Raffles Opens First and Only All-Villa Hotel in Bahrain

A traditional room and suite in the Middle East? So 2023. How about an entire villa with a private pool all to yourself that comes with your own personal butler? Enter Raffles Al Areen Palace Bahrain, billed as the country's first and only all-villa resort.

Photo Credit: Raffles Hotels & Resorts

Set on the country's west coast on the "island of a million palm trees," Raffles Al Areen Palace Bahrain was developed in collaboration with GFH Financial Group and offers "both escape from the fast-paced modern world and connection with an unexplored part of the Middle East," says the Singaporean hospitality brand.

The property is defined by 78 private pool villas cocooned by lush tropical gardens, ranging from one to three bedrooms and spanning over 4,300 square feet. Each boasts a temperature-controlled private pool and personalized butler service. The grandest of the offerings is the Royal Three-Bedroom Villa, with nearly 8,000 square feet of living space, a lavish lounge and dining area, an open-air heated swimming pool, Jacuzzi, and a lavish primary suite with a marble bathroom and a soaking tub.

Wellness and connection to nature are enduring themes on the property. Guests can also opt for well-being villas, providing in-room wellness experiences. Also tucked into the property, a hidden gem awaits—a secret garden cultivated by a resident botanist. Guests can partake in exclusive workshops on organic gardening, tree planting, date picking, and healing herbs. An on-site spa presents a variety of treatments merging innovative practices from both the East and West, with the intriguing "milky chocolate bath" catching particular attention. Staffed by skilled local practitioners, the spa prioritizes eco-conscious products. The facilities encompass a gym, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, steam rooms, a sauna, a Jacuzzi, tennis courts, and squash courts.

Guests of Raffles Bahrain will also find diverse dining options onsite, including the all-day Mediterranean restaurant Palma, featuring locally inspired fusion dishes and collaborations with renowned international chefs. Pastry Chef Yazid Ichemrahen, celebrated for his artistic creations at Ycone Paris, brings his delightful treats to Raffles Bahrain. If guests don't feel like venturing out, they can always indulge in in-villa dining, complete with the option to have a private chef upon request.

As a finishing touch, the property provides a diverse array of on-site experiences. Embark on an art tour led by a butler-curator, indulge your botanical interests in a workshop hosted by a botanist in the hotel's secret garden, or savor a romantic candlelit dinner. There are also opportunities to explore offsite at the nearby wildlife reserve, shopping at Bab Al Bahrain, or the Bahrain International F1 Circuit, the Al Dana Amphitheater, and Exhibition World Bahrain.