Doha, the capital of Qatar, is perhaps one of the least-known destinations in the Middle East. The Emirate tops the list of the richest countries in the world with the highest GDP per capita. This growth and investment have created some stunning architecture and cultural highlights, such as the Museum of Islamic Art. Doha enjoys a mostly dry, warm climate. However, many may find the summer months too hot at over 40 celsius.
We have stayed at the Grand Hyatt Doha twice, both times as a result of a layover when flying Qatar Airways. Qatar is becoming a significant destination in its own right, particularly with the FIFA World Cup highlighting this country.
Location
Grand Hyatt Doha is conveniently located on the West Bay shoreline, at the start of the causeway leading to the Pearl-Qatar.
Style & Character
Thia luxurious five-star hotel with plush villas is located within the scenic shoreline of West Bay Lagoon, spanning more than 150,000 m² showcasing a mélange of magnificent Arab architecture, lush gardens, multiple swimming pools and a 400 metre private beach. This urban resort is ideally situated near Hamad International Airport across the road from the notable Lagoona Mall and only a short drive to the famous Pearl Island, and the new commercial city center, Lusail.
Rooms
If you book a suite or upgrade to a suite at the Grand Hyatt Doha, your rate includes airport transfers which are handy for an easy and stress-free arrival. On our first stay, our room was an Executive Suite with a large terrace complete with a dining table. On our second stay, we were upgraded to a Grand Suite, which was large and on the corner. The suite’s highlight was the large balcony overlooking the hotel’s beach and the Arabian Gulf (although note that in a desert country, everything outside gets dusty quickly). In addition, the room had a good-sized lounge and bedroom, a large bathroom, and a guest cloakroom. We loved sitting outside on our verandah, enjoying the dying heat of the day and watching the lights of Doha as evening approached.
Club Lounge
The club lounge at this property was extremely spacious. You could find a space away from other guests even when busy. There was a vast spread of continental breakfast items and the option to order eggs. Evening cocktail hour (currently 6:00 – 8:00 pm) offers a very good choice of still or sparkling wines and a wide variety of food, including several desserts. The Grand Hyatt Doha’s club lounge is one of the unsung heroes of the Hyatt chain – and bears a strong resemblance to another of our favorites in Muscat, Oman.
Service & Facilities
The large freeform swimming pool is accessed from one level below reception. You can exit your room discretely attired in swimwear and bathrobe without offending locals in the lobby area. It is understandably very popular with families, making it feel hectic. Our recommendation is to take a very short stroll through the delightful gardens (how on Earth do they get lawns like that in this climate?!) down to the very safe shallow sandy beach. The water temperature is about 30 C as the bay is a virtual lagoon. The water is very saline, too, so you are very buoyant, which makes swimming even more fun. As if that were not enough, there is a separate, more conventional swimming pool along the far end of the beach surrounded by hedges.
The gym is very large and extremely well-equipped for a hotel fitness center. Alternatively, if you prefer to brave the heat, there is an outdoor jogging track.
The spa contains two private couples’ suites, different in style but each with its own water feature – one has a small plunge pool and the other a jacuzzi.
Food & Drink
The Grand Hyatt Dubai has a wide choice of restaurants, from traditional Arabian Mezza through Italian to excellent Thai. Isaan is a real Thai restaurant staffed entirely by Thai personnel, and it has won a Time Out award as the best SE Asian restaurant in the Middle East.
Rocca is a more casual Italian bistro by the poolside offering real Italian specialties by Chef Marco Cherubini, who worked in Rome for over a decade, so authenticity is guaranteed.
Santa Monica Breakfast Club is more eclectic and the site for breakfast and sumptuous brunches and lunches, which include all the traditional Arabian dishes. Try the mouthwatering shish kebab cooked on a real charcoal grill. Dessert lovers will be in heaven when they see the buffet.
The Dunes bar offers a large selection of wines and spirits in a cool environment, and if you get peckish or want gifts, there is Biscotti selling beautiful chocolates, cookies, a bakery, and coffee.
Conclusion
We enjoyed our stays at the Grand Hyatt Doha enough to book a longer stay, partly to learn more about Qatar. With Qatar Airways’ increasing significance as a global airline, it will also be an important stopover. Rooms are large and well equipped. The dining options are good and, in many cases, award-winning. The leisure facilities are superb. The club lounge offers extremely good service, and the food and drinks offered are easily good enough to avoid additional spending. We would recommend staying here, especially if you have access to the club lounge.
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