DESTINATIONS QATAR | MIDDLE EAST


news HOTELS


Marsa Malaz Kempinski The Pearl The 281-room Kempinski was the first five-star hotel to open on The Pearl, but its USP is its standout spa facilities. The Spa by Clarins is a destination in itself and includes 23 treatment rooms, plus saunas and indoor plunge pools. Deluxe rooms start at £195.


find out more Learn more about


Qatar and its stopover programme by visiting the Qatar National


Tourism Council site. visitqatar.qa


Sheraton Grand Doha Resort & Convention Hotel Set on the Corniche, this hotel’s dramatic pyramid- shaped exterior sets it apart. It has 371 rooms; deluxe rooms start at £244.


century ago. It has been faithfully restored and today is a major tourist attraction. We visited in the evening and took a leisurely – and refreshingly hassle-free – wander through its maze of shops selling pearls (once Qatar’s main industry), antiques and oud, an incense and perfume made from agarwood. Qataris sat outside under canopies, smoking shisha and drinking chai karak tea. The Falcon Hospital is a must-see too. Falconry is an


important part of Middle Eastern culture, and around 150 of the birds are treated in the specialist hospital every day. The waiting room, filled with majestic falcons patiently awaiting their turn to see the vet, is a remarkable sight.


THE PEARL-QATAR


Crowne Plaza Doha – The Business Park Aimed at the business traveller, this modern, 317-room hotel is just seven-and-a-half miles from the airport and 15 minutes from the city centre. Deluxe rooms start at £91.


Set above an ancient pearl-diving site, and nicknamed the ‘Arabian Riviera’, this man-made island off Doha’s West Bay coast covers 400 hectares and is fronted by 12 miles of dazzling white beaches. It features Mediterranean-style yacht marinas, and upmarket restaurants and shopping, with expats living in its residential towers, designed to look like a string of pearls.


KATARA CULTURAL VILGE This impressive complex sits halfway between the gleaming skyscrapers of Doha’s West Bay and the Pearl-Qatar. Since its opening in 2010, Katara has fast become the beating heart of Qatar’s creative scene. For art lovers, the village offers dozens of galleries showcasing the work of international and local painters, photographers and sculptors. It’s also home to a marble amphitheatre, which hosts music performances,


travelweekly.co.uk


KHOR AL ADAID Lying 40 miles from Doha is the Unesco-recognised natural reserve Khor Al Adaid, where the sea has forged its way deep into the heart of the desert. The only way to access it is across rolling sand dunes, as we experienced with Q Tours, one of several companies offering exhilarating dune-bashing rides. When the sparkling sea suddenly appeared, mirage-like, on the horizon, it was a magical and unforgettable sight.


TW The waiting room of the Falcon


Hospital, filled with majestic falcons patiently awaiting their turn to see the vet, is a remarkable sight


traditional dance shows and open-air movie screenings. However, the Masjid of Katara is the real gem. We watched as the faithful went into the ornate mosque for prayers, its turquoise and purple mosaic-covered exterior glinting in the late afternoon sun.


CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Dhow boats and Doha skyline; Museum of Islamic Art; spices in Souq Waqif PICTURES: Stefan Zander; Gerry O’Leary


BOOK IT


Qatar Airways offers return flights from Heathrow to Doha from £483 per person. qatarairways.com


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