha
St Regis Doha is a luxury beach hotel located on the West Bay. There are three giant sculptures of Oryx too: this is a national symbol of Qatar, you spot two of them immediately upon your arrival.
We had an Empire Suite overlooking the the large territory with pools, restaurants and beach great for family stay. However the access to the pool area from the rooms was a bit inconvenient.
Our large and stylish room was decorated in blue and neutral colours, and the room service was exceptional.
This hotel has everything you might need for a vacation including a number of restaurants including Novikov (however the service there is crying for some proper staff training), Fauchon and Hakkasan. Hakkasan Doha, located right inside the hotel, had a fantastic menu for the Chinese New year with snake – themed desserts, cocktails and food with “lucky” ingredients promoting prosperity and wealth.
Special place is dedicated to Vilebrequin: you can see its symbol – the turtle – everywhere, at La Plage, the brasserie and around the pool. And during the nighttime, giant turtles were projected over the pool area.
And besides that, they have a very nice looking Guerlain spa! I had some treatments there, and especially the body ones were superb.
6.Mandarin Oriental Doha
Mandarin Oriental Doha is one of the best hotels you can stay in Qatar due to its splendid services, outstanding interiors and a very convenient location. We stayed in a Panoramic suite – but still, I didn’t expect to have such a fantastic balcony with a view!
The suite was so big that it could easily be an apartment, and just have a look at our bathroom – it feels more like a private pool. We got some welcome treats like fresh fruits, moon cakes to celebrate the mid autumn festival and traditional dates, and George received a super cute camel.
Breakfast area is vast, with a selection of local and international dishes. The pool of MO overlooking the Msheireb, a historical district of Doha, and the services of the hotel are exceptionally good.
7. Oryx airport hotel
If you have a chance to transit in Doha, you could stay right in the Hamad International airport! The transit is organised very well, no customs or passport controls upon arrival whatsoever, so we quickly headed right to our Oryx Airport hotel close to the famous Teddy Bear.
It was very unusual to have a room view over the arrival zone but we loved it. The skincare they use there is the Rituals, one of my favorite brands, and the pool area was also very impressive.
We also had a chance to explore more of HIA during our stay, especially a fantastic orchard with tropical plants, Fendi cafe and a Chanel shop installation.
8. The St Regis Marsa Arabia
Located on its own artificial island surrounded by artificial islands that form The Pearl district of Doha, St Regis Marsh Arabia is exactly what you would expect of the St Regis property in the Middle East: grandeur, many culinary outlets, limited but still impressive aquatic infrastructure and comprehensive service built around a personal butler that every guest is assigned upon the check in.
While by no means dated, the hotel lacks some gloss that its sister property – St Regis Doha – obtained after a recent renovation. Bar areas are nice and, despite some possible improvements required in the pedestrian access to the reception area, the hotel offers an opportunity for a good stroll across the Pearl’s marina as well as a chance to walk all the way to the newly opened Gewan Island.
9. Alwadi Hotel Doha by MGallery
Alwaydi is a fairly new hotel in central historic district of Msheireb. Just as the entire historic center of Doha, Alwadi is newly built and maintains its freshness. While certainly deserving of its five star ranking it is fairly toned-down compared to opulent luxury of many other hotels in Doha. Rooms are spacious and some come with good views of Souq Waif to which the property is adjacent.
Breakfast and facilities are also solid, although there is nothing to write home about. A highlight – and deservingly so – of the hotel is its rooftop bar offering nice views and a fresh breeze in hotter time of the year.
10. Al Bidda boutique hotel
The Al Bidda Boutique Hotel, one of eight Al Jomrok luxury properties by Tivoli, is located right inside the historic Souq and just a short distance from Msheireb Downtown, the Corniche, and the Museum of Islamic Art.
The property is beautifully styled, featuring traditional Arabic decorative elements such as a fountain in the courtyard, colourful stained glass that forms kaleidoscopic ceilings, meticulously crafted openwork shutters, and metal lanterns, all of which add to its charm. What else could you expect from a hotel in such a prime location? If you’re looking for a modern vibe, consider staying at Katara Towers, Banyan Tree, or Katara Hills instead!
Thanks to the location, you can stroll around Souq Waqif, one of the most famous landmarks of Doha.
And discover a bird market here as well just a few steps away! We spotted all sorts of birds, including parrots, ducks, chickens, and pigeons, as well as tortoises and fish. It seemed that only locals shop here.
You can also check my guides about:
Saudi Arabia
UAE
Jordan
Oman
Qatar
Hope you liked my blog,
Yours,
Anna xxx
