ISLAND OF TREASURES

It’s hard to argue with Banana Island Resort Doha by Anantara’s self proclaimed description as an ‘Island Paradise of Natural Exclusivity’. This place has everything you could possibly wish for from one of Doha’s most luxurious resorts.

Set 25 minutes from the Qatari mainland, Banana Island Resort Doha by Anantara, is the ultimate destination to fulfill all of your getaway needs. The experience begins as soon as you enter the resort offices at the port. Kind smiles and welcoming faces assist with the ticketing and room allocation, as well as loading your luggage into a safe hold on the luxury catamaran. The journey begins with a safety demo and introduction by the vessel’s captain before setting off for a gentle crossing across the cool, crystal clear waters of the Gulf.

After using the free onboard WiFi to snap some photos of the Doha skyline for Instagram, our destination is upon us. We were welcomed to the island by a band of drummers, greeting us to their resort with an uplifting beat. What a welcome!

A member of the friendly team confirmed our room number and gave us an island tour before taking us to our room. The golf carts are accessible, smart and smooth way of visiting the many different activities and experiences that the resort has to offer.

Upon entering our room, one of 141 rooms, suites, pool villas and over water villas, we fell in love with the true Arabian luxury that was at our fingertips for the next few days. The bathroom was huge and contained a rather, enticing egg shaped bath. I myself, adore a nice relaxing bath and I was giddy with excitement at the thought of trying this one out. The bed was incredibly comfortable and allowed us an amazing night’s sleep. Our favourite feature of the room however, was the balcony. It overlooked the 800m private beach and allowed us to watch the sunset over the waters in the distance, a truly beautiful sight, yet another one for the ‘Insta-lovers’.

Banana Island has many different culinary treats to choose from at its multiple restaurants. Whether it’s Arabic, Italian or an American burger you are after, the resort offers it all. We decided to go for a traditional Arabic meal at Al Nahham, now this is a beautiful restaurant. Sitting outside overlooking the capital, we enjoyed a traditional mezze before delving into a succulent and truly satisfying mixed grill. Washed down with mocktails and curtailed with shisha, this was an experience that we wouldn’t forget in a hurry.

Breakfast at Azraq was a thing of splendour. Multiple cooking stations offer a little bit of something for everyone, no matter whereabouts in the world you are from. The ABC health juice was a particular favourite and the perfect tonic for a day of mini golf and water sport activities, all available on the island. The Anantara spa was a magnificent, relaxing experience which is a must do for when you visit.

After an extensive day of fun and pampering we decided to enjoy an Italian meal at Riva before we departed the island. Mamma Mia! The food was out of this world, one of the best Italian meals we had enjoyed in a long, long time. The perfect end to a perfect getaway.

For more information please call +974 4040 5050