THE VILLA LIFE

THE SUMMER IS CALLING AND SINCE WE’VE GOT FAMILY FLYING IN FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD, FACT’S ANUSHAY TAIMUR KHAN THOUGHT IT ONLY FITTING TO EXPLORE THE GRAND HYATT DOHA HOTEL & VILLA’S FOR THE ULTIMATE DOHA GETAWAY. THIS STAYCATION MAKER IS NOW ADDICTED!

The Grand Hyatt Doha Hotel & Villas has always won points for me due to its location. Situated on the quieter side of town with magnificent views of the Arabian Gulf, I booked myself into one of their incredible villas for the weekend.

As I had guests visiting, and we needed more space around our apartment, booking myself a villa to accommodate two families was the ideal option – and, of course, a lovely treat. I had already heard a lot about these villas but never got around to staying in them, as even the hotel rooms are comfortable enough for us. Since the occasion called for multiple families and a little extra luxury, we had the opportunity to experience one of the talked-about villas, and it did not disappoint. After a swift check-in, we were escorted to our two-bedroom, upper view villa for the weekend. My main concern was about how we would adjust two families in here but, the minute I entered this home away from home, I couldn’t stop beaming.

LUXURY LIVIN’
This villa was truly the answer to my expat life woes. A huge dining room and lounge welcomed me, as the interior of the villa showed off the hotel’s exemplary design as well. Big, comfortable sofas with a TV screen called to us and we immediately started to unwind. There was a small terrace attached to the lounge, with seating arrangement, overlooking the beautiful gardens in between the villas. Our kitchen was fully equipped with the latest appliances, and only parents understand how important it is to have that when you’re travelling with kids. The guest bedroom was smartly furnished with two single beds that could accommodate a couple or even children, along with another terrace attached to it, just in case you need a breath of fresh air at any time. I loved how the bedrooms all had their own bathrooms and there was also a guest bathroom attached to the lounge, which meant we could have as many guests as we wanted and still have the privacy anyone would need.

The master bedroom, which I call the big show, was my favourite part (yes, I took that room immediately). A room, as huge as the lounge, was already prepared for my family. A beautiful crib, a lounging sofa, and a dressing table were available as a full-on package for my weekend. Both the bedrooms had their own TVs, which is never a bad thing if you ask me. We unpacked into the closets immediately and called ourselves a buggy to be escorted to the hotel’s beach for a quick dip before the guests officially poured in.

FOOD GLORIOUS FOOD
The greatest part of this staycation was that I had the best of both worlds; living the homely life and following my regular routine, and then, having all the facilities of the five-star hotel that Grand Hyatt is. Since kids can be picky eaters, all I had to do was go across the road to Carrefour in Lagoona Mall, and get myself some necessities for the kitchen and prepare their meals. For myself, however, I chose to go all out with dinner at Isaan, the award-winning Thai food restaurant. I ordered my favourite Phanom Rung menu, which is ideal for sharing for two, and enjoyed the night of culinary delight with the Goong Nueng Ka-ti soup sealing the deal. Even the mild spices of the food were tantalising and we consumed every last bit of the Larb Ped, which was minced duck salad, and Gai Satay, chicken satay in peanut sauce, like there was no tomorrow. For dessert, I proudly say that I had coconut ice cream for two, and let my husband enjoy coconut pudding because I honestly could not get enough of this delicious concoction.

For breakfast, we opted to wow everyone with my favourite Santa Monica Breakfast Club, which is complimentary for the guests staying in the villa, and we came out of that restaurant as winners. The ideal hub for families, SMBC has a television screen to entertain your children along with a mini play area to keep the toddlers busy. The buffet itself is a treat in the first place, and when you add a kidfriendly restaurant to this mix, it is heavenly for everyone! Mind you, this place is always busy so, it is recommended to head to the buffet a bit earlier to get yourself a good spot.

AND RELAX…
As we had access to the pool and beach, we found ourselves wanting to come back home within minutes just to unwind. And, that is exactly what we did. We lounged at the beach for the good hours of the day as the kids got busy on their own with sandcastles, and the adults got their much-needed tan game on. In addition, we booked ourselves massages at Jaula Spa as well and couldn’t have asked for a better pick-me-up on a lazy Saturday afternoon. All of us had our own stress points that we needed some sorting with and my therapist, Susan, made sure I left all my worries outside of the Spa. My 30-minutes massage was the highlight of the day and I may or may not have dozed off – a compliment for Susan because I don’t remember the last time I was this relaxed!

LOCATION ENVY
Since the Grand Hyatt Doha Hotel & Villas is located at the shoreline of the new West Bay Lagoon district, Katara Cultural Village and The Pearl are within five to 10 minutes’ drive, which made my duties as the host very easy as these places are always on the go-to list for sightseeing. The iconic Zig-Zag towers are already the first stop for the tour, and since Lagoona Mall is also right opposite the villas, our guests always found something to do outside the hotel as well.

I found it very easy to manage an otherwise difficult weekend with this option. A comfortable house, with all the extra help in the world, a club cart to escort you within 10 minutes, excellent room service, and a 15 minute drive to the hottest spots in town; my guests and I were as happy as you could be getting the extra luxurious treatment we wanted. ✤


GO: CALL 4448 1234 OR VISIT WWW.HYATT.COM/EN-US/HOTEL/ QATAR/GRAND-HYATT-DOHA-HOTEL-AND-VILLAS/DOHGH/ROOMS FOR RESERVATIONS AND MORE INFORMATION.