Arabian Nights, W Doha hotel promo, GQ, 2012
Step inside and feel alive at W Doha Hotel in Qatar, where international luxury meets Middle Eastern flavour
[When putting together advertorials, I try and keep the style in my regular feature-writing tone, but as promos are, in the end, compromises, you occasionally get ‘PR words’ appearing – ‘vibrant’ being one here. It’s a nothing word which I’d usually try to avoid but would have been asked for by the client. The worst is ‘iconic’ – a banned word at GQ from 2011 onwards. Don’t worry, it isn’t used here!]
GQ promo, 2012
Travelling to exotic locations is all well and good, but the mark of an astounding five-star hotel is whether it’s able to reflect or even enhance its surroundings. Few manage this. The idea behind W Doha Hotel & Residencies – in Qatar’s vibrant capital Doha – was to take inspiration from local art, architecture and traditional Arabic patterns and incorporate the shapes and lines into the hotel’s soul.
Built in 2009, W Doha, overlooking the azure of the Arabian Gulf, sticks rigidly to its aesthetic ideal. The 179 hand-blown hanging lanterns in the hotel living room borrow from the grand scale of the Blue Mosque in Istanbul, while an abundance of smooth curves, from the hotel’s entrance right down to the footstools in guests’ suites, signify the importance of the Persian Gulf’s black pearl. And throughout you’ll notice sheer curtains and sliding doors, demarcating tranquil zones and private spaces.
While Europe scatters grit on its iced-over pavements at this time of year, Doha’s average February temperatures sit comfortably in the mid-20s, meaning that whether you’re shopping in the modern city, taking relaxing walks on the beach or hanging out at cool nightspots, you’ll soon regain your mojo.
W Doha – the first “lifestyle hotel” in Qatar – is a prime entertainment location in its own right, with DJs at its Crystal and Wahm bars, and with the only Bliss Spa in the Middle East. It’s also the regions finest wellbeing retreat. As for dining, international dishes meet Arabia flavours at Market By Jean-Georges Vongerichten, while at Spice Market, visitors can sample a sumptuous mix of south-east Asian cuisine.
Today, being a five-star hotel is not enough. You expect incredible service, but business travellers and adventurous sun-seekers now search out more stylish stopovers. W Doha, with its unique mix of Arabian themes, world-class food and cool entertainment will satisfy those who want that bit more. whoteldoha.com
Doha information
With a population of one million, Doha is Qatar’s largest city, and also its business centre. With temperatures averaging 24°C in winter, rising to 41°C in June, Doha – where the desert meets the Persian Gulf – is a sun-seeker’s paradise.
Qatar hero
While the city of Doha has plenty to offer world travellers, W Doha Hotel is its own centre of entertainment, with world-class restaurants, cook bars and phenomenal fitness and wellbeing options.
CRYSTAL
W Doha’s neon nightspot
As the sun sets, order a cocktail or glass of champagne and let world-famous DJs take the night to the next level.
SPICE MARKET DOHA
Vengerichten’s Asian experience
Celebrity French chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten takes guests on a taste tour of Vietnamese and Thai food stalls.
WET
Swim to a symphony of light
Fibre-optic lighting means W Doha’s pool glows and changes colour; now you can keep toned in an actual work of art.