Doha - Four Seasons Hotel, Doha, which will set a new benchmark in luxury and hospitality in Qatar and the region, welcomed its first guest just after 10am on Saturday, marking the successful culmination of the vision of its owner, H E Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem bin Jabor Al Thani, who is also Qatar's First Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister, who wanted to create a world class hotel, a commercial and business complex in the West Bay district of the capital.
The Four Seasons, Doha, features 232 rooms, of which more than a quarter are suites, including five state suites and a Royal suite, which is a luxurious duplex-style private residence on the hotel's 17th floor.
Announcing the opening of the Four Seasons, the hotel's General Manager, Simon P Casson, said, the hotel also offers a Library Bar and Cigar Lounge, the Seasons Tea Lounge, The Brasserie on the Beach, the all-day dining restaurant and the elegant Il Teatro, which will offer south Italian specialities which were renowned for their simplicity, the Pool Grill, a restaurant serving light Asian cuisine and seafood and the Spa Caf, which will open along with the spa at the Four Seasons which will open in about four to five weeks.
He said, the seven dining experiences at the Four Seasons offers an array of international cuisines along with traditional Arabic fare and the freshest seafood. "Each restaurant offers sea views while the Brasserie on the Beach and the Il Teatro also feature terraces for outdoor dining, overlooking the hotel's pools and beachside," Casson added.
The property also offers a host of other amenities such as its own, 200-metre private beach and a 110 berth marina. Casson explained, all rooms and food and beverage facilities of the Four Seasons, Doha, are located on the marina and sea side of the hotel. The hotel also has extensive meeting and banqueting facilities that can accommodate small to large events, from private social meetings to marriages to international conferences and a round-the-clock business centre.
The spa, which will cover an area of 36,000 sq ft, will be located in its own, three-storey facility, located near the main building and will offer a wide range of traditional and indigenous treatments. The Wellness Centre features the full range of fitness equipment, squash courts and outdoor clay tennis courts.
"The concept of the West Bay Complex was a vision of the owner, H E Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem bin Jabor Al Thani since 1997, who was determined to create a world class hotel, commercial and business complex in the heart of Doha's thriving West Bay.
Under the leadership of the Emir, H H Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the country is experiencing an unprecedented growth with the construction of new towers and the development of several infrastructure projects," Casson said. He noted, the complex would not have been a reality, if it were not for the support from H E Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem and the vision. Though a formal opening of the hotel was not on the anvil, Casson disclosed, H E Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem would host a grand party at the hotel at the end of September, to mark the arrival of Four Seasons in Doha.
Three of the most prominent features of the Four Seasons, Doha, are its unique architecture, the location and the interiors of the hotel, Casson said. He noted, the hotel building is crowned by domes of intricate latticework and reflects Islamic and local architecture, including wind-towers and arches.
The building itself, he said, had several architectural merits. The hotel's location, he said, was one of the best in Doha, with a great waterfront for guests. The interiors of the hotel, he said, were "lovingly and painstakingly" decorated and furnished with some of the finest furniture and furnishings created by some of the renowned international companies, exclusively for the Doha property.
Four Seasons, which is renowned internationally for the luxurious experience it offers its guests, Casson said, will be a community friendly hotel and not "arrogant."
To ensure the hotel has the best staff, recruiters from Four Seasons perused 30,000 job applications of which 12,000 candidates were interviewed in 16 countries. Casson conducted the final interviews himself. The staff of 500 at Four Seasons, he said, comes from some 39 countries and speak a variety of foreign languages.
The Four Seasons group also pooled half this number from its 45 properties around the world to help with the start-up and instil the Four Seasons hospitality culture at the Doha property.
The hotel, he revealed, opened its doors to guests at 10am on Saturday and the first one checked in a few seconds later. This guest had booked the stay in advance. The restaurants at the Four Seasons also witnessed a large number of guests for lunch, afternoon tea and dinner, he added.
So far, 12 weddings have already been booked to be held in the hotel, he added.
© The Peninsula 2005
