Marriott hotels in Doha

[hugo r]

Looking at going to Doha on holiday for 5 nights in May , I’m a plat member so would prefer to stay in a Marriott hotel . Could anyone recommend any Marriott hotels , ideally looking for one on the beach / central location

Cheers

[NorthernLass]

I posted a review of the Ritz Carlton yesterday in the Destination Advice section, we really enjoyed our stay.

[hugo r]

Thanks northernLass ,

What’s the private beach like at the ritz Carlton , is it like Jumeirah beach in terms of sand and water ?

Torn between the ritz and the st Regis

[NorthernLass]

Not really like Jumeirah beach, much smaller but of course much quieter. I posted about 2nd down in the comments as I forgot to include it in the main review. We only went once as preferred the pool area.

[tw33ty]

I stayed at the Westin, was upgraded to a massive suite.

Food and lounge were great, only thing is it’s a little bit away from the beach, but Ubers are so cheap.

[harley]

I also stayed at RC this year, was probably the best hotel I’ve stayed at. Although staff were a bit over the top in trying to assist you, I guess better more than poor service! Re beach it’s not the best but very quiet when I went, I think only about 5 other people were on it. Pool area was very nice

[NorthernLass]

They did appear like magic every time we got near the doors or lifts! And about 4 of them would rush to open the car doors each time our Ubers arrived.

Refreshing change from the US currently where service seems to run along the lines of “We’re going to do the bare minimum but still expect 20% tips and resort fees”.

[bungalow]

I can’t for the life of me understand why every time a thread starts for Doha hotel recommendations, that nobody mentions the Sheraton Grand!
I stayed in Qatar for the first time late 2021, just a month or so before world cup 2022. I wanted to have a look around all the new stadiums before the football started, and stayed at the Grand on a points 5for4 before hopping over to Oman. I chose the Sheraton as I’d previously visited Doha on a half day cruise stop and the pyramid shaped hotel stood out as such an iconic building situated out on its own peninsula.
I didn’t quite know what to expect given what I’d heard of Qatar previously, but at just 66,000 points for 5 nights I was prepared to take a chance – I’ve been back every year for a 5 night break ever since.
It’s an older hotel of course, and the pyramid building shape makes the rooms a bit “quirky”, but as Bonvoy Platinum I always book an entry room and am upgraded to a room with resort sea views and balcony – with a little sitting area and balcony separated from the main bedroom by going down a few steps!
I get access to the Executive Lounge, which although a good size, is quite dated. but plenty of free drinks and a great selection and ample supply of hot and cold food each evening – we very rarely need to eat elsewhere. In my 3 years of going to the hotel the lounge is NEVER busy, ergo breakfast is not a lounge option, as I’m told that as there was never the demand for it everyone now eats breakfast buffet in the hotel foyer. The choice there is both substantial and delicious!
Being I guess probably the first major chain to set up in Doha, the Sheraton has prominent pride of place and substantial grounds on an outcrop at Doha bay, but just a 15 minute walk to downtown or 20 minutes taxi to the airport. Beautifully maintained grounds, large private beach which is sunny all day, large circular pool, and a huge jacuzzi. Compare with the Hilton just a few hundred metres down the coast with a beach more like a sandpit and in its own shade all afternoon (and I’m Hilton Diamond)!

I get that there are much newer and grander hotels now towards the Pearl etc, but when we go to Doha it’s for a short 5-nighter to lie on the beach when I spot avios seats come available on Qatar, it’s not our main holiday, just a short break in the sun. That being the case the Sheraton Grand is unbeatable for circa 70,000 points for 5 nights, and for some reason they always credit me with about 3 or 4,000 points at check out!

For value for money I just wouldn’t look past it.

Just my thoughts 👍

[NorthernLass]

Didn’t Rhys do a review of it once? We did the sunset cruise and the skipper showed us pictures of when it was the only hotel on the peninsula!

