Luxurious accommodation in an exotic location! I had a very special stay at the W Doha. My boyfriend had previously stayed there on a business trip and claimed the ‘W Suite‘ was his favorite hotel room of all time, and that he would even decorate his future home exactly the same. A bold statement for a man who has visited over 40 countries and seen countless hotels on his weekly work trips. Ever since he made that statement, I vowed to stay at the W Doha one day.

I finally had the opportunity to when I found a flight from Los Angeles (my home) to Amsterdam (my new home), with a day layover in Doha… this was really going to happen!

From the moment we stepped in, we were surrounded by luxury.

Location

The W is located in the west bay district of Doha (the main part of Doha). It is a quick trip from Doha International Airport, only 15 mins by taxi. You can also grab an Uber (first timers can use code gtg8x for $20 credit towards their first ride). Our Uber cost around 50 QAR (roughly 15 USD / 13 EUR / 10 GBP / 18 AUD).

The hotel is located in the City Centre within walking distance from the shopping malls and Al Corniche. It was scorching hot when we were in town so we opted for Ubers everywhere as they were cheap and air conditioned.

W Suite

The room was gorgeous! It has class, elegance and style.

Entering the room, a long hallway leads to the large and attractive living room. There’s a toilet separate from the master bath for convenience.

In the living room, there was a floating chair in the middle of the panoramic room (okay, it’s just suspended, but I liked the way that sounded). It was the perfect place to escape the searing heat while soaking in the view of Doha.

An array of sweet treats welcomed us in the room. It was a nice little detail, wished it was champagne tho…😏

In the bedroom, a circular bed hid behind a curtain of strings. A mirror artfully hung on the ceiling above. I felt like I was in a classy Austin Power’s scene. It was groovy!

The master bathroom was about the size of the bedroom, equipped elegantly with a full size bath tub and waterfall shower. Of course the first thing my boyfriend did was look for his favorite — W’s signature plush robes. The first thing I did, was soak in the full sized tub for an hour reading magazines. An amazing feeling after a long flight! 😊

Dining

Market by Jean-Georges

We enjoyed the morning after a good night’s rest in the ‘Market’ restaurant by Jean-Georges. What a lovely breakfast it was, savoring the food, sipping the fresh juice (I think I drank their whole jug… don’t judge me!) and people watching (Doha has an eclectic mix of visitors). The buffet had a really large selection of hot and cold food, including steak bacon (as Qatari’s don’t eat pork) which I had never tried before. You can also order items off of the a la carte menu as well.

WIP Lounge

Since we had a pretty heavy breakfast, we opted for a late lunch/afternoon snack at the club lounge on the second level of the hotel. This lounge is for guests staying in suites and serves complimentary breakfast, snacks and beverages. It was a variety of nibbles, but had enough variety that we were able to make a meal out of it. It was a great place to relax and enjoy complimentary drinks (don’t mind if I do!) until dinner.

We had dinner while we were out exploring Doha, but we walked by W’s other restaurants and they all looked great! My boyfriend ate at the Spice Market last time and was very impressed with their wine list.

Spice Market – Thai

La Spiga – Italian

W Cafe – Cafe and desserts

Amenties

• Bliss Spa: We didn’t have time to utilize the Bliss Spa, however the chain is well-known for their professional service and relaxing treatments.
• Swimming pool: is too small to have a proper swim, but it is a nice area to sit around and have a drink. It is also shaded by the hotel, which in Doha’s scorching heat is a good thing.
• Gym: Equipped with modern machines, free weights, yoga mats, balance balls, and even punching bags and boxing gloves. You can grab complimentary cold water and fresh fruits on the way out too. They also have personal trainers if you want.

Pro Tips:

• If you want a quiet room, request a room above the 6th floor. The W is a night life hot spot in Doha; known for its popular restaurants, bars and a club inside the hotel. It’s important to note that you can only drink alcohol at hotels in Qatar, meaning hotels cater to expats and the night life scene.
• Don’t be alarmed by the security check (like going through airport security). Security scanner applies to every hotel in Qatar per Qatari law.
• Already booked other accommodations? No problem, drop by for drinks and/or dining to soak in the beautiful ambiance. The W Doha have regular promotions and happy hour specials, so check with the hotel before you go!
• Many expats go to W Doha after work on weekdays and for night life on the weekends, so it’s a great place to meet international people.

Til next time, W!