Starwood Hotels & Resorts debuts Its Ultra-Luxury St. Regis brand in Qatar with The St. Regis Doha

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide continues the dynamic global growth of its ultra-luxury St. Regis brand with the opening of The St. Regis Doha, Qatar’s first St. Regis hotel, on March 31. Offering the finest address in Doha, this highly-anticipated luxury hotel is part of the new luxury waterfront Al Gassar Resort development, and is centrally located between the city’s cultural heritage sites and its emerging commercial hub. The St. Regis Doha is owned by Alfardan Group Holdings and will feature 10 distinctive culinary experiences including Gordon Ramsay and Hakkasan restaurants, the region’s first Remède Spa and the first Jazz at Lincoln Center jazz club outside of the United States. The hotel will also offer St. Regis’s legendary butler service, which has been specifically tailored to cater to visitors from within the Middle East.

To celebrate its launch, The St. Regis Doha introduces an opening offer valid until June 30, 2012.  The rate starts at 1,900 QR per night for a superior room and offers complimentary benefits including a Jazz at Lincoln Center welcome gift, in-room Wi-Fi internet access, a 30-minute spa massage and a St. Regis afternoon tea ritual in Sarab Lounge.

“We are delighted to partner with Alfardan Group as we introduce the St. Regis brand to Qatar with the opening of The St. Regis Doha,” comments Roeland Vos, President, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Europe, Africa and Middle East. “St. Regis Hotels & Resorts exemplify luxury, elegance and impeccable service. With the opening of this magnificent hotel, Starwood continues to lengthen its lead in luxury hospitality, offering guests exceptional levels of service in a wide range of destinations around the world.”

“As the centrepiece of Al Gassar Resort, the St Regis Doha perfectly complements the development’s unmatched luxury, sophistication and elegance as one of the world’s leading luxury hotels that provides the highest levels of exclusivity and hospitality”, said Mr. Omar Al Fardan, President of Resorts Development Company and Alfardan Group.  “This exceptional beach front hotel translates the luxury offerings of what Alfardan Group is known for; from its impeccable standards, innovation and customized service. We are proud to have St Regis Doha added to our portfolio as a unique masterpiece at Al Gassar Resort as we foresee this development to be the desired destination for any traveller to Qatar and the region.”

The St. Regis Doha will feature 336 luxuriously-appointed guest rooms, including 70 elegant suites and two 600-square-metre Presidential suites, all offering breathtaking views of the Arabian Gulf. Designed by the internationally acclaimed Wilson Associates, the guest rooms and suites will offer a blend of timeless design and elegant Middle Eastern touches. The hotel’s distinctive architecture, created by Dar Al Handasah, will provide an elegant showcase of contemporary design fused with traditional Arabic touches, an impressive addition to the city’s skyline.

Legendary St. Regis Butler Service:

Following in the tradition of the St. Regis brand’s legendary New York flagship hotel, The St. Regis Doha will feature the famed hallmarks of St. Regis hotels including the signature St. Regis Butler Service, bespoke guest experiences and luxury accommodations tailored to global travellers. Trained in the English tradition, the butlers will provide ever-present, yet unobtrusive service while anticipating guest needs and customising each guest’s stay according to his or her specific tastes and preferences.

Exquisite Culinary Experiences:

The St. Regis Doha will offer the widest dining selection within a hotel in Qatar with ten distinctive culinary, and lounge experiences featuring some of the world’s most reputed chefs. At Gordon Ramsay, Michelin-starred chef Gilles Bosquet will create sumptuous selections with influences from the renowned Chef Ramsay, in an elegant setting inspired by an English manor house. For a more casual alternative, Opal by Gordon Ramsay will feature a selection of western classics in a relaxed atmosphere. Hailing from London, the famed Hakkasan will bring authentic yet contemporary Cantonese cuisine to Doha when it opens later this year.  Astor Grill pays tribute to the Astor family that founded the iconic St. Regis New York, showcasing the best of classical French and haute New York cuisines in a modern style.

Luxury Leisure and Conference Facilities:

The St. Regis Doha will offer 16,000 square metres of luxury leisure facilities, including the first Remède Spa in the Middle East. Typically set in the world’s most glamorous locations including Aspen, New York and Bali, Remède Spas are exclusive to St. Regis and have developed a global reputation for exceptional customisation, providing the ultimate indulgence within tranquil surroundings. The spa will feature twenty-two treatment rooms, pre- and post-treatment lounges, experience showers and sauna, as well as male and female Jacuzzis, making it one of the largest and finest spas in Doha. Guests can also enjoy facilities such as an ultra-modern fitness centre, an Olympic-size swimming pool, and a private beach with 10 beachfront cabanas. The hotel will also feature 4,000 square metres of state-of-the-art meeting, event and conference space, including the largest ballroom with natural daylight in Doha.

Jazz at Lincoln Center Doha:

Following the announcement of an unprecedented global partnership between St. Regis and Jazz at Lincoln Center, The St. Regis Doha will debut the first Jazz at Lincoln Center venue outside of the U.S. bringing the authentic jazz experience to life for guests and music enthusiasts in the Middle East. Jazz is integral to the St. Regis legacy and the hotel will offer live performances with bi-monthly programming led by the New York-based Jazz at Lincoln Center, showcasing and cultivating the best jazz talents in the world. The full dining menu at the jazz club will feature creative Southern-style selections that come with New York flair and jazz-inspired names.

Starwood in the Middle East:

St. Regis Hotels & Resorts continues its dynamic global growth as it nearly triples its portfolio in just five years. The opening of St. Regis Doha marks the second of three St. Regis hotels slated to debut within a year in the Middle East, including The St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort in Abu Dhabi which opened last December and The St. Regis Abu Dhabi hotel which will open this fall on the Corniche.

Starwood currently operates nearly fifty hotels in the Middle East and continues to strengthen its long- established position as one of the leading luxury hotel operators in the region. The St. Regis Doha is the third hotel managed by Starwood in Doha, following W Doha Hotel & Residences and Sheraton Doha Resort & Convention Hotel.