[bungalow]

NorthernLass wrote:

Didn’t Rhys do a review of it once? We did the sunset cruise and the skipper showed us pictures of when it was the only hotel on the peninsula!

Wasn’t aware of that

NorthernLass wrote:

Didn’t Rhys do a review of it once? We did the sunset cruise and the skipper showed us pictures of when it was the only hotel on the peninsula!

Ha! Didn’t realise that NL, and just read his article! Basically expands on what I said and would have saved me a lot of typing lol. Missed that review in June 22 as I was probably stretched out snoozing at Lake Bled Slovenia that day… Ahh the memories 🙂

[ashic]

Just got back from the St Regis Marsa Arabia in the Pearl. So…erm… yeah…. no idea how it’s a St Regis. If you happen to be in the wing of the cigar lounge, the smoke comes into the room – both through the door, and through the HVAC system – the HEPA filters must be missing. We resorted to put a wet towel in the door, and if you have the aircon off (so the HVAC doesn’t bring in smoke) then it’s tolerable. It’s suite only, on the marina (so no beach, though they can arrange to give you access to the other St Regis’s beach). Breakfast is a buffet, and rather mediocre. And staff are mostly the opposite of what you’d expect in a St Regis. There’s a clear hierarchy of Qatari > Arab > Indian > African amongst the staff, and most of the staff seem genuinely uninterested in being there (with some exceptions). Titanium status not honoured… no upgrade, and later when challenged, told that upgrades are only for same category rooms if available – we’d booked a one bed suite, there were numerous two beds available, but upgrades would only be to sea view one beds. We could pay to upgrade to two bed, but that wasn’t communicated either. We were there during New Year’s Eve. Can’t see anything from the area either, and the hotel didn’t do anything apart from a tacky party in the cigar lounge. So all in all, not a good experience at all…well… the rooms are huge, but nothing else is like a St Regis.

Also, the Pearl is HIDEOUSLY expensive food wise. Think high end London prices. It’s way cheaper to get better food by taking a £5-8 taxi ride to West Bay and eat there. I’d say skip this hotel. Heard good things about the other St Regis though. Although frankly, staying downtown in West Bay puts you closer to the things you want to do, and can be a lot cheaper. If for a few days, the luxry collection looks great, as does the Ritz Carlton, and I believe there’s a new Autograph Al Samriya sort of in the desert which is kind of like a Royal’s village type of thing, and that looked rather cool. Not on the beach though. And 30 mins from West Bay by uber.

[Pangolin]

@bungalow The problem with Marriott in Doha is their rates are very uncompetitive when viewed alongside IHG and Hilton. Also, there are not really any solid low-mid budget options like Hilton and IHG offer (DoubleTree, Hampton, Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn) other than properties like 4P, which has limited availability during the winter season unless you book well in advance.

The other thing is that if you check the prices for, say, first half of February you find that virtually none of the hotels offer points redemptions. You can find it at some places for short stays (1-2 nights) but for 5 nights or longer you basically only have cash rates on offer. It’s a totally different picture for IHG and Hilton.

I found points availability for RC Doha for Feb 4-6. It’s a “Pointsavers” deal at 216K points for 2 nights – no thanks!

[NorthernLass]

That’s a rubbish deal – I paid 220k for 5 nights at the RC with club access! I think the Bonvoy world has gone slightly bonkers, though, since dynamic pricing arrived.

[Blair Waldorf Salad]

NorthernLass wrote:

That’s a rubbish deal – I paid 220k for 5 nights at the RC with club access! I think the Bonvoy world has gone slightly bonkers, though, since dynamic pricing arrived.

It really has. Even booking Dubai in high summer, one finds silly Bonvoy prices. I still enjoy Marriott hotels sufficiently to want elite status from stays, but I expect they’ll be primarily cash stays.

[Pangolin]

Blair Waldorf Salad wrote:

It really has. Even booking Dubai in high summer, one finds silly Bonvoy prices. I still enjoy Marriott hotels sufficiently to want elite status from stays, but I expect they’ll be primarily cash stays.

