W Doha Hotel groovy enough for Austin Powers

W Hotel Doha may have all the frills of an Austin Powers movie, but once you get away from the party atmosphere in the lobby it is a serious business hotel with innovative plans for keyless room entry.

The lobby area at the W Hotel & Residences in Doha’s West Bay. Courtesy Starwood Hotels and Resorts

If Austin Powers were to ever visit Doha, he’d stay at the W Hotel. The rooms in the Starwood-managed property are as retro and groovy as the character, with swings, circular beds and string curtains.

The entire atmosphere is one of a psychedelic party town, particularly on a Thursday night when the lobby feels less bell boy and more middle-aged partygoer. It was a tad intimidating stepping into the hotel with dimmed lights and music blaring from one of its trendy bars and restaurants. But upstairs, the room had a swing and that sort of compensated for the smell of eau de desperation that lingered from the men in the lobby.

Situated in Doha’s West Bay, the W’s rooms are spacious, the suites have an entire living area with a desk that caters well to the international business traveller with numerous plugs, slots and stationery. There was even a typewriter on the dining desk. Wi-Fi was easily accessible and free of charge, reaching decent speeds to complete a day’s work.

The bed was a comforting retreat and with the highly reflective chandelier, you could satisfy the narcissist within and watch yourself doze off to sleep.

The bath was gloriously big, with a separate shower containing amenities from Bliss. The hotel also houses the Bliss spa, which offers various treatments using its own lotions and potions to relax guests. Breakfast is served at the award-winning Market by Jean-Georges. The selection is not overwhelming, but everything available is well prepared. Its lunch and dinner service is also worth a visit to get a taste of Doha's finest burgers. Other than Market, the W counts Spice Market, La Spiga by Paper Moon, a cafe and two lounges in its offerings.

Starwood Hotels is attempting to better utilise mobile phones and has now introduced NFC-enabled room locks, which open with a tap of the mobile phone. Leaving aside all the concerns that surround data security and privacy in these cases, this is an innovative idea. It certainly saves having to go down to the lobby every time you lose a key card.

q&a be our guest

Safak Guvenc, Qatar area manager at Starwood, tells Triska Hamid how the W Doha Hotel & Residences caters to its business guests:

What do you offer the business traveller?

In addition to basic facilities such as wireless high-speed internet access and state-of-the-art audiovisual equipment, business travellers can revel in the selection of award-winning culinary offerings, including Market by Jean-Georges and Spice Market, both by the renowned Michelin-starred chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten, and Italian gourmet gastronomy at La Spiga by Paper Moon.

Anything else?

In 2014 W Doha launched the SPG Keyless Programme, which allows travellers to use their smartphone as a key. Furthermore, the hotel is the first property in the Middle East to offer a complimentary interactive service via mobile and social media channels including WhatsApp, BlackBerry Messenger, Twitter and Instagram, allowing guests to explore, discover and plan a stay at any moment.

Tell us more about the Keyless Programme – what are the benefits?

Embracing the technological era, W Doha Hotel & Residences launched the first mobile, keyless room entry in the Middle East in November last year. SPG Keyless is a turning point in the traditional hotel experience, redefining the age-old way guests arrive and check in to their rooms. Through the SPG app, guests can bypass the front desk, go directly to their room and unlock the door with a simple tap of their smartphone.

* The author was a guest of W Hotel Doha

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