By Nicole Brewer
Greetings globetrotters! I hope you all are well. Recently a few weeks ago I had the pleasure of visiting Doha, Qatar during my winter break. It was the first time in almost 7 years that I visited the region and I had a lovely time. Below check out my guide to visiting Doha, Qatar which includes where to stay, places to visit in Doha, and where to dine to help you plan a fabulous trip to Doha.
Where to Stay
Mondrian Doha Hotel
I visited Doha for 5 days and stayed at two different but incredible hotels and resorts during my time. For the first 2 nights I was located at Mondrian Doha Hotel situated in the Lusail area. I was very excited for my stay here due to the modern, unique designs in the interior and on the exterior. It filled all of my wishes as an architecture and interior design loving globetrotter.
The luxurious hotel features a host of restaurants to dine at including the Mediterranean inspired Walima and Morimoto which offers decadent Japanese cuisine offerings. Moreover, the rooms are pretty swanky, with floor to ceiling windows which offered amazing city views. This was especially a treat when I soaked my troubles away in the deep-seated bathtub in the evening after exploring the city.
Additional amenities included the fully loaded gym and ESPA, which I almost missed out on visiting. Guests are able to enjoy the spa facilities even if they don’t have an appointment. Furthermore, I made sure to check it out right before I left and it surely didn’t disappoint! The setting is absolutely gorgeous. Check it out below for yourselves.
Al Messila Luxury Resort and SpA
Next, I moved on to another fabulous hotel for my remaining time there. A resort called Al Messila, a Luxury Collection which is a Marriott hotel. As a Fora Travel Advisor, I was afforded an incredible upgrade to a full on villa from a suite. Talk about the sweet life! I was pleasantly surprised to find out that some players from the Asian World Cup were also staying here. It only made sense since they were able to have a bit of privacy with their own villas.
Also, guest rooms range from deluxe suites to 4 bedroom villas. Additionally, the resort offers a host of dining options, a full on family playground for children, a massive pool, and of course a spectular spa. I seriously never seen a resort with a spa almost as big as the hotel!
Places to visit in Doha
Visit National Museum of Qatar
One of the main reasons I was excited for a return visit to Doha was to see the National Museum of Qatar. It was not finished being built during my last visit to Doha. It was well worth the return visit! The futuristic architecture was a main draw for me. Nevertheless, the variety of exhibitions and galleries range from the formation of Qatar to highlighting the people, modern history, to current day Qatar.
Discover Katara Cultural Village
This waterfront development is home to a range of cultural institutions, including art galleries, theaters, and performance spaces. It was great to visit during the Asian World Cup! There were a host of activities going on such as games on display on huge screens. Additionally, I also managed to hold a falcon which was there.
Marvel at the Museum of Islamic Art
This iconic museum houses one of the most impressive collections of Islamic art in the world, with artworks spanning over 1,400 years. I was very excited to take in the masterful architecture and interior design once again of the Museum of Islamic Art. After exploring the variety of exhibitions, I relaxed and had a coffee overlooking the majestic skyline of Doha.
Explore Souq Waqif
This traditional marketplace is a bustling hub of activity, with vendors selling spices, textiles, traditional clothing, and handicrafts. It was also pretty cool to see the animal souk which featured rabbits, birds, fish, and more. It’s a great place to get a sense of historic Qatar and to people watch.
Visit the Pearl-Qatar
This man-made island is a luxurious residential and entertainment district, with a range of high-end shopping, dining, and entertainment options. I always feel right at home at the Pearl taking in the gorgeous views of the sparkeling blue-green water, high-rises, and colorful buildings in areas such as Porto Arabia, Qanat Quartier, and Giardino Village.
Where to dine
Laya Cafe Fours Seasons
I actually wrote a detailed review of Laya Cafe Four Seasons here on the blog but I’d be remiss to not mention the restaurant here. I managed to meet up with a local globetrotter from the iluv2globetrot travel community who lives in Doha. We enjoyed delicious eats at Laya Cafe including crispy lollipop chicken wings, chicken shwarama rolls, and tasty hamour fish.
Al Messila Waha Pool Lounge
Wa’Ha is set amidst the lush botanical garden and grand outdoor pool of Al Messila, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa. I enjoyed a delicious BBQ grill night during my final nights stay the resort. It featured a collection of grills of fish, chicken, turkey, and more. A fresh salad bar was on display and guests were able to choose from a selection of vegetables an sides. An added bonus was that there was a dj spinning fun tunes.
Overall I had an incredible time during my visit to Doha, Qatar for my winter break. I can’t recommend enough a visit to this region of the GCC. With amazing people, stunning architecture, good food, and the most luxurious resorts, Doha should definitely be on your list to visit. Have you been globetrotters? Would you like to visit Qatar one day? Let me know in the comments. As always, happy globetrotting!
Absolutely gorgeous places to visit and stay.
This looks amazing… and great pics/vids 🙂