By Noura khan
Travel writer, The Times Kuwait
During my recent visit to Bahrain with my family, I chose to experience luxurious accommodation in one of the villas at the Raffles Al Areen Palace Resort. It was an exceptional experience that I would like to share with you.
I like to experience and explore modern resorts, and just staying in a luxury resort, without even going out anywhere else, is equivalent to a travel trip for me.
Raffles Al Areen Palace Resort is the newest addition to the luxury brand’s hotel chain in Bahrain. I was keen to experience staying at the resort, as it had opened its doors to visitors only last December.
Combining authentic Arabic hospitality and the high-level service that the Raffles Hotels brand is famous for, the new property is the first and only resort in the kingdom consisting entirely of villas. There are 78 villas, each with an attached private swimming pool that provides extreme privacy for residents, with heating during the winter and a Jacuzzi bath.
The villas range from single to three bedrooms and offer the brand’s famous butler service, which focuses on identifying guests’ needs in advance and providing a personalized experience for each guest.
To enhance the luxurious experience of the stay, during the first day of our arrival, we requested to try the private chef’s service inside the villa.Through this service, guests can enjoy in-villa dining with a private chef upon request, providing an unprecedented level of luxury and privacy. We booked a BBQ experience in the villa with a private chef and a number of assistants and enjoyed a wonderful seafood BBQ night.
The resort also includes a distinguished selection of luxury restaurants, including Palma Mediterranean Restaurant, which includes an outdoor terrace and receives its guests throughout the day to enjoy the most delicious international dishes with distinctive local touches, in cooperation with the most famous international chefs.
The resort also recently opened Spa Villas in cooperation with Dr. Burgener’s Clinic in Switzerland. The villa spa offers the latest wellness experiences and regenerative treatments for the first time in Bahrain. Guests enjoy personalized wellness experiences that allow them to choose from a wide range of exceptional treatments and experiences, combining warm hospitality, Arab traditions and the highest levels of Swiss care.
The Spa Villa, which is located in one of the luxury resort’s villas, includes a private swimming pool that creates an atmosphere that simulates exclusive and private accommodation experiences. Individuals or couples can book to experience the three treatment rooms, which begin with a refreshing moisturizing session on the outdoor terrace, then relax in the Majlis lounge, and finally enjoy the heated swimming pool.
Before starting the treatment experience, guests must answer some questions from the experts, after which the needs of each guest are assessed and worked to meet them. Spa Villa also provides its guests with experiences that immerse the senses and ensures that they enjoy the utmost luxury, with personalized music and a selection of five fragrances.
Villa Spa also provides customized treatments for brides, as it is one of the most luxurious wedding destinations in Bahrain. The wedding package, which lasts for four hours, was designed in a way that takes into account the special needs of each bride.
The resort displays traditional Arab architecture and Arab art, and I noticed that they have a collection of wonderful artwork created by local Bahraini artists to decorate the restaurants and common spaces. The resort in general combines a unique design that combines comfort and privacy.
Noura Khan, a travel influencer and content creator, is a Kuwaiti national, holds a degree in law from Kuwait University and has worked as a journalist prior to taking up a position in the government. In 2018 she started blogging on travel and visited more than 57 countries since. She has more than 54k followers on her blog post @nourajtraveller is well appreciated for content and travel information. Noura writes exclusively for The Times Kuwait on her travel visits.