Cash rates in general for Bonvoy are scarcely realistic when you compare them to IHG or Hilton alternatives.
I have Diamond Ambassador in IHG with Lounge Pass till end of 2024. In Hilton I have Diamond till 31 March, then I drop to Gold.

Even though I’m around 200 nights off getting Lifetime Platinum in Marriott, I find that I’m putting most nights to IHG now (with Hilton usually the Plan B) as I just can’t justify the rates Bonvoy is asking.

I have a strong incentive to allocate nights to Bonvoy to reach Lifetime Plat but they are currently the third place choice.
Only a double nights promo might move the needle for me.

[bungalow]

Pangolin wrote:

@bungalow The problem with Marriott in Doha is their rates are very uncompetitive when viewed alongside IHG and Hilton. Also, there are not really any solid low-mid budget options like Hilton and IHG offer (DoubleTree, Hampton, Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn) other than properties like 4P, which has limited availability during the winter season unless you book well in advance.

The other thing is that if you check the prices for, say, first half of February you find that virtually none of the hotels offer points redemptions. You can find it at some places for short stays (1-2 nights) but for 5 nights or longer you basically only have cash rates on offer. It’s a totally different picture for IHG and Hilton.

I found points availability for RC Doha for Feb 4-6. It’s a “Pointsavers” deal at 216K points for 2 nights – no thanks!

I’ve been staying at the Sheraton Grand Doha on points for 3 years now, and a 5for4 booking always came in at less than 70,000 points (last November it was 67,000).
However, A week or so after I booked last year I checked the prices again and they had DOUBLED!
I am staying again this March, and the same deal is 108,000, and this increase has applied right across the chain. RC, Delta, Marriott, all have almost doubled in price since last October.
The only thing I can put it down to is Expo which is running Oct 23 until end of Mar 24, but the price increase seems to apply right to the end of 24 which just doesn’t add up.
If the lofted rates persist I may have to reconsider next year, as it is only the value that has me going there.

BTW, I wouldn’t stay at the Hilton Doha for half the price, and I’m Hilton Diamond.

[bungalow]

Pangolin wrote:

@bungalow The problem with Marriott in Doha is their rates are very uncompetitive when viewed alongside IHG and Hilton. Also, there are not really any solid low-mid budget options like Hilton and IHG offer (DoubleTree, Hampton, Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn) other than properties like 4P, which has limited availability during the winter season unless you book well in advance.

The other thing is that if you check the prices for, say, first half of February you find that virtually none of the hotels offer points redemptions. You can find it at some places for short stays (1-2 nights) but for 5 nights or longer you basically only have cash rates on offer. It’s a totally different picture for IHG and Hilton.

I found points availability for RC Doha for Feb 4-6. It’s a “Pointsavers” deal at 216K points for 2 nights – no thanks!

What you say re Marriott pricing is true Pangolin, but not true to form, something has changed.

I’ve been staying at the Sheraton Grand Doha on points for 3 years now, and a 5for4 booking always came in at less than 70,000 points (last November it was 67,000).
However, A week or so after I booked last year I checked the prices again and they had DOUBLED!
I am staying again this March, and the same deal is 108,000, and this increase has applied right across the chain. RC, Delta, Marriott, all have almost doubled in price since last October.
The only thing I can put it down to is Expo which is running Oct 23 until end of Mar 24, but the price increase seems to apply right to the end of 24 which just doesn’t add up.
If it lofted rates persist I may have to reconsider next year, it is only the value that has me going there.

BTW, I wouldn’t stay at the Hilton Doha for half the price, and I’m Hilton Diamond.

* Incidentally, I booked a 5 night stay at Delta Doha while I was at the Sheraton, nipped round now and again but didn’t stay, just to retain my Platinum status. It cost me 31,000 points, 5 nights next month is closer to 80,000!