The world is your oyster at Doha’s latest Four Seasons stunner

Deep veins of tradition entwine with contemporary comforts at this new luxury hotel located in the Qatari capital’s most exclusive district

Champagne is flowing, live music is thumping, and staff are clearing plates loaded with discarded crab claws and mussel shells when I stumble into Spuntino restaurant, located on the ground floor of the Four Seasons Resort and Residences at The Pearl-Qatar, one Friday afternoon.

This bacchanalian ‘brunch’ is not what I expected to encounter in Doha, but later I learn it’s a weekend institution for Qataris, expatriates, and even some Saudis (who drive across the border to get here). In line with Four Seasons’ reputation for luxury, brunch takes on lavish proportions, with a sprawling Italian-inspired buffet of chilled seafood, fresh salads, just-baked breads, cooked meats, pasta, pizza and more.

Delicious. But the timing puzzles me.

“How is it brunch if it’s held in the afternoon?” I ask Clara De Lama, the hotel’s PR director, over breakfast the next morning, when the same restaurant is in a more subdued mood. She shrugs, with a “can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em” air, adding that all the hotels in this area offer a debaucherous afternoon brunch.

Location

Four Seasons Resort and Residences The Pearl-Qatar is one of the newest high-end hotels to emerge on an artificial island in Doha, constructed at a cost of USD$2.5 billion (about AUD$3.7 billion), and known simply as ‘The Pearl’.

Catering for both short- and long-term stays, the Four Seasons’ 240-room property is located on a private beach at the end of a residential street evocatively named ‘Porto Arabia Drive’, close to a Mediterranean-style marina, town square, shops, art galleries and restaurants.

The hotel is the ultimate Qatari playground.

During a post-brunch stroll of the waterfront, I see families tossing beach balls and frisbees on the sand, jet skiers leaving arcs of spray in their midst, and friends and couples lolling on loungers beside the two outdoor pools. And while there’s plenty of bikinis, there’s barely a burkini in sight.

The Pearl comprises 400 hectares of reclaimed land which were once a hub for pearl diving (hence the name). Then came the discovery of petroleum and gas, which changed the country’s fortunes, and ultimately led to the development of expatriate hub The Pearl, with all its residential skyscrapers, high-end shops, private islands, and Venetian-style canals.

Featuring one, two and three-bedroom apartments, the Four Seasons Resort and Residences at The Pearl-Qatar opened in November 2023. It joins a sister property which has stood at The Corniche, an eleven-minute drive away, since 2005.

Design

Stepping into the grand marble lobby, the first thing I notice is the exuberant displays of fresh flowers, positioned atop a glass table that seems to float in space. Next are the tantalising glimpses through glass of blue sea and glittering skyline, which I admire while sipping a sweet lavender drink offered at check-in.

As my two-night stay unfolds, I gradually take in the collection of artworks and sculptures by renowned Qatari contemporary artists including Hanadi Al-Darwish and Shouq Al-Mana. There are also works by international artists, such as the wall sculpture by Turkish artist Gülay Semercioğlu and four large-scale paintings by Parisian artist Maude Maris. No matter where you look, this hotel was designed to dazzle – but not to blind.

The over-the-top opulence is softened by the soothing palette of colours reflecting the stone and dust of the Qatari landscape. The biophilic design by Wimberly Interiors also drew inspiration from the sea creatures and corals of the Arabian Gulf, with motifs of shells, sand and the sea.

Dining

Soft boiled eggs aren’t typically considered haute cuisine, but at the hotel’s flagship restaurant, La Méditerranée Robuchon, they are transformed into a showstopper, encased in a delicate nest of pastry, sitting atop tender cubes of smoked salmon, and topped with caviar and gold leaf. Seeing me wondering where to start, a waiter hurries over.

“Break it in half, and scoop up some of the yolk with the salmon,” she says.

Executive chef Eric Gonzalez emerges from the kitchen to talk me through the next course. It’s so new, he says, it’s not yet on the menu – a breath of Spring in the form of lobster, morel mushrooms and gnocchi on a sea of pea green foam.

As the sun disappears, I watch the last of the jet skiers carve up the waters as I move onto beef tenderloin, and then the ‘la noix de coco’ dessert, which has a wafer-thin chocolate shell surrounding meringue-like ice cream and fruit, set on a bed of crumble.

A more informal meal can be found at steakhouse Chicago Rare, which opened in April 2024, and channels the windy city’s speakeasies. Here, another night, I pair a shrimp cocktail with filet mignon served with duck fat fries. Guests enjoying a beach or pool day can opt for an al fresco smoothie or poke bowl, sandwiches, salads, pizzas, or other light meals, at Loulou Plage. Afternoon high tea at the Duchess in the lobby is also popular.

In the room

My spacious one-bedroom city view apartment has a floor to ceiling outlook over the Doha skyline and a welcome fresh fruit platter and selection of sweets ready to be devoured. Marble flooring in the entrance hall yields to pale wooden parquetry in the dining and lounge area. A cream-coloured lounge scattered with pale blue and pink cushions, and a coffee table bearing a single, spectacular white orchid display, anchor the space. The bedroom contains a king-sized bed, a chaise longue, and a mirrored dressing area.

I loved the freestanding egg-shaped bath in the adjoining bathroom, which stands alongside a rain shower, double basin, and selection of Diptyque toiletries. A fully equipped kitchen with Miele appliances, washing machine and dryer, and guest toilet make this a comfortable crash pad.

Wellness

Loulou means ‘pearl’ in Arabic and, at the Loulou Spa here, you can indulge in several pearl-inspired signature treatments, such as the Loulou Pearl Shell Massage, which uses heated clam shells and medium pressure massage strokes to release blocked energy flow. An extensive menu of cupping therapies is also offered.

Even if you don’t have time to slip into one of the four treatment rooms, the spa facilities offer a relaxing escape. I swim laps in the serene 25-metre indoor swimming pool, before heading into the aqua thermal facilities, including a steam room, sauna and spa bath. There’s also a 24-hour fitness centre stocked with an impressive array of equipment for those who don’t want to let their exercise routines slide while they’re away from home.

HOTEL NOTES

Rates at the Four Seasons Resort and Residences at The Pearl-Qatar start at 2500 QAR (about AUD$1,030).

fourseasons.com/thepearlqatar