Whenever I travel solo I like to stick to hotels I trust, and hotels I know will take good care of me. Having been a Marriott member for a number of years I’ve stayed at their properties all over the world, and therefore they are my go-to choice when travelling alone. I suppose men or the more adventurous ladies may not have to consider these things, but I am one who likes to know where I am and to feel as though I have no worries other than enjoying my time in a new destination.
The Ritz-Carlton Bahrain delivered that, and so much more. From the moment I exited the airport and was shown to the hotel’s gleaming white Maserati Quattroporte I relaxed completely, and I stayed in that state of relaxation throughout my time in Bahrain.
The Location
The Ritz-Carlton Bahrain is located a short drive from the airport, in the Seef district in the main city of Manama. The resort itself is ideal for those looking for a secluded hotel close to the main attractions – it’s waterfront location is unbeatable and the private beach and lagoon are perfect for a relaxing holiday, yet the resort is just 4km from the famous Bahrain Fort, and 9km from the Bahrain National Museum. The hotel can help you arrange visits to further-away attractions such as the Tree of Life and Oil Well No.1, or you may want to book a comfortable air-conditioned half-day or day tour with Visit Bahrain.
Entering the lobby of the hotel, the sweeping atrium reaching up through the hotel is impressive. The open-elevator gives you a sweeping view over the lobby as you ascend to the club level check-in on the sixth floor.
The Rooms at Ritz-Carlton Bahrain
My 495 sq ft Club Room was a comfortable and contemporary space with beautiful views over the hotel’s pool and beach area. As is expected with a Ritz-Carlton hotel, you are treated to the most luxurious linens and comfortable marshmallow-esque bed, as well as every amenity you could wish for. A walk-in wardrobe provides a suitable space for hanging your clothing, and there’s a sofa for relaxing if you need to escape the heat.
The marble bathroom is absolutely stunning, with Asprey toiletries, a large sink area to spread your skincare and make-up products out, and a separate bath and shower. The bath was very similar to the one in the Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi – deep and luxurious providing you with the perfect way to unwind after a hard day of lounging in the sun or visiting the local tourist attractions.
With the Club Room comes access to the Club Lounge, which provided an excellent array of both local and international food and drink throughout the day. I even announced that the Cherry Cobbler was the best I have ever had – and I may have polished off a quarter of the entire bowl all by myself.
Food & Drink Offerings
The Ritz-Carlton Bahrain is home to an impressive 12 restaurants and lounges, and with just two days in the hotel, I didn’t have a huge amount of time to try them all out. I did manage to try their Mexican restaurant Cantina Kahlo, and Thai, their Asian restaurant. Both were exceptional, and I fell in love with Cantina Kahlo’s guacamole and the pretty twinkling lights outside on the deck overlooking the Flamingo pond.
I was also impressed to find that both restaurants had a solid selection of non-alcoholic drinks and mocktails, which is so rare to see. Too often restaurants and bars focus on alcoholic cocktails and forget to provide interesting and tasty concoctions for non-drinkers, only providing basic sodas and juices for those of us staying away from alcohol. And although I do drink alcohol, after a few days in Dubai I was keen to abstain to help my liver recover from Dubai’s party scene. I worked my way through a variety of lychee mocktails, berry smoothies, and various other non-alcoholic options, and was impressed with every single one.
The Beach, Pools, and Spa
If the restaurants sound impressive, the hotel’s spa and activities completely blew me away. I spent a magical morning relaxing down on the hotel’s private beach and swimming in the lagoon – the water was the temperature of a warm bath – before strolling back up to my sunbed to find beside it an iced bucket with fresh water bottles in it, and an extra towel that had been rolled up and tucked in the top of the sunbed to create a pillow for me.
These little details made the stay all the more luxurious and relaxing, and the complimentary sunblock ensures guests are staying safe in the sun. As well as the beach there are three swimming pools to choose from; an indoor pool, a small infinity pool overlooking the beach, and a large family pool.
The spa is always my favourite aspect of a hotel, so I was excited to test out the one at the Ritz-Carlton Bahrain. I opted for an afternoon Hot Stones Massage to soothe my muscles after the numerous flights I had taken recently. But my goodness, do you get so much more than just a massage and a sauna session here.
My spa experience began with a bathe in the hydrotherapy pool with hydro-massage jets. These are positioned at different heights to target different muscles, and as I’ve been having issues with my shoulders, knees, and glutes recently, I focused on those areas. After the hydrotherapy session I then moved to the thalassotherapy pool. This is essentially a very deep spa bath filled with seawater, as the key elements found in seawater are believed to be absorbed through the skin and the inhalation of the seawater steam is apparently good for the lungs!
After my hydrotherapy and thalassotherapy pool sessions I then took a shower before my blissfully relaxing hot stone massage. The combination of spending the morning in and out of the seawater, relaxing in the sunshine, and then having the afternoon in the spa meant I was in such a state of deep calm that I fell asleep as soon as I got on the plane to London, and slept the entire journey home!
Events and Weddings
As well as being the perfect choice for anyone looking for a relaxing getaway in the sun, the Ritz-Carlton Bahrain is also the most well-regarded hotel in the city for weddings and events. It is the only hotel in the city to host the weddings of the Bahrain Royal Family, and has the most incredible ballrooms for weddings of every magnitude. In addition to their ballroom spaces they also have a conference centre on-site.
Verdict
The Ritz-Carlton Bahrain offers everything you knew you needed and everything you didn’t know you needed. It’s perfect for every type of guest; lone business travellers, families and couples looking for a week in the sun, travellers wanting a weekend away from the neighbouring GCC countries, and those looking to host events. From check-in to check-out my stay was absolutely blissful, and they made my stay one to remember with the kindness of the helpful staff and a wide variety of restaurants and activities available.
Find out more about staying at the Ritz-Carlton Bahrain.
Catherine Lux is a food and travel contributor at AGLAIA, and a luxury lifestyle blogger documenting her life on her blog, Lux Life London. With Lux Life London having a large focus on travel and food, she loves nothing more than long-haul flights, excellent restaurants, and relaxing with friends in the coolest places in town.
