RESTING on Doha’s Arabian Gulf shoreline, the Fairmont & Raffles hotel is housed in the spectacular Katara Towers, whose curving architectural design is inspired by the crossed swords of the country’s seal, a symbol of strength, power, and authority.
With its position on the water, Fairmont’s rooms and suites are created with a luxury yacht in mind but on level 30 of a five-star luxury hotel.
Dôme
Fairmont is at the polarising end of Saudi Arabian design. Instead of looking for opulence, the hotel prides itself on a minimalist scene with an off-white colour scheme that permeates every room. My suite is one of many with a complete view of the bay.
As morning arrives, I pull up my iPad-operated blinds and start my day with the Arabian Gulf stretching out before me. It reminds me of Dune – large spaces of unoccupied land, the mystery of the desert and the blazing sun making its way into every corner of the perfectly curated interior design.
Katara Suite bedroom
Over an evening of canapés and cocktails, I realise that the hotel’s signature goal is to be experience-led, promising unique privileges and discreetly attentive service. The entire experience is otherworldly because the attention to detail surpasses any expectation.
Provoke
You really need to experience Fairmont in all its grandeur – if I thought it was an impressive, humbling experience merely from the outside, nothing could have prepared me for the level of technological peak that guests experience after check-in. It’s the dawn of a new day for hospitality in Saudi Arabia and Fairmont is paving a new path.
by Adina llie
Fairmont Doha is located on Marina East Street, Lusail in Doha, Qatar. Prices start from £269 per night.
Qatar Airways is the national carrier of the State of Qatar and Skytrax ‘Airline of the Year’ 2022, currently flying to 150 destinations via its hub at Doha’s Hamad International Airport.