Preferred domain

The Domain Bahrain bills itself as a place to “stay, work, play” – and that’s exactly what I was able to do during my stay at this luxury hotel which is located in the heart of the Diplomatic area in Manama.

Conveniently located for both business and leisure, the five-star boutique property is a mere 7 km from the airport.

Clearly, the hotel makes the ‘work’ part very accessible, being a just a kilometre from the Bahrain Financial Harbour and with the Saudi Causeway also within reach (22 km away), anyone can easily drive over to neighbouring Saudi Arabia in a day and still be back in the evening.

On the ‘play’ side of things, the Bahrain National Museum and Cultural Hall are half a kilometre away. City Centre Bahrain and Seef Mall are just 3 km away, with Bahrain’s traditional Bab Al Bahrain souq being even closer. The Al Fateh Grand Mosque is a stone’s throw from the hotel.

I was greeted on arrival by a friendly doorman who took my hired car to the property’s multi-storeyed, covered carpark. A concierge then led me to The Living Room, a space that occupies the 16th floor and serves as a multifunctional social space. A smiling, young lady checked me in while I soaked in The Living Room – guests can opt to check in directly in their rooms or suites as well. 

I had arrived earlier than the official check-in time, but my room was ready for me to freshen up before my conference.  This is always appreciated by me. My room, located on one of the highest floors, was very spacious.

The curtains open up automatically when you put your key card in, bringing sunlight into your room or the city’s night light. Equally, they close when you leave the room as long as you take the key card with you, which keeps the room cool and saves on energy. 

The Domain Bahrain has 62 suites and 68 rooms ranging from 30 to 260 square metres, all with views over Bahrain Bay and the city. Free wi-fi is available throughout the hotel and all rooms and suites are serviced by personal butlers. The mini bar offers soft drinks, juices, coffee and tea at no extra charge. The beds have award-winning mattresses and down feather duvets with a choice of pillows. Although I am partial to a bath at the end of the day, my bathroom had a large walk-in rain shower, which proved ideal after my morning workout.

In the evening, a friend of mine joined me for drinks and dinner, and with seven food and beverage outlets, we were spoilt for choice.

We started off with a beverage in Txoko, a Basque sky lounge on the top (36th) floor, then proceeded for dinner to Figs and Olives as we were intrigued by the Italian-Lebanese concept. Other options include Imari, a Japanese restaurant; Le Sauvage, offering curated cuts of meat with classic French sides; or Le Domain, which serves up a lighter choice of French cuisine.

For cocktails and nibbles, there is The Cigar Lounge or the world’s first dedicated social video lounge Anthology Media Lounge with live media mixed by a DJ.  The Deli Café offers a place for a quick bite and is open for takeaway.

Meanwhile, the uniquely named spa ‘Vie Lifesytle Lab’ offers relaxation, detox and rejuvenation aplenty, though I didn’t get the chance to try the treatments.

I did use the well-equipped gym, which offers both ladies-only and a mixed gym, with spectacular views over the city.

There is also a rooftop indoor infinity pool with a retractable sunroof which again, I sadly didn’t have the chance to use.

Although not specifically a conference hotel, The Domain does have conference and boardroom facilities fitted with state-of-the-art equipment, and each room can easily transform into a venue for private dinning or social events.

I enjoyed the facilities and choice of food and beverages at The Domain Bahrain and would recommend the hotel for either business or leisure.

But what really impressed me was the intuitive service and the friendliness of the staff, which is second to none.

By Kim Thomson