Everybody loves a good staycation, but FACT’s Sara Waddah loves it even more when it means experiencing several different cultures all from the same room.

Situated in the centre of the island, the Gulf Hotel Bahrain Convention & Spa resort facility is one that not only boasts an incredibly modern city location but that has consistently kept its reputation up for 50 years as a legendary five-star hotel.

Arriving at the hotel, guests are welcomed into the extravagant ballroom-like lobby, from where one of the largest chandeliers you’ll ever see dangles at full light – a welcome of truly royal and elegant proportions.

The Gulf Hotel Bahrain Convention & Spa is actually one of the oldest hotel properties in the Kingdom, but as a result of regular updates and hosting and upholding some of the greatest services, its ongoing popularity seems to be without doubt and will never be forgotten.

Running away and taking a break from reality sometimes isn’t so easy, but checking into this hotel definitely helped take my mind off a few things during my stay – whether it was the bedroom, the service, the food or the amenities, here is just a rough breakdown of why this staycation was everything I needed and more.

The Family-Like Staff

From the second I arrived at the hotel, to my very last moments leaving the lobby, the staff at The Gulf Hotel Convention & Spa are not only taking all the necessary safety precautions to make sure that we stay safe – but they also continue to treat guests with attentiveness, compassion as well as top-notch service despite the challenges. I think this was definitely one of my favourite things about my stay. With the pandemic somewhat playing a role in alienating us from one another, not only did I feel completely comfortable in my environment, but the staff made it a point to let me know that anything I needed could easily be arranged.

Variety From Around the World

Quite literally being known for having one of the largest hotel food and beverage offerings in the Kingdom, the Gulf Hotel Convention & Spa currently consists of 10 different restaurants and lounges – each of them boasting top-class service and incredible culinary offerings. Bringing us cuisines and flavours from around the world ranging from Thai, Italian, Chinese and Mexican to Lebanese, Japanese and Iranian – anything you could ever crave is right there, all under the same roof!

Bedrooms:

With the hotel currently boasting more than 300 luxurious rooms, from which guests can pick the one completely suitable to their type of stay, my Grand Deluxe Room stood at about 40sq/m, giving even sufficient space for an additional seating area (lush sofa too!), and a dedicated workspace that came in handy. Contemporarily designed, with an incredible floor-to-ceiling window that brought in the perfect amount of sunlight to my room, absolutely nothing felt more relaxing than lying in the rich, plush king-size bed and watching the sunset. Talk about a blissful ambience, huh?

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The Great Outdoors

Reflecting a serene oasis in the capital, the great addition to the Gulf Hotel’s already standing building, is their leisure facilities without a doubt. Having the spa, outdoor restaurants, pool and kids’ play area on the rear side of the hotel, guests are without a doubt spoilt with a memorable and unique experience as they venture and journey around the jungle-like oasis. Shaded with large palm trees, cave-like shading areas in the pool, and exquisite date trees that ride high above, the cool, blissful feeling that you get from experiencing it all is quite similar to being cast away in a resort far from the rest of the world.

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The Morning After

Nothing says ‘rise and shine’ better than a good breakfast and promptly at 10.30am I was woken up with a trolley being wheeled to my sofa for me to indulge in. Giving guests AGAIN the opportunity to pick and choose depending on their preferences – I went for the Sunshine Breakfast (recommended by the staff). Immediately figuring out why it was an in-house favourite, the freshly squeezed juice and perfectly poached eggs were exactly what I needed to prepare myself to take on the rest of the day like a champ. Health is wealth! Despite the fact that all good things come to an end, our utmost love and respect for this property never will. Ideal for that perfect little staycation getaway you’ve been dreaming about this summer, the Gulf Hotel Convention & Spa is definitely worth stopping by for a while. ✤

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