KEMPINSKIS newest luxury hotels, the Kempinski Grand and Ixir Hotel Bahrain City Centre are ideally located in the heart of the city. The complex is connected to the Bahrain City Centre and Wahoo! Indoor waterpark, making it the ideal choice of accommodation for both leisure and business guests.
The Grand reflects a contemporary style, while Ixir, when it opens later this year, will offer an Arabic, more traditional feel.
Arriving at the hotel from Dubai and with a full schedule of meetings, I was pleased at the quick and efficient check-in.
I checked into a deluxe room, which is comfortably spacious at 36 sq m and offers a work area, a lounge chair, walk-in closet, LCD TV, free high-speed internet (this is available throughout the hotel which I find to be a great added value), mini bar with tea and coffee facilities, allowing me my morning cuppa without calling room service.
I was amazed by the bathroom, with its state-of-the-art Smart Glass technology. It provides you privacy if you want, or can have you look into your bedroom, convenient if you are trying to watch the TV while have a soak. The bathroom includes both a bath and shower. Again, as a woman, time permitting, it’s nice to have the option of a bath after work to freshen up for the evening.
The Kempinski Grand also offers Senior, Diamond and Royal suites ranging from 78 sq m to 148 sq m. The Kempinski Ixir will offer Superior rooms slightly smaller than the deluxe in the Grand at 29 sq m as well as junior, Oriental and Pearl Suites ranging from 42 sq m to 88 sq m.
Lunch at Saveur, the main restaurant was really nice as you don’t have a big buffet, but you can choose off an àla carte menu including daily specials. There is a salad bar on offer for your starters if you wish. At breakfast too, a selection is available as a buffet, while a live cooking station is also available if you would like something freshly made.
Saveur also offers one of the largest cellars in the Country where you can personally choose your favourite beverage. There is also a private dining pod where you can book intimate setting for up to 10 quests and you can have the chef cook for you or indeed, if you would prefer, cook with him!
Guests booking one of the suites in either hotel will have access to the Grand Lounge or Ixir Lounge. This can be accessed at an additional fee too. The Grand lounge includes a library and a play area for kids as well as computers and wi-fi Internet access.
A masseur is also available to give you a quick 20-minute Anti-Jet Lag Massage in the spa. Light fare and beverages are available throughout the day, but at breakfast, you can order eggs cooked to order.
For me, I like to use the club lounge for breakfast as it is quieter to prepare yourself for a full day of meetings.
For your evening entertainment, you can either have dinner at Saveur or at one of the other dining outlets. On the first night, I chose to have snacks and drinks in the Club Lounge, where you have a wide choice of beverages and reasonable choice of snacks, then moved for a night cap to Boudouir. Boudouir offers a quiet, intimate setting were you can dine while enjoying some blues and jazz playing in the background.
The Mezzanine Lounge is very unique with its media pods that seat four to six guests, comes fitted with a flat screen and DVD player where you can hold a private meeting or presentations or just have a private area for a private chat with friends. Orders are placed via an iPad while we enjoyed some live music, that thankfully wans’t too loud, so we could still chat!
True to expectations, the hotel is definitely one to consider on your next visit to Bahrain!
By Kim Thomson