Bahrain - A glittering ceremony featuring diplomats, business leaders and key government officials set the stage for the opening of the first five-star property in the country’s entertainment district.

Located in Juffair along the Al Fateh Highway, the 45-storey Hilton Bahrain hotel and residences marks the debut of Hilton Hotels and Resorts in the kingdom.

The upscale property, comprising 348 rooms, features modern and stylish studios – as well as one- and two-bedroom apartments with spacious living rooms, fully equipped kitchens and breathtakingly beautiful sea views from the balcony.

“It’s my absolute pleasure to lead this one-of-a-kind property,” said general manager Tamer Farouk.

“With the owners’ support along with my talented team, every corner of this hotel has been carefully designed and every service meticulously tested.

“We have taken great care and hard work in making sure that this property will live up to how we have envisioned it to be, an upscale hotel and residences that will provide exceptional experiences to guests looking for more than just a home for everything they need and want.

“The team and I are ecstatic to finally see the lights of Hilton Bahrain on, its doors open to welcome our guests and provide them with the experiences we have created with heartfelt dedication.”

Ahmed Salim Al Mannai, a director at Mannai Holdings, the company that owns the property, said he was proud that Hilton Bahrain was the first new five-star hotel to open in the kingdom since the Covid-19 pandemic started.

“We are happy to see all of the guests here at the opening, it’s been a long time coming and hopefully it was worth the wait,” he added.

The hotel promises memorable experiences with six distinct restaurants and lounges, a wellness centre, bespoke meeting spaces and recreational facilities like an outdoor pool, gym and jacuzzi.

Hilton Bahrain, a pet-friendly property, is also a supporter of ‘Travel with Purpose’ – Hilton’s environmental, social and governance strategy to drive responsible travel and tourism.

According to Mr Farouk, the hotel is committed to champion sustainability in the hospitality industry in Bahrain with its zero single-use plastic pledge along with other environmental and social projects.

Hilton Bahrain is part of Hilton Honors, the award-winning guest-loyalty programme for Hilton’s 18 distinct hotel brands.

Hilton Honors members who book directly through preferred Hilton channels have access to instant benefits, including a flexible payment slider that allows them to choose nearly any combination of points and money to book a stay, an exclusive member discount that cannot be found anywhere else and free standard WiFi.

Members can also enjoy popular digital tools available exclusively through the industry-leading Hilton Honors mobile app, where they can check in, choose their room and access it using a Digital Key.

Hilton Bahrain is Hilton’s second hotel in the country, and joins Hilton Garden Inn Bahrain Bay.

Also present during the inauguration was Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority chief executive Dr Nasser Qaedi, who described it as “a key milestone”.

“This marks the introduction of a new pipeline of tourism projects in the country,” he said.

“We are looking forward to this hotel representing a key attraction for visitors coming in. Hilton is one of the global high-standard brands that Bahrain is proud to host and I’m pleased to announce that it is one of many properties that are coming online throughout the country as we diversify our tourism offering.

“This also builds on our plan to position Bahrain as a holistic tourism destination and it will complement the imminent launch of the new exhibition centre and other projects that we will be rolling out between now and the end of the year,” he added.

Dr Qaedi further said the BTEA was excited at the prospect of tourism getting a boost with the developments and events lined up in the rest of the year and hopes to continue the momentum into 2023.

He emphasised that Bahrain remains on track shortly achieving pre-pandemic tourist levels, having recorded a 38 per cent increase in visitor arrivals in the second quarter of this year as reported in the GDN yesterday.

The launch gala featured a fashion show showcasing designs from Affinity by Batool, White Linen Abaya, K&R House of Fashion and Al Zain Abaya, accompanied by music from a saxophonist and a violinist.

The spectacle included artworks by Samar Bushehri, Bahrain’s first female graffiti artist, and music.

Guests were treated to a selection of fine cuisine in Origin Kitchen and Culture, which is one of the three restaurants that are currently open at Hilton Bahrain.

CocoLuna and Lamar Cafe and Lounge are the other dining options offering international cuisine.

© Copyright 2020 www.gdnonline.com

Copyright 2022 Al Hilal Publishing and Marketing Group Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).