Minor Hotel Group has continued with its strategic expansion inside the Middle East with the announcement of its first hotel in Qatar.
Anantara Doha Island Resort & Spa is a 141 key five star resort inside the Arabian Gulf, just off the coast of the country’s capital Doha, and should open early in 2014.
Minor Hotel Group is partnering with the Qatari owned company Al Rayyan Hospitality for its first property within the country.
Qatar is rich in oil and natural gas reserves, with the world’s highest GDP per capita and is currently experiencing a big boom within the real estate and hospitality sectors.
The new property would be portion of the internationally renowned Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas portfolio, known for its luxury experience and discovery-led hospitality, that’s already well established within the UAE with three properties in Abu Dhabi.
Located on a 13 hectare island, the hot resort shall be accessible by speedboat from Doha’s downtown area and from The Pearl, both journeys taking between 20-half-hour.
Anantara Doha Island would be the sole off-shore escape for both Doha residents and visitors alike, representing an exclusive getaway from the hectic business city.
The new island resort will offer an infinite range of facilities and an expansion of accommodation options for the range of guests that it’ll attract.
With a complete of 141 rooms, the 96 guest rooms, 34 pool villas and 11 two- and 3-bedroom over-water pool villas will offer guests a large selection of room types during which to spend their break.
There might be four restaurants and bars, including a modern Japanese restaurant and an Arabic beach club.
A total of 4 pools shall be spread through the resort’s lush grounds, including a massive lagoon pool, directly accessible from a number of the family guest rooms, a surf pool with wave machine and hydro exercise pools.
For spa lovers, the resort will offer both an Anantara Spa and an in depth Wellness & Holistic Centre, plus a 24-hour fitness centre and tennis court shall be available for those wishing to maintain their fitness regimes.
The island can also be home to a marina accommodating as much as 50 boats.
An extensive choice of family activities could be available including a kids club, a dedicated family beach with access to beach volleyball and water sports, a nine-hole golf putting course, a 10-pin bowling alley and a cinema.
An off-shore reef is likewise being developed and the resort would be home to a reef conservation centre, giving guests the chance to plant their very own coral and learn more in regards to the underwater environment.
In addition there’ll be a totally equipped diving centre.
For business guests, the resort will offer a ballroom accommodating as much as 250 people for a banquet. There’ll even be two meeting rooms for as much as 50 delegates and an out of doors event space with a capacity to host as much as 100 people.
When the hot resort opens early next year, Qatar would be the second country of operation for Minor Hotel Group within the Middle East.
Dillip Rajakarier, chief executive, Minor Hotel Group, commented: “We are very excited to announce this new resort in Qatar in partnership with Al Rayyan Hospitality, who we’re already successfully working with within the city of Doha with our Anantara Spa on the recently opened Souq Waqif Boutique Hotels.
“The Middle East is a key strategic area of development for Minor Hotel Group and we’re actively watching opportunities to grow not just Anantara but in addition our AVANI and Oaks brands within the region in addition.”