Tried & Tested

Hotel check: The Torch hotel, Doha

24 Sep 2012 by BusinessTraveller

BACKGROUND A member of the Leading Hotels of the World, the five-star Torch Doha is housed within the 300-metre tower that bore the torch for the 2006 Asian Games. While its soft opening took place in February, its official opening was last month.

WHAT’S IT LIKE? The colossal torch tower is visible from far away – at night, its mesh exterior is lit up by multi-coloured kinetic light displays. Interestingly, the hotel facilities are built within an inner sort of “core” that travels all the way up to the top of the tower, and from the sleek hotel lobby you can look up and take in the scale of the building, which is quite fascinating. The structure has a very open feel, and its sheer size creates a sense of grandeur.

WHERE IS IT? A 25-minute drive from downtown Doha in good traffic, the hotel is part of the capital’s Aspire Zone, a 250-hectare multi-sport complex that has previously hosted the Asian Games in 2006 and the Fina Diving World Cup in 2009.

ROOM FACILITIES I stayed in one of the entry-level 42 sqm Deluxe rooms on the eighth floor. Dark wooden walls paired with a brown carpet and cream furniture created a neutral style of décor. There was a comfortable king-sized bed with plump pillows and leather padding on the wall in place of a headboard; beside it were two armchairs with big cushions and a coffee table with a fruit bowl. There was black and white framed photography of sporting events upon the walls and facing the bed upon a cabinet was a large Samsung flatscreen TV.

The walls were covered in cut-out “mood-lighting panels”, and you could control the colour (there were 12 to choose from) and brightness of these with a touchscreen panel on the wall by the bed. While this was an interesting feature that allowed you to personalise the room, there were a couple of occasions where I was unable to turn the mood lighting off. Technicians were on hand straight away to help, but unfortunately the problem persisted (this could be down to teething problems as the hotel was going through its opening).

The buttons by the bed could also be used to draw the curtains – there was a floor-to-ceiling window wall opposite my the bed that faced out towards Doha’s Aspire Zone, but due to the way the hotel is structured within the former torch tower, my view was obstructed by the structure’s outer mesh “shell”, meaning I had a translucent view of my surrounds – which was quite pleasant in a way, as it kept out the harsh light without making the room gloomy – and at night I could see the flickering lights of that light up the tower.

There is a strong focus on technology within the hotel. During my visit, iPad technology allowing “customized in-room control” was not yet in place, but should now be implemented. This allows guests to use iPads to order 24-hour room service, control the room’s lighting and temperature, and set pre-arrival requests among other things.

Other room amenities included a long desk facing the window, free wifi and wired internet (there was also a wireless keyboard that could be used to access the internet through the TV), a luggage rack, a Nespresso machine, kettle, tea-and coffee-making facilities, a minibar stocked with water and soft drinks (free, chargeable if you request a re-fill), a cupboard with a laptop safe, robe, slippers, a shoehorn and a lint remover.

The large cream marble bathroom with grey stone walls had a bath and separate shower with a rainshower head. There was a full-length mirror upon the door and an abstract spherical silver sculpture that looked like a rabbit. Asprey toiletries were provided, including “Purple Water” shower gel, moisturiser, shampoo, conditioner, mouthwash, a nail kit, soap, a showercap, cotton buds and a comb. A hairdryer was attached to the wall, and there were bathroom scales.

RESTAURANTS AND BARS The Flying Carpet restaurant, named after the Arabic carpets suspended from its ceiling, is the hotel’s all-day dining restaurant. Located on the Mezzanine level of the hotel, it serves an extensive international buffet for breakfast and lunch, as well as dinner. On the 47thfloor of the hotel is Three Sixty, a revolving restaurant that serves international cuisine, while on the 50th floor is Panorama, another restaurant that offers vast views of Doha – it serves contemporary Asian cuisine.

BUSINESS AND MEETING FACILITIES  These include two 40 sqm  boardrooms on the Mezzanine level which can hold up to 20 delegates, and a 120 sqm conference room with daylight which is equipped with an 106-inch smart TV with video-conferencing facilities. For larger events, there’s a 315 sqm ballroom that can hold 250 guests for dinner. The meeting spaces are smart with calm, glamourous décor.

LEISURE FACILITIES The hotel’s medium-sized outdoor swimming pool sticks out of the side of the hotel, 80 metres from the ground – I was told that there were originally plans to make the bottom of the pool transparent, but I think this would have been terrifying. At the time of my visit, the spa and fitness facilities were not yet open – they are due to open this month. These include a gym with Technogym equipment, a spa lounge with “a unique waterfall relaxation area”, a steam room and a sauna with a jet shower.

A great selling point of the Torch is its location within the Aspire Zone, which means that guests are allowed to make use of its facilities, which include two Olympic-sized swimming pools, squash and tennis courts and a running track that encircles the lush 88-hectare Aspire Park.

VERDICT Despite some technological teething problems, the Torch is an exciting hotel with innovative “bling” touches. Its meeting facilities are sophisticated, and its leisure facilities will not disappoint sports fans.

FACT FILE

  • HOW MANY ROOMS? 167 rooms and suites divided into four categories: Deluxe rooms, Junior suites, Executive suites and Diplomatic Suites.
  • ROOM HIGHLIGHTS The comfortable, luxurious feel throughout the room and the bathroom, and the range of amenities
  • PRICE Internet rates for a midweek stay in October started from £194 for a Deluxe room.
  • CONTACT thetorchdoha.com

Rose Dykins

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