A Luxury Guide to a Long Weekend in Qatar
From the center of ever-evolving Doha, to little-known coastal enclaves, and everything in between.
©Zulal Wellness Retreat
It’s all change in Qatar, which this winter will become the first Middle Eastern nation to host the World Cup. In the capital Doha, there’s talk of little else. On the Corniche, a countdown clock tallies the remaining hours until it all kicks off; competing countries’ flags fly from boulevards; a slew of new hotels and attractions are preparing to welcome a global audience. Naturally, a luxury guide to Qatar has been a long time coming. And yet, despite its superb national airline and airport consistently impressing long-haul passengers in transit, until now so few leisure travelers have considered vacationing here.
It appears that they’ve been missing out. Opened just before the pandemic and one of the world’s most architecturally audacious and beautiful buildings, the National Museum of Qatar is a notable showstopper among a collection of cultural attractions that is unrivaled throughout the region.
The timeless mystery and majesty of the surrounding deserts await adventurers, while the hospitality offering incorporates high-end hotels, restaurants and bars from the world’s most reputable brands. Sweeping from the center of ever-evolving Doha to little-known coastal enclaves on the perimeter of the country, here’s Elite Traveler’s guide to the very best of Qatar.
Where to Stay in Qatar
Mondrian Doha
The Mondrian Doha Bridal Suite / ©Mondrian Doha
Dutchman Marcel Wanders’ brilliantly bonkers imagination was permitted free rein when he was tasked with creating a property that would truly put Doha’s luxury hotels on the map. The wonderfully whimsical result is Mondrian Doha, which could well be the most charming hotel in all of the Middle East. Things start playfully immediately, with a forest of cartoonish white trees sprouting from floor to ceiling in the lobby. Way up high, a grassy bridge crosses the rooftop pool, which is crowned by a cascade of flowers — petal patterns etched in luminous stained glass — that tumbles downwards from the building’s domed ceiling.
Even the most privileged seen-it-all-before travelers will find further surprises and thoughtful touches around every corner, but this isn’t a property where style trumps substance. Service is top-notch, and the sprawling subterranean spa is sublime (its skilled therapists have a lot to do with that, though the handsome hamman offered alongside its expected steam, sauna and relaxation facilities further sets things apart). Decadent dining options include Wolfgang Puck’s CUT, arguably the city’s preeminent steakhouse, while Black Orchid nightclub is one of the city’s most spirited venues. There are other inviting bar and restaurant options besides, though those staying in the hotel’s best suites may find themselves ordering room service. It can be hard to leave such fantastical places.
In the Bridal Suite, a bulbous standalone tub is set like a storybook cloud in the center of the mammoth bathroom, while a cylindrical golden elevator descends directly from the suite to the grand ballroom below. Way up, the two-story three-bedroom Penthouse Suite is remarkable. In the cinema room, there’s a cherry-red pool table just across from the grand piano; a 12-person dining table stands under treble-height ceilings; and views stretch from the man-made island The Pearl towards Doha’s city skyline.
Bridal Suite from $11,000 per night; Penthouse Suite from $13,700 per night. Contact [email protected], +974 404 557 77, mondrianhotels.com
Zulal Wellness Retreat
The Middle East’s first fully fledged wellness resort / ©Zulal Wellness Retreat
The Middle East’s first fully fledged wellness resort — and also billed as the first property of its kind worldwide to offer comprehensive health and wellbeing escapes designed especially for families — Zulal occupies a remote site on the northernmost tip of the country (while still just 90 minutes from the airport). There’s something otherworldly about this coastal enclave, where the water’s edge ebbs up to a mile away at low tide and scrubby tufts of exposed mangroves break the blue-sky horizon. With its concept developed in collaboration with Thailand’s Chiva Som, this is a new property with a proven pedigree, and one that takes its guests’ progress seriously.
Photography is frowned upon and all arrivals are encouraged to confine phone usage to their rooms (easily done given it’s the only place WiFi is accessible). Bringing alien foods onto the property is problematic too, but that’s no hardship. Surprisingly, meals here are endlessly delicious and occasionally ingenious. Crunchy bread rolls are steamed prior to baking; made with bloat-free coconut sugar and all-natural ingredients, dainty desserts and pastries are surely-this-can’t-be-allowed indulgent; some 120 different restorative brews can be prepared to order in the tea library.
There are additionally top-of-the-range fitness facilities, complimentary classes ranging from beach volleyball to tai chi, and expansive amenities that include an Arctic ice room, and a glistening Himalayan salt room. Where guests reside will depend on whether they are with or without family: Accommodations and facilities are divided into two adjoining sites, with the former group occupying a section of the resort known as Discovery and adults-only bookings ensconced in Serenity.